IPE PATHFit, 1
IPE PATHFit, 1
            Module
               in
      PATHFit 1 (FINALS)
   Physical Activities Toward
      Health and Fitness 1
    (Movement Competency)
                                         UNIT 4
                                  Activity-specific
                                             I      Skills
                                    Non-Locomotor Skills
Movement is an important part of human life. We move to get from one place to another, to interact
with our environment, and to express ourselves. In physical education, we often focus on locomotor
movement – the types of movement that involve traveling from one place to another. However,
there is a lot of value in incorporating non-locomotor movement into our classes as well. Non-
locomotor movements are those that do not involve traveling from one place to another.
Non-Locomotor movement can be defined as movements that occur in the body parts or using
the whole body but do not cause the body to travel to another space. In other words, it means
"Moving without Moving"
Non-Locomotor Movements
Balance: An even distribution of weight enabling you to remain upright and steady.
Push: Applying force against an object or person to move it away from one's body or to move
one's body away from the object or person.
Stretch: Causing a specific muscle to become longer than its normal resting length.
Sway: Shifting weight from one side to the other side in a smooth fashion.
Swing: Moving a body part side to side or forward and back like a pendulum.
Many of the movement skills listed above are utilized in a variety of physical education activities,
games, and sports. They are often combined with other fundamental body movements such as
locomotor movement and manipulative skills. Defining the terms, along with demonstrating and
practicing the skills will allow our students to learn the different movement concepts and help them
acquire the skills necessary for increasing their overall physical literacy.
Non-locomotor movements can help students develop body awareness and control, balance and
coordination, and strength and flexibility. All of these are important skills for students to have to
participate in physical activity safely and effectively.
                                         Locomotor Skills
        The locomotor skills are the basic technique to move from one place to another. It is the
foundation of coordination that allows routines Iand games to be created. The feet are used for
support in locomotor movements. However, the body can also travel on other components such as
the hands and feet. The aim of using these skills is to keep the body dynamically stable while it is
being moved. All skills develop through a series of stages: basic, or learning the fundamental
techniques; intermediate, or gradually shifting to a more concentrated effort to hone the skills;
proficient, or when the movement becomes automatic or effortless and efficient; and advanced, or
the capacity to use the skills in a variety of contexts and situations with escalating levels of quality.
        The locomotor skills such as walking, running, skipping, and hopping are learned during
our early age, but the question is does these locomotor movements executed properly? The muscles
most involved in locomotor skills are quadriceps (front of the thighs), hamstrings (back of the
thighs), buttocks muscles, the stomach muscles, calf muscles and the secondary muscle such as
hips, shin, foot and also the arm and the shoulder. These parts work together to allow your body to
move. It is important to execute the different locomotor skills properly that will be useful for
dancing, physical activity and exercise, and in performing different sports. Developing and
maintaining lifetime physical activity habits requires mastery of fundamental motions such as
locomotor abilities. The locomotor skills such as crawl, creep, jump and land, skip, and run
movements can be execute thru linear and lateral movements.
▪ Creeping - moving on all four limbs with the body distant from the ground.
▪ Crawling- done on all four limbs, moving forward by dragging the body close to the ground.
▪ Hopping- done by propelling the body off ground using one leg and landing on the foot of the
same leg.
▪ Jumping – occurs when the body is projected into the air by force generated in one or both legs
and the body lands on one foot or both feet. (Phases of jumping: 1- take off; 2- flight; 3- landing)
▪ Landing – the last phase in jumping.
▪ Lateral Movement – denotes extension or movement to the side, while contralateral refers to the
other side and is used to describe opposite sides of the body working together.
▪ Leaping – is widely springing from one place to another by pushing off the ground on one foot
and landing using the other foot.
▪ Linear Movement- is one type of motion wherein movement occurs in a straight path.
▪ Locomotor Skills- involve transporting the body or traveling from one point to another with the
goal of maintaining dynamic stability while the body is displaced.
▪ Motion – defined as an individual change in space over a time period.
▪ Running – occurs when the legs alternate to propel the body through the air or the support phase;
both feet are lifted off the ground or the flight phase, and a foot strikes the ground upon landing or
the recovery phase.
▪ Skipping – consist of a forward step followed by a hop on the same foot. There is alternation of
the lead leg with an uneven rhythmic pattern.
