If we are to look at the crown of creation, as they sometimes call a human being, we see and think of many different characteristics and features like body shape, sparkling eyes, smile, gestures and other qualities it possess; perhaps only biologists or chemistry nerds would go as far as to reduce a man down to its basic components. No mater how trivial, but we cannot argue with facts – 99% of a human being is made of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium and phosphorous. The remaining scarce percent holds sulphur, chlorine, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Besides, if we look from the perspective of chemical compounds, approximately 60-70% of human being are made of water. Does not sound very romantic, does it? However, knowing these “dry” facts brings us closer to a comprehension of what we need to survive, because in absence of said 11 elements our existence in this physical form would simply not be possible.

There is no drop of romance and beauty in the perspective of a human digestion and metabolism – consuming foods which are broken down to molecules to provide body with energy and building materials for never-ceasing restoration and growth. Every moment, virtually every single second, something is destroyed and built inside of us, we are nature’s project in constant development and dynamic which has to self-maintain the body from all the vital “building-blocks” – from hair to toes.

Next time you order delicious sushi, Greek salad or pork chop with salad, a mouth-watering dessert or cocktail in a café or takeaway app, for a minute imagine that any food can be broken down to four most common atoms – hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen – with a sprinkle of other yummies from the periodic table.

If you are far from understanding all these correlations, the most comprehensible example of vital perils from nutrition deficiency could be oxygen or a combination of two elements – H2O or water. If you hold your breath or dive under the water, you can spend there some time, a minute or slightly more if you are trained appropriately, before you need to inhale again. After this short while you must breathe in to continue living. If you are left without water three to four days, they can turn out to be your last ones. The same situation applies to other vital elements – any deficiency brings about severe and at times even irreversible consequences. That is why the nature has given us a true gift – a possibility to consume, process and absorb necessary nutrients from food to ensure continuation of life and impeccable work of the body. Not in vain so-called father of medicine who lived in Ancient Greece in the 5th century BC said his notorious phrase “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Looking from the perspective of the facts described above, his phrase takes a new meaning. Even though Ancient Greece did not have such a massive body of accurate knowledge that we have nowadays, they obviously understood many things without high schools and sophisticated devices, simply observing the life and making smart conclusions. Flood of current information, fads and efforts of various groups to push their single truth may bewilder anyone who is not well-educated in life sciences. And, alas, the education system provides too little of this most valuable information – about our principles of functioning, recommended actions to ensure a healthy life not only during the first half of our lives but also in older age which are perceived by the vast majority as the age of disease, pain and suffering. 

Good health is a life-long project, that is to say, you reap what you sow. The more you know about seeding the more you are aware that the seed does not sprout and harvest tomorrow and even not a day after tomorrow. This understanding, wisdom to wait, patience to observe and understand how nature works in us is the key to good health. Of course, we cannot be too proud to say that we are in 100% control over our lives, since many external factors come into play – solar radiation, environmental pollution, poisons of conventional agriculture, convenience goods and fast foods poor in nutrients, stress of modern life and a myriad of other factors of which we already know that they are detrimental, yet we convince ourselves that we live only once and that no one has died after eating a pack of gummy bears and a glass of synthetically coloured drink. Not right away but nobody has cancelled the accumulating effect either and this is were everybody stumbles upon. It is worthwhile remembering that a seed put in the ground needs rather long time to sprout, grow, ripen and be ready for harvest. Similarly, building healthy habits in childhood and teenage years will increase the likelihood or maintaining great health later in life.