Healthy Nutrition

ECOLOGICAL TOURISM OR ECOTOURISM

Is an alternative tourism style different from traditional tourism. It is an approach for tourism activities in which the sustainability, preservation, appreciation of the environment (both natural and cultural) that welcomes and sensitizes travelers is favored. Although there are different interpretations, ecotourism is generally promoted as "ethical" tourism, where the well-being of local populations is also presumed, and this presumption is reflected in the structure and functioning of enterprises, and Cooperatives that are dedicated to offer such service. Due to its boom ecotourism has already become the fastest growing segment and the most dynamic sector of the tourism market worldwide.

This movement appeared in the late 1980s, and has already attracted enough interest at the international level, to the point that the UN dedicated the year 2002 to eco-tourism.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) 1 defines ecotourism as "a responsible trip to natural areas that conserve the environment and improve the well-being of the local population." Genuine ecotourism must follow the following seven principles, both for service providers and for beneficiaries: 1. Minimize the negative impacts, for the environment and for the community, that generates the activity; 2. Build respect and environmental and cultural awareness; 3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts; 4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation; 5. Provide financial benefits and strengthen participation in local community decision-making; 6. Create sensitivity to the political, environmental and social climate of the host countries; 7. Support universal human rights and labor laws. Despite its short existence, ecotourism is seen by several conservation groups, international institutions and governments as a viable alternative for sustainable development.

There are countries such as Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal and Ecuador (Galapagos Islands), where ecotourism produces a significant part of the foreign exchange income from tourism, and even in some cases, the country's economy

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NUTRITION. HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS

Having a healthy diet has many benefits. It can help you to lose weight or maintain your desired weight. It can also lower cholesterol and prevent certain health conditions. In general, a healthy diet keeps your body functioning every day. Learn to choose healthier foods.

Road to Better Health

The decisions you make about what you eat and drink are important. They must form a balanced and nutritious diet. We all have different calorie needs depending on our age, gender and activity level. Health states can also play a significant role, even if you need to lose weight.

Choose foods from all five groups and follow the tips below.

Grain

Choose products that list whole grains as the first ingredient. For example, whole grain breads or whole wheat flour. Whole grains have a low fat content and a high fiber content. They also contain complex carbohydrates that help you feel full longer and prevent you from overeating. Avoid products that say "enriched" or contain other types of grains or flours. They do not have the same nutrients.

Hot and cold cereals are usually low in fat. However, instant cream cereals may contain oils rich in fat or butterfat. Granola cereals can also have high-fat oils and extra sugars. Instead, look for low-sugar options.

 NUTRITION. HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS

Having a healthy diet has many benefits. It can help you to lose weight or maintain your desired weight. It can also lower cholesterol and prevent certain health conditions. In general, a healthy diet keeps your body functioning every day. Learn to choose healthier foods.

Road to Better Health

The decisions you make about what you eat and drink are important. They must form a balanced and nutritious diet. We all have different calorie needs depending on our age, gender and activity level. Health states can also play a significant role, even if you need to lose weight.

Choose foods from all five groups and follow the tips below.

Grain

Choose products that list whole grains as the first ingredient. For example, whole grain breads or whole wheat flour. Whole grains have a low fat content and a high fiber content. They also contain complex carbohydrates that help you feel full longer and prevent you from overeating. Avoid products that say "enriched" or contain other types of grains or flours. They do not have the same nutrients.

Hot and cold cereals are usually low in fat. However, instant cream cereals may contain oils rich in fat or butterfat. Granola cereals can also have high-fat oils and extra sugars. Instead, look for low-sugar options.

Try not to eat rich sweets, such as donuts, rolls and muffins. These foods often contain calories composed of more than 50% fat. Lighter options, such as angel pie, can satisfy your taste for sweetness without adding fat to your diet. Fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat. They provide flavor and variety to your diet. They also contain the necessary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Try not to add unnecessary fats to vegetables and fruits. This means avoiding margarine, butter, mayonnaise and sour cream. Instead you can use yogurt, healthy oils or herbs to season. Protein Beef, pork, veal and lamb Select low fat lean meats. Lean beef cuts have the words "loin" or "round" in their names. Lean cuts of pork have the word "lomo" or "pata" in their names. Remove the external fat before cooking. Remove any internal fat, which can be separated, before eating. Use herbs, spices, marinades and marinades with low sodium content to season the meat. Baking, grilling, grilling, and grilling are the healthiest ways to prepare these meats. Lean cuts can be cooked in a saucepan or sautéed. Use a nonstick skillet or vegetable dew instead of butter or margarine. Avoid serving proteins with sauces and dressings with a high fat content. 