       Crawling exercise are multi-joint movements that work the entire body while focusing on
the core and shoulder muscles. Basic crawling patterns help you develop upper and lower body
coordination, which is crucial for almost any physical activity you engage in. It is serves as the
foundation for our walking pattern, which is likely the most “functional” exercise we perform on
a regular basis. It can also help you identify difficulties with your walking pattern and over time,
improve your walking efficiency. Let’s start with   I the most basic pattern that will maintain the
spinal stability while moving the limbs in lateral or in contra-lateral.
Crawling on your hands, knees, and feet is often referred to as creeping. You want to start with
creeping because it provides a larger base of support, and you perform it in a slower manner.
Simple creeping works wonders for the hips, shoulders, and core.
        Humans are built to go in opposite directions. This implies you should walk with left arm
in front of your right leg and your right arm in front of your left leg. Crawling can assist in resetting
these normal contralateral tendencies, lowering your chance of injury. Creeping is the term for
crawling on your hands, knees and feet. You should begin with crawling since it gives a bigger
foundation of support and allows you to move more slowly. The hips, shoulders and core all benefit
with simple crawling. This is the most crawling pattern.
        To begin crawling, get down on your hands and knees and position your arms squarely
under your shoulders and your knees precisely under your hips. Your toes should be tucked and
your feet should be grounded instead than pointing. At all times, maintain a flat back. To crawl
forward, backward, or sideways, refer to the diagram and then follow these steps.
                                              Standard                         Progression
                                                                       Linear bear crawl
 Linear Movement                    Baby Crawl                         Linear crab crawl
                                                                       Gorilla crawl
                                                                       Plank walk
                                                                       Lateral bear crawl
 Lateral Movement                   Circular Crawl                     Lateral crab crawl
                                                                       Lateral gorilla crawl
                                                                       Lateral side walk
Baby Crawl
Starting Position:
    • In a quadruped position, align the knees under the hips and the wrist under the shoulders.
                                                 I
Procedure:
    • Move contralaterally by stepping forward with one hand and opposite knee.
    • Repeat with the other hand and knee.
    • Keep the steps small so that the opposite arm and leg can work together.
    • Crawl backwards by performing the same contralateral movement pattern.
Circular Crawl
     The circular crawl involves circling a location below your belly button with your hands and
feet. Note: Do not circle your body around your hands.
Starting Position:
    • Same as the baby crawl.
Procedure:
    • Pretend there is a string attached under the belly button to the ground.
    • Start to circle, stepping with the opposite hand and foot.
    • Circle around the belly and not around the hands.
Note: Take small steps. Neck in neutral position. Core is engaged throughout the movement.
a b
                                                       d
       c
Exercise Progression
Bear Crawl
        After you’ve mastered creeping, try doing bear crawls with just your hands and feet. Get
down on your hands and knees and position yourI hands squarely under your shoulders and your
knees precisely under your hips to prepare for crawling.
Then, if it seems more comfortable raise your knees off the ground and turn your hands and feet
slightly outward. Your knees should be bent and your buttocks should be low. Then, to go forward,
backward and lateral movement, follow these steps:
Procedure:
   •   Move contralaterally by walking forward with one foot and the opposite hand.
   •   Keep crawling forward, moving the opposite arm and opposite leg together.
   •   Crawl backwards by keeping the same movement pattern.
Procedure:
   • Move sideways to your left by walking the lefthand and right knee similtaneously to the
       right a few inches.
   • Follow with the right hand and left knee moving in the same direction.
   • Continue crawling over s et of distance.
   • Reverse the pattern by moving to your right, walking with the right hand and left knee
       simultaneously.
   • Follow with the left hand and right knee.
   • Continue crawling over a set of distance.
Note: Take small steps to keep the hip stable and to keep up with the contralateral movement. Keep
the knees as close as possible to the floor. Do not allow hips to rise. Keep the lower back from
rounding. Maintain the brace.
Crab Crawl
   The crab crawl is a fun and novel method to move around, but because it is a version of
crawling, it can be tougher on the shoulders and rotator
                                                 I       cuff muscles.
Starting Position:
    • Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet flat.
    • Place hands on the flor behind the glutes and slightly lift the glutes.
Procedure:
   • Move the right hand behind your hip while similtaneously pushing off with the left foot.
       You are now moving forward with your rear leading.
   • Follow with the left hand and the right foot.
   • Continue moving forward over a set distance or number of repetitions.
   • As a progression, reverse the pattern by crawling back with the feet leading instead of
                                                                                          the
                                                                                          rear.
