Health Words Flashcards
Lactic acid
a colorless syrupy organic acid formed in sour milk and produced in the muscle tissues during strenuous exercise.
Glycogen
The body breaks down most carbohydrates from the foods we eat and converts them to a type of sugar called glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for our cells.
Glucose
a simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates.
Hyperthermia
the condition of having a body temperature greatly above normal.
Hypothermia
the condition of having an abnormally low body temperature, typically one that is dangerously low.
Sedentary
a person that gets little or no physical activity.
Vegan
a person who does not eat or use animal products
Vegetarian
-a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.
Endorphins
are among the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which function to transmit electrical signals within the nervous system. Stress and pain are the two most common factors leading to the release of endorphins. Endorphins interact with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce our perception of pain and act similarly to drugs such as morphine and codeine.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle —Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the removal of old bone.
Minerals
Like vitamins, minerals are substances found in food that your body needs for growth and health. There are two kinds of minerals: macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. These include iron, copper, iodine, zinc, fluoride, and selenium.
Vitamins
Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. They are: B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate)Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and C.
Nutrients
are components in foods that an organism uses to survive and grow. Macronutrients provide the bulk energy an organism’s metabolic system needs to function while micronutrients provide the necessary cofactors for metabolism to be carried out.
Basal metabolism
he amount of energy (calories) your body burns while you are resting.
Metabolism
is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex biochemical process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.
Calorie (kilocalorie)
is approximately the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. It can also be considered a measure of the energy in the food we eat, or the amount of energy we expend while living, moving, and exercising, etc.
Dietary fiber
or roughage is the indigestible portion of food derived from plants. It has two main components: Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, is readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts, and can be prebiotic and viscous.
Proteins
are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women. Protein foods are broken down into parts called amino acids during digestion. Amino acids are found in animal sources such as meats, milk, fish, and eggs. They are also found in plant sources such as soy, beans, legumes, nut butters, and some grains (such as wheat germ and quinoa). You do not need to eat animal products to get all the protein you need in your diet.
Trans-fatty acids
Artificial trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. The primary dietary source for trans fats in processed food is “partially hydrogenated oils.” Look for them on the ingredient list on food packages.
Poly and mono unsaturated fats
Oils that contain monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature but start to turn solid when chilled. Olive oil is an example of a type of oil that contains monounsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fat is mainly in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils. It’s usually liquid at room temperature. It is also found in seeds and fish. Better for your arteries and heart.
Saturated fat
From a chemical standpoint, saturated fats are simply fat molecules that have no double bonds between carbon molecules because they are saturated with hydrogen molecules. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.