POULTRY

Chicken breasts are a good choice as they contain little fat and many proteins. Only eat duck and goose 

from time to time, because of its high fat content. Remove visible skin and fat before cooking. 

Baking, grilling, grilling and grilling are the healthiest ways to prepare poultry. Birds without skin 

can be grilled or sauteed. Use a nonstick skillet or spray oil instead of butter or margarine.

Fish

Most seafood has many healthy polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in some fish, 

such as salmon and cold-water trout. Try to eat fish and seafood twice a week. Fresh fish should have a clear color, a clean odor and firm, elastic flesh. If good quality fresh fish is not available, buy frozen fish. To prepare the fish, you can boil it, steam it, bake it, griddle it or grille it.

Non-meat proteins

Non-meat options include beans, peas and lentils. They offer protein and fiber without the cholesterol

and fat of meats. These are staples for people who are vegetarian or vegan. You can change the

 beans for meat in recipes like lasagna or chili.

DVT, or texturized vegetable protein, is also available. It is found in hot dogs and vegetarian burgers

and in the chicken nuggets. They are low-fat and cholesterol-free substitutes for meat

Dairy products Choose skim or non-dairy milk, such as soy milk, rice or almonds. Try using low-factor

 partially-skim cheeses in recipes. Skim ricotta can substitute cream cheese in a bagel or vegetable 

sauce. Use 1% cottage cheese for salads and for cooking. String cheese is a high-calcium, low-fat 

snack option. Skim or Greek yogurt can replace sour cream in many recipes. Try mixing it with fruit 

for dessert. A nonfat sorbet and frozen yogurt have less fat than ice cream. Fats, oils and sweets 

Too many foods high in fat add an excess of calories to your diet. This can lead to weight gain and 

obesity, or increase the risk of having certain problems. Heart disease, diabetes, some types of 

cancer and osteoarthritis have been linked to diets high in fat. If you consume large amounts of 

saturated and trans fats, you are more likely to develop high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. 

It is important that you stay hydrated for your health. However, sugary drinks contain lots of sugar 

and calories. These include fruit juices, soft drinks, sports and energy drinks, sweetened or sweetened. milk and sweet tea. Replace with water and other zero-calorie beverages.

 ORGANIC FOOD: MORE NUTRITIOUS, HEALTHIER AND RESPECTFUL WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

To this concern for health is added the growing sensitivity of public opinion to the negative consequences of agricultural activity on the environment, so that the production of quality food, through agroecological techniques is the alternative to obtain food more according With a balanced future.

Human exposure to pesticides is a well-studied fact in recent years, with information on the acute and continuous effects of these products in cases of intoxication. The consequences it has on the development and functionality of different organs and systems, ranging from neurological, reproductive, endocrine or immunologic disorders, to functional failures and important behavioral alterations are also well known.

Studies on cancer incidence and mortality in agricultural populations are known to be superior to the rest of the general population for some tumor sites (brain, lung cancer, ovarian and prostate cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, and some specific types Of leukemia). Unbalanced fertilizers and the way they are supplied to the soil, as soluble salts and not in organic form, profoundly modify the biochemistry of the plant.

Thus, chemical fertilizers alter the composition of food. Nitrogen fertilizers reduce the content of dry matter by increasing the amount of water in the cellular protoplasm. The content of water in fresh food by the use of nitrogen fertilizers, can vary between 5 and 30% more than in organic food, and an increase of 15%, implies that every 7 kg of fruit or vegetables produced with conventional agriculture Contain 1 L of water more than those produced ecologically. It also decreases the vitamin C content.