Starting Position:
    •   Same as the linear crab crawl.            I
Procedure:
   • Raise the hips off the floor and begin to move sideways.
   • Step to the right with the right hand and left foot followed by the left hand and right
       foot.
   • Continue moving sideways.
   • Reverse the pattern by stepping to the left with the left hand and right foot, followed by
       the right hand and left foot.
Note: Maintain the abdominal brace throughout the movement. Take small steps to keep up with
the contralateral movement. Keep the glutes off the ground.
Gorilla Crawl
    The Gorilla crawl is a great crawl variation to train your legs and core. This is more difficult
for many because it requires mobility in the hips.
    1. Linear Gorilla Crawl
Starting Position:
    • Start in a crouching position.
    • Place the weight on the balls of the feet.
    • Bend over and place the hands on the floor.
Procedure:
   • Shift the weight of the body to the hands as you jump forward.
   • Land with the feet positioned outside the hands.
   •   Reach forward again and place the hands on the floor before jumping.
   •   Continue moving forward over a set distance or a prescribed number of repetitions.
    The Lateral Gorilla Crawl requires less hip mobility, but can sometimes be difficult in terms
of coordination as you shift your weight from your arms to your feet back to your arms as you
move sideways.
Starting Position:
    • Same as gorilla crawl.
Procedure:
Note: Stay low in a crouching position throughout the entire movement. Reach out with the
hands as soon as as the feet land on the floor.
Plank Walk
   The Plank Walk is a harder crawl variation for the core and shoulders. You’re basically
holding a plank while crawling back and forth, which really works your abs.
Starting Position:
    • Start on a straight-arm plank position.
    • Keep the wrist under the shoulders.
    • Extend the legs and keep the feet close together.
Procedure:
   • Take a small step forward with the right hand and left foot followed with left hand and
       right leg.
   • Continue moving in the same direction.
   • Keep the steps small.
   • Maintain the plank by keeping the body in a straight line and knee straight.
   • Reverse the direction.
   The Lateral Plank Walk is another lateral crawl that is great way to challenge your core and
shoulders.
Starting Position:
    • Same as plank walk.
Procedure:
   •   Move the right hand close to the left hand as the left foot steps out so the feet are about
       hip width apart.
   •   Then move the left hand out so that hands are about shoulder-width apart as the right
       foot steps in.
   •   Keep moving in one direction bringing the feet together as the hands step out wide and
       the feet out wide as the hands are back together.
   •   Reverse the crawl by moving in the opposite direction.
Note: Keep the body in a straight line from the head to the heels. Take small steps at a time to
keep the core tight and to lessen the movement on the hip. Neither let the hip sag nor rise up.
Keep the hands under the shoulder to avoid strain on the shoulders.
        The standing series exercises are locomotor movements done in a standing position such
                                                 I These standing series exercises is very vital
as running, skipping, hopping, jumping and landing.
in any physical activities.
     Jumping is a fundamental skills of launching oneself, producing lift enough to sustain an amount
of time airborne. Jumping skill has major phases: take-off; flight and landing. The main purpose of
practicing jumping and landing techniques is to improve knee control and timing. When jumping and
landing, the knees should move directly over the feet. Hold this position as you come down and stand
for a few seconds with your knees slightly bent. To safely practice proper jumping and landing
mechanics, perform simple box jumps and single leg side jumps where the landing is held for three
seconds before jumping to the opposite side and landing on the opposite leg. Before doing the drills
though, warm first and include exercises that activates glutes like hip flexor and psoas stretch, hip
bridge, quadruped hip extension, side lying hip extension.
Here are some importanf tips when practicing the jumping and landing skills:
First, stand on the edge of a bench or stack of mats piled at knee height squarely. Second, the skills
involves a dowward motion of dropping off, then third landing safely. Landing properly is important
to minimize risk against injuries and to also put you in a position where you will be able to generate
force rapidly in order to jump again.
    1. Reverse Drop
Starting Position:
    • Stand on the edge of the box or mats.
Procedure:
    • Drive the arms forward as you drop off the box.
    • Sit back on your hips upon landing to absorb more force and keep the knees from going
        past the toes.
Procedure:
Running
        In sports, it is described as a gait in which all four (4) feet are off the ground at the same
moment. It is a combination of anaerobic andI aerobic exercise. Running is a complicated,
coordinated action that requires the participation of the entire body. Leaning forward puts the
runner’s center of mass on the front half of the foot, avoiding landing on the heel and allowing the
spring mechanism of the foot to work effectively. It also makes it simpler for the runner to avoid
planting his or her foot in front of the center of gravity, which causes braking.
