Nutrition and exercise are the cornerstones of our health. But why actually? What exactly do weight training and endurance sports do? And how do certain foods influence our metabolism? How does sore muscles actually develop?

The author, a chemist and doctor, explains in an understandable way how the body works and the influence of nutrition and exercise on our health. At the same time, he scientifically presents the correlations based on current studies, including intervention and long-term studies. He clearly describes the interactions of nutrition and exercise on body weight, metabolism, fatty tissue and hormones, the cardiovascular system, bone structure and the immune system. Each topic is clearly described on one page. A non-fiction book for all those who are interested in doing something for their health and want to know why.

The 5th edition has been completely updated, adapted to the current state of knowledge and expanded to include the following topics: herbs and spices, endurance sports and hormone disorders in women, sports and painkillers, sustainable nutrition and plenty of exercise to combat climate change. 

Plus: glossary for looking up medical terms and extensive literature references on studies on nutrition, exercise and health.

<p>I Nutrition

1 Nutrition
2 "He who knows nothing must believe everything"
3 Important long-term studies
4 The human organism - a gigantic chemical factory
5 Our food - the energy carriers
6 The production of energy
7 The production of energy when there is a lack of food
8 Energy consumption I - basal metabolic rate
9 Energy consumption II - heat production
10 Energy consumption III - power metabolic rate
11 Physical activity level
12 The control of energy turnover in the brain
13 The control of energy turnover by bodily hormones
14 The control of energy metabolism - the reward system.15 Unsaturated fatty acids.16 Trans fatty acids.17 Cholesterol.18 Cholesterol and arteriosclerosis.19 Cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease.20 Lipoprotein(a).21 Minerals.22 Trace elements.23 Vitamins. 22 Trace elements
23 Vitamins
24 The vitamin D3 hormone
25 Secondary plant compounds
26 Dietary fibre
27 Antioxidants
28 Influence of diet on immunity
29 Functional foods
30 Chemistry in plant foods
31 Plant toxins in natural foods
32 Additives in our food
33 Flavour enhancers
34 Food intolerances
35 Food hygiene
36 The gut microbiome
II
37 Health hazards of heating food I
38 Health hazards of heating food II
39 Ethanol - small molecule, powerful poison
40 General dietary recommendations for healthy people
41 The recommended drinking amounts
42 Evolution fattening its children
43 Fat distribution patterns, their measures and dementia risk
44 Adipose tissue as a synthesis site for hormones and messenger substances
45 Why obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes
46 Glycaemic index and glycaemic load
47 Obesity and disease risk
48 Obesity and mortality risk
49 Intentional weight loss
50 Special features of diets
51 Eating disorders
52 Vegan diets
53 Nutrigenomics
III Exercise
54 No sports ?
55 The paramount position of endurance
56 Endurance sports and the heart
57 Endurance sports and the heart rate
58 Endurance sports and the large vessels
59 Endurance sports and the capillaries
60 Endurance sports and blood pressure
61 Endurance sports and the lungs
62 Endurance sports and the brain
63 Endurance sport and the adipose tissue
64 Endurance sport and hormones
65 Performance metabolism and the adrenaline effect
66 Performance metabolism and the insulin effect
67 Energy optimisation for high performance requirements
68 Endurance sport and immunity
69 Moderate endurance sport and non-specific immune defence
70 Performance sport and non-specific immune defence
71 Sport and optimisation of the immune defence
72 The immunology of the overload syndrome
73 Endurance sport and tumour immunology
74 Endurance sport as a rehabilitation measure in cancer
75 Speed of energy release I - aerobic muscle endurance
IV
76 Speed of energy release II - anaerobic muscle endurance
77 The myth of fat burning without effort
78 Endurance sport and temperature regulation
79 The biomechanics of running
80 Running shoe requirements
81 Sport and the skeleton
82 Constant bone renewal
83 Osteoporosis
84 Strength training
85 Possible muscle loads
86 Increasing strength endurance
87Gain in weight due to muscle loss
88 Muscular imbalances
89 Precautions in strength training
90 Flexibility exercises
91 Balance training
92 Those who sit a lot are dead longer
93 "Sport is murder" or sudden cardiac death
4 Sport injuries and pain defence
95 Muscle soreness
96 Sports medicine screening
97 Sport and air pollution - particulate matter
98 Sport and air pollution - ozone
99 Sleep and health