In addition, the use of synthetic fertilizers has an impact on the quality of the product during its conservation, and can significantly influence the production of losses during the storage time, because an excess of nitrogen produces soft tissues with low levels of dry matter . Abuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in conventional agriculture can lead to the presence of residues in plants and if they accumulate in large quantities they may have carcinogenic effects. Potassium fertilizers affect the composition of plants by reducing the magnesium content, because there is an antagonism with potassium, and also cause a decrease in calcium and other trace elements. Phosphate fertilizers reduce the carotene content (provitamin A). Other consequences of the use of nitrogenous fertilizers are the increase of the protein content in the plant, but of lower biological value, decrease of the quantity of trace elements, less conservation of the products, due to the increase of the amount of water of the same, And decreased resistance to pests and diseases of crops. The accumulation of nitrates in soil and food is also due to excessive nitrogen fertilizer. In this sense, organic production techniques and the association of crops are favorable to produce vegetables with low concentration of nitrates, especially in winter crops and with the environmental conditions of the Mediterranean coast

Organic food, which is much healthier and has a lower environmental impact, is an alternative to conventional food, where food is progressively denatured and endangers the health of consumers, while toxic waste and Physical and biological erosion make a dent in ecosystems by impoverishing them. Ecological production methods involve important restrictions on the use of synthetic chemicals which give rise to the absence of residues of this origin in the food obtained. The main practices against harmful agents in organic farming are to maintain and favor the presence of auxiliary fauna and thereby limit the risks of the presence of phytosanitary residues in food and contamination of the environment. The production of organic food symbolizes many of the fundamental aspects that lead consumers to decide on food and ecological consumption, such as concern about the presence of residues of plant protection products, the desire to contribute and support the existence of systems Of sustainable agriculture, or the knowledge that organic food can contribute to a better understanding of what is eaten and how it impacts on health, safety, nutrition and palatability issues. The highest concentration of minerals in organic foods is evidenced, for example, in the potassium content in organic Roman lettuce, where approximately 20% more of this element has been found. Also in iron content in bean-grain, where the concentrations in conventional bean grains are approximately 6 mg per 100 g, while those of organic production are 7.12 mg. These data show that organic bean grains contribute 15.7% more iron than conventional grains. Finally, the most significant results (Raigón, 2007) in different comparative studies have shown that: - Concentrations of nitrates (toxic substances) in vegetables are higher for vegetables from conventional cultivation, depending on the species, on average 50% more for Chinese cabbage, 35% for lettuce, 65% for Swiss chard and 28% for spinach.

Concentrations of nitrates (toxic substances) in vegetables are higher for vegetables from conventional cultivation, varying according to species, on average 50% more for Chinese cabbage, 35% for lettuce, 65 % For Swiss chard and 28% for spinach.

§ Ecological vegetables have a higher mineral concentration (25% more potassium in lettuce, 14% more calcium in fennel stems, 16% more iron in bean grains).

§ The daily recommended amounts of Iron, Sodium, Potassium and Calcium can be obtained daily with the consumption of 500 g of fresh green chard, without any apparent risk to health, as it does not exceed the acceptable daily intake of Nitrates. The same amounts of nutritional elements could be consumed with the intake of approximately 550 g of fresh conventional Swiss chard, although with this the number of nitrates consumed would double, appearing a health risk.

§ Organic orange juice contains 20% more vitamin C than that of conventional fruits.

§ Ecological citrus fruits are more aromatic, presenting 24% more essential oils.

§ Green pepper is 10% more vitamin C and red 7% more, compared to conventional ones. § Antioxidant substances are in higher concentrations in organic fruits, for example in strawberries (26%), blackberries (40%), apple (15%) and pepper (17%).

§ Traditional lettuce varieties have concentrated higher mineral contents than commercial ones.

§ Organic fruits and vegetables contain lower levels of water, resulting in more dry matter, higher concentration of flavors, better adjustment in price relation and greater conservation capacity. Organic cabbage can withstand up to 24 days of rot symptoms, compared to 6 days of conventional cabbage. Organic citrus fruits have six weeks of post-harvest conservation than conventional ones.

SUSTAINABILITY

In ecology, sustainability or sustainability describes how biological systems remain diverse, material and productive over time. It refers to the balance of a species with the resources of its environment. By extension it is applied to the exploitation of a resource below the renewal limit of the same. From the perspective of human prosperity and according to the Brundtland Report of 1987.