        Running is a fantastic way to remain in shape while still having a good time; in fact,
virtually become fashionable. It’s crucial, though, to do it correctly. Running is a great way to
reach your fitness objectives, whether you’re aiming to reduce weight, enhance your heart health,
or simply improve your mood. The best aspect is that nearly anybody can do it; all you need is a
pair of running shoes and the desire to get out on the road.
        To practice the proper arm action, sit with with your legs extended. Sit tall. Observed the
proper position of the elbows, hand and shoulder. Move from the shoulder as you swing your
arms rhythmically.
        To practice the leg action, lean against a wall so that the torso is slightly ahead of the hips.
Raise one knee while staying on the ball of the support foot. Do knee raises while quickly tapping the
raised foot on the ground. Repeat on the same leg thrice before shifting to the other side.
Arm action
Starting Position:
    • In a sitting position, sit tall (or elongate the spine).
    • Flex the elbows at a 90-degree angle.
    • Tuck the elbows close to the trunk.
    • Keep the shoulders square. Imagine an invisible midline running down the body.
    • As you swing the arms forward, keep the thumbs to the ceiling in order to avoid crossing the
        midline.
Procedure:
• Swing the arms forward and back so that the hands move from chin to hip.
   •   Hold the hands loosely at the wrist joint (as if holding a potato chip with the thumb and
       index finger).
   •   Open up shoulders by pulling them back (i.e..avoid hunching) and squeezing the
                                                   I
       shoulder blades together. Although it is common     to feel tension in your shoulders as you
       run and become fatigued, you can shake out your arms and repeatedly shrug your
       shoulders to loosen them up.
   •   Fix your gaze in front of you, Neither tilt your chin upp nor down, which tends to occur
       when fatigued sets in.
Leg action
Procedure:
   • Instead of running upright, slightly lean from the hip so that the trunk is slightly forward.
   • Keep the knee directly in front of the hips by lifting them higher.
   • As the foot strikes the ground, keep the shin as closely perpendicular to the ground as
       possible.
   • Striking the ground with the ball of the foot first can help with forward propulsion. But if
       you naturally run with a heel strike first, you can focus on getting s psir of shoes with good
       cushioning instead of changing your stride.
          Running is obvious for the most part, but there are a few essential points to remember
  when it comes to maintaining good form:
        Additionally, keep an eye on your stride. If your foot touches the ground before your knee,
your stride is excessively lengthy. Instead, when your foot hits the ground, your knees should be
slightly bent and in line the center of your foot. This will aid in the absorption of impact stress in
your joints.
        Breathing properly is another crucial component of running properly. It makes no
difference whether you breathe through your nose or mouth as long as your diaphragm (a big muscle
positioned below the lungs) is used. Inhale deeply into your belly button without lifting your
shoulders to breathe diaphragmatically. This will employ your whole lungs capacity, maintaining
a constant supply of oxygen to your muscles.
Mobility Training
       If you want to run faster, jump higher, squat lower, lift weights more efficiently and achieve
your ultimate fitness goals, mobility training isI a must. Incorporating mobility and flexibility is
vital when wanting to gain peak fitness and functioning. Well, if a certain part of your body has
less mobility, you may find yourself overcompensating when using other muscles and joints: that’s
how you get injured. Think of a damaged knee — when we have weakening and pain in one knee,
we naturally find ourselves increasingly using the uninjured knee.
       Mobility training helps prevent muscles from becoming tight, immobile, and suffering
from an all-round lack of movement — again, leading to potential injury. We can only get away
with poor and limited mobility for a certain length of time before our body tells us we’ve had
enough.
Benefits of Mobility Training are:
   •   Promotes good posture.
   •   Helps prevent knots and injuries.
   •   Relieves tension associated with sedentary lifestyles or over-exercising.
   •   Improves all-round functional fitness performance.
   •   Increases range of movement, helping us stay active and healthy longer in life.
   •   Reduces joint deterioration.
   •   Prevents aches and pains.
   •   Helps build stronger, more adaptive muscles and joints.
Mobility designates exercises that will increase your range-of-motion and your stabilization, or
control of the muscles that surround each joint, Wickham explains. Mobility isn’t the same as
flexibility, though it is close. Mobility incorporates flexibility and strength, and it’s crucial to
help you squat deeper, push harder, and jump higher.
