HHD 1070 Health & Nutrition: A Sustainability Approach

This class introduces the study of a systemic interdisciplinary view of human nutrition aspects with sustainability insights. No college-level science background is required; rather, the course will provide elementary aspects of the several basic sciences that are needed. Its main aim is to provide a holistic nutrition background that will help students make appropriate, informed choices from the vast array of foods available in 21st century's marketplace. It is expected that students will obtain a general panorama about a wide range of current health issues that are related with nutrition in this century. This course is designed for the person who wants an overall introduction to nutrition within a sustainability perspective and, who may later choose a major in it, or simply wants to improve his/her health and wellbeing, learning the impacts that modernity vicissitudes have posed to our health because of the food and planet unsustainable decisions we've made.

This course shows an overview of how foods are altered nowadays, making linkages with agriculture, food industries and sustainability issues of current interest. Students will obtain a general overview of what nutrients and foods are, and their power for both good health or disease (food production, additives, pesticides, and hidden issues in food nowadays are discussed). Besides, we will reflect on the impacts each one of us is making on Earth and in each one of our 'body-minds' care and balance. A main aim is help students connect with current lifestyles - where toxic-free foods, supplements, organic meals, home-gardens, regenerative agriculture, applied sustainability, and dense nutritional options, are health and environment solutions already present. Another primordial aim is help students get a different perspective of their future life and career.