Sustainability is a socio-ecological process characterized by a behavior in search of a common ideal.1 An ideal is a state or process unattainable in a given time / space but infinitely approximate and it is this continuous and infinite approach that injects sustainability into the process. Only ideals serve as referents in a turbulent and changeable environment (Ibid). It is a term linked to the action of man in relation to his environment, refers to the balance that exists in a species based on its environment and all the factors or resources it has to make possible the operation of all its parts, without the need to damage On the other hand, sustainability in terms of objectives means meeting the needs of present generations, but without affecting the ability of future ones, and in operational terms, to promote economic and social progress respecting the Natural ecosystems and the quality of the environment

Principles and concepts

The principle of sustainability is based on several concepts: The science of sustainability and environmental science4 form the basis of the analytical and philosophical structure, while data are collected through sustainability measures. These data are then used to formulate sustainability policy plans.

The implementation of sustainable development is based on certain values ​​and ethical principles. The Earth Charter7 presents an extensive and integral articulation of values ​​and principles related to sustainability. This document, which is a statement of global ethics for a sustainable world, was developed from a highly participatory global process over a period of 10 years, initiated at the Rio 92 Summit, which culminated in the year 2000. The legitimacy of the Earth Charter comes precisely from the participatory process that was created, as thousands of people and organizations from around the world provided their input to find those shared values ​​and principles that can help societies become more Sustainable. There is a growing network of individuals and organizations that use this document as an educational and advocacy tool.

Scale and context

Sustainability is studied and managed at various levels of time and space and in many contexts of economic, cultural, social and environmental organization. It focuses from the total sustainability of the planet to the sustainability of economic sectors, countries, municipalities, neighborhoods, individual houses; Goods and services, occupations, lifestyles, etc. In short, it can include the total of human and biological activities or specialized parts of them.9

Population [edit]

The growth of the human population in the twentieth century has been explosive, doubling approximately every half a century. According to the 2008 Revision of the United Nations Official Population Estimates, the world population is expected to reach 7 billion by the beginning of 2012 - from 6900 million in May 2009 - and to more than 9 billion by 2050. Most of the increase will be in developing countries, with a projected population increasing from 5600 million in 2009 to 7900 million in 2050. This increase will be distributed among the population aged 15-59 (1200 million) and 60 years old or More ($ 1.1 billion), as the number of children under the age of 15 is expected to decline in developing countries. In contrast, the population of developed countries is expected to only show a slight increase over the same period: from 1230 to 1280 million.10 Some current estimates of the global population for the medium term suggest that a maximum of nine to ten billion Of people could occur around 2070, with a subsequent slight decline to 8400 million by the year 2100.11

Emerging economies such as China and India increasingly aspire to similar living standards to Western countries, just as the rest of the non-industrialized world.12 The combination of rapid population growth with new aspirations to achieve levels of consumption such as Of the developed world today has been presented as one of the biggest challenges to face for human sustainability in the future.

Environmental sustainability

It refers to the ability to maintain biological aspects in their productivity and diversity over time and, thus, to take care of the preservation of natural resources by promoting a conscious responsibility for the ecological and, at the same time, to grow in Human development taking care of the environment where it lives.

Economic Sustainability 

It refers to the capacity to generate wealth in the form of adequate, equitable amounts in different social spheres that is capable and solvent of its economic problems, as well as to strengthen production and consumption in sectors of monetary production. In short it is a balance between man and nature to meet needs and not sacrifice future generations.

Sustainability Policy [

It refers to redistributing political and economic power, that there are consistent rules in the country, a safe government and establishing a legal framework that guarantees respect for people and the environment by fostering solidary relationships between communities and regions to improve their quality of life and Reduce dependence on communities by generating democratic structures.

Social Sustainability 

It refers to adopting values ​​that generate behaviors such as the value of nature, mainly to maintain harmonious and satisfactory levels of education, training and awareness, and thus support the population of a country to overcome, is to maintain a good standard of living in The population of a country, in the social aspects either the enrollment of the same people to create something new in the society where they are part.

Measurement of sustainability

Sustainability measures are quantitative measures that are being developed in order to formulate environmental management methods. Some of the best measures in the present are: the triple bottom line, the Environmental Performance Index and the Environmental Sustainability Index

 SUSTAINABLE FOODS

Sustainable foods are those that are grown and processed under correct environmental conditions without using chemical plant protection products, are not transported over long distances and their manufacture or processing has been done by saving energy and without using additives harmful to the health of consumers.