   1. Ankle Mobility
        Ankle mobility refers to the flexibility of the ankle joint and its surrounding muscles and
tendons. When your ankle is flexible, you have a greater range of motion during your activities. If
your ankles are weak, or if you’d like to boost your sports performance, ankle exercises and
stretching can improve your mobility and strength.
        Including ankle stretching and strengthening in your daily routine will pay off in accident
prevention. Strengthening your ankles will also help you walk properly and prevent your
knee and hip muscles from weakening.
Ankle Circles
Procedure:
   • Start off with a stretch. These circles help your range of motion, and you can do them
      sitting or lying down.
   • Put a rolled towel or foam roller under your
                                              I     ankle.
   • Turn your ankle slowly in circles, clockwise 10 circles and counterclockwise10 circles.
   • Move just your foot and ankle, not your leg.
   • Vary the stretch by tracing out the letters of the alphabet with your big toe.
Procedure:
   • Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Have a chair or the wall nearby for support
      if you need it.
   • Lift your heels off the floor so that you’re standing on the balls of your feet.
   • Slowly lower your heels to the floor. Control is important for strengthening your muscles.
   • Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 lifts each.
Note: You can add resistance to this exercise by holding free weights while you lift your heels and
you can also work this exercise into your daily routine, such as when you’re washing dishes.
   Poor hip mobility can contribute to issues like lower back pain, knee problems…
and it gets in the way of squats and other stuff you want to do.
Your hips are the center of movement for your body, so the healthier and less restricted your hips
become, the more potential your body has for strength, power, and athleticism.
Procedure:
Note: This exercise starts the sequence as an easy first movement to warm-up and build toward
the rest of the series.
Piriformis Stretch
Procedure:
   • Cross one leg fully over the opposite leg, so your knee is crossed over your thigh.
   • Pull the crossed knee toward your opposite shoulder, stretching the piriformis muscle.
Note: This stretch targets the piriformis (hence the name!), which is a small muscle located deep
in the buttock. This muscle tends to get pretty tight from sitting all day.
    Recent research findings have found an association between prolonged sitting (8 hours a
day) and increased neck, shoulder, and low back pain. Sedentary behaviors may induce a
relatively stiff thoracic spine contributing towards the dysfunction in the adjacent spinal regions.
Wall angel is exercise to improve your thoracic spine mobility.
   Shown here is a great exercise to improve your thoracic spine extension mobility
while focusing on minimizing movement at the lumbar spine:
   • Try keeping the glutes and abdominal muscles engaged to prevent excessive
       lordosis and anterior pelvic tilt from I occurring (low back arching). If you’re having
       difficulty recruiting your core, try this exercise.
   • If you’re still having trouble, take a seat and march your feet as close as you can towards
       your butt. This will allow you to passively take up all the joint motion from your hips and
       lumbar spine.
Procedure:
   • Perform a wall angel by placing your elbows and your wrists on the wall and slowly
      elevating your arms until they are fully overhead.
   • Return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
    A push exercise is performed when the muscle pushes weight away from the body during the
concentric phase of the movement and then lengthens in the eccentric phase when the weight is
moved back toward the body. Pushing exercises include push-ups, bench presses, back squats, and
forward lunges. These exercises use prime movers such as the glutes, quadriceps, calves, pectorals,
deltoids, and triceps.
    A pull exercise, on the other hand, is performed when the muscle pulls weight toward the body
during the concentric portion of the movement and then lengthens as the weight moves away from
the body during the eccentric portion of the exercise. Pulling exercises use prime movers such as
the hamstrings, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, biceps, forearms, obliques, and abdominal Push-ups are
example of push and pull exercise.
Push Ups
Procedure:
   • Get down on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
   • Straighten your arms and legs.
   • Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.
   • Pause, then push yourself back up.
   • Repeat.
Procedure:
   •   Start standing with a dumbbell in each hand. Your elbows should rest at your sides and
       your forearms should extend out in front of your body.
   •   Bring the dumbbells all the way up to your shoulders by bending your elbows. Once at
       the top, hold for a second by squeezing the muscle.
   •   Reverse the curl slowly and repeat.
                                   UNIT 5
                            HEALTHY EATING HABITS
                                                 I
       Healthy eating is all about making positive choices, focusing on food which provides
necessary nutrients to maintain good health, prevent deficiency diseases and chronic diet-related
disorders. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can
help you feel your best. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and
consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Healthy eating, or good nutrition, is simply eating adequate, well-balanced meals to support your
body's needs.
Nutrients
        These are the substances found in food which drive biological activity, and are essential
for the human body. They are categorized as proteins, fats, carbohydrates (sugars, dietary fiber),
vitamins, and minerals, and perform the following vital functions.
Importance of Nutrients
        Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions. Nutrients must
be obtained from our diet since the human body can’t make them. Nutrients have one or more of
three basic functions: they provide energy, contribute to body structure, and/or regulate chemical
processes in the body. Essential nutrients are compounds that the body can’t make or can’t make
in sufficient quantity. According to the World Health Organization, these nutrients must come from
food, and they’re vital for disease prevention, growth, and good health.
While there are many essential nutrients, they can be broken into two categories: macronutrients
and micronutrients.
Macronutrients are eaten in large amounts and include the primary building blocks of your diet
— protein, carbohydrates, and fat — which provide your body with energy. Vitamins and minerals
are micronutrients, and small doses go a long way. There are six main groups of essential
micronutrients and macronutrients
   •   Water
   •   Carbohydrates
                                                I
   •   Protein
   •   Fat
   •   Vitamins
   •   Minerals
Each plays a unique and important role in how our bodies function. People need to consume these
nutrients from dietary sources for proper body function. Essential nutrients are crucial in
supporting a person's reproduction, good health, and growth.
   1. Water improves your brain function and mood. It acts a shock absorber and a lubricant in
      the body. It also helps flush out toxins, carry nutrients to cells, hydrate the body, and prevent
      constipation.
Healthy sources
        You don’t have to chug water to stay hydrated. Fruits and vegetables can also be a great
source. Munch on some spinach or watermelon to stay hydrated. The best way to know if you’re
properly hydrated is the color and volume of your urine. If your urine isn’t frequent and pale yellow
or nearly clear, you need more water.
   2. Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy: They help fuel your brain, kidneys,
      heart muscles, and central nervous system.
Healthy sources
        Before you reach for the white bread orI pasta, keep in mind that the type of carbohydrate
you eat matters. Some carbs are healthier than others. You may take whole grains, beans, and fiber-
rich vegetables and fruits instead of refined grains and products with added sugar.
   3. Protein provides the building blocks of the body, and not just for muscle. Every cell, from
      bone to skin to hair, contains protein.
Healthy sources
        While meat, fish, and eggs are good sources of essential amino acids, you can also get
protein from plant sources like beans, soy, nuts, and some grains. Exactly how much protein you
need daily depends on a variety of factors including how active you are, and your age.
   4. Fats are a type of nutrient that you get from your diet. It is essential to eat some fats, though
      it is also harmful to eat too much. The fats you eat give your body energy that it needs to
      work properly.
       According to Harvard Medical School, fat supports many of your body’s functions such as
vitamin and mineral absorption, blood clotting, building cells, and muscle movement. Including
healthy fats in your diet can help you to balance your blood sugar, decrease your risk of heart
disease and type 2 diabetes, and improve your brain function. They’re also powerful anti-
inflammatories, and they may lower your risk of arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Healthy sources
        The most famous unsaturated fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Unsaturated fats
are important for your body as they provide essential fatty acids your body can’t make. You can
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find these healthy fats in nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetable oils (like olive, avocado, and flaxseed).
Avoid trans fats and limit your intake of saturated animal-based fats like butter, cheese, red meat,
and ice cream.
   5. Vitamins are vital for warding off disease and staying healthy. The body needs these
      micronutrients to support its functions. There are 13 essential vitamins that the body needs
      to function properly, including vitamins A, C, B6, and D
Healthy sources
       If you eat a varied, well-balanced diet full of vegetables and fruits, and have a normal and
healthy functioning digestive tract, you likely don’t need to take vitamin supplements.
   6. Minerals help support the body. They’re essential for many body functions, including
      building strong bones and teeth, regulating your metabolism, and staying properly
      hydrated. Some of the most common minerals are calcium, iron, and zinc.
Healthy sources
       In addition to strengthening bones, calcium helps with nerve signal transmission,
maintaining healthy blood pressure, and muscle contraction and relaxation. Iron supports your red
                                              I
blood cells and hormone creation, while zinc boosts your immune system and wound healing.
Takeaway
       Eating a varied diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, and whole grains is
the best way to get enough of these six essential nutrients plus the important category of
phytonutrients — the beneficial chemicals in colorful plants that prevent disease. These
micronutrients and macronutrients are vital for your body to function normally and stay healthy.