"Nutrition Month Celebration"

 

                                  Every year there is always a monthly Celebration of Nutrition in different school, leads by the National Nutrition Council along with the Department of Education. Conducted this campaigns.With  the objective of increasing hunger awareness issues and actions by encouraging a lot of businesses to contribute and for the pulitics to advocate in ending the hungers in the Philippines.

                                                 
                                     Its is for the benefits of all the children in our country and also for us adults. In telling us and providing some knowledge about Nutrition. As we all know that eating nutritious food is very important fur to have a healthier and a stronger body.

                                    With their theme "Gutom at Malnutrition, Sama-Sama nating Wakasan". It is telling us that we should help each other in solving one of the biggest problem in our country, the hungerand malnutrition. By the power of our Government in leading us to solve and stop thisproblems. They must develop and conduct a lot of programs especially for the children all over the Philippines.

                            Various activities have been lined up throughout the country for the month-long celebration, including planting of vegetables and fruit-growing trees at schools, day care centers, communities, hospitals, parks, and residences; forums, lectures, and seminars; contests, concerts, exhibits, and sports festivals. Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) are frontliners in delivering nutrition and health services in the barangays, and key implementers in the advocacy for community development projects. Some 22,083 BNS are currently deployed by NNC in 954 municipalities covering 19,032 barangays nationwide.

Various nutrients are essential to build up and maintain healthy cell tissues, glands and organs in the human body. Without lack of specific nutrients the body is not able to perform any of its functions, be they metabolic, mental physical or chemical. The nutrients are available only through food which is one of the most essential factors in maintaining and preserving health.

                             Fruits are a natural source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. They are digested easily and have a cleansing effect on the blood and digestive tract. Raw and ripe fruits are very nutritive to eat. But when they are cooked they loose a portion of the carbohydrates and nutrient salts. The popular saying "An apple a day keeps doctor away" holds true to describe the importance of fruits. Several other fruits such as bananas, grapes, oranges, figs, peach etc also offer a very good nutritive value. Fruits should be taken in the form of juices when one is sick. Along with fruits milk also serves as a best nutritive food.

                               Vegetables are extremely rich source of enzymes, minerals and vitamins. Hence it is best to consume vegetables in the form of salads. To preserve the nutrient value of most of the vegetables it is advisable to cook vegetables along with their skin and their soaking should be avoided. One should take at least one variety of vegetable in the morning lunch and at night dinner. Apart from this, green leafy vegetables are also considered good source of iron, protein and minerals.

                         We must all “eat right to be alright.” On the other hand, all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

                                Children who experience chronic hunger are deprived of the essential proteins, micro-nutrients, and fatty acids that they need to grow up properly — physically and mentally. Hunger also affects children’s ability to learn at an early age — and pursue their dreams when they grow up..

“There is also the need to fast track actions to reduce hunger to meet the first Millennium Development Goal on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Third, hunger incidence in the Philippines has worsened in recent years, affecting more Filipino families. And fourth, addressing hunger contributes to national growth and development.”

The Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2011- 2016 has set the following targets:

• Reduce the percentage of households with inadequate calorie intake from 66.7% in 2008 to 32.8% in   
      2016.
• Reduce the prevalence of underweight under-five children from 20.6% in 2008 to 12.7% in 2016.

So, what government policies and programs are in place to address the problems of hunger and malnutrition in the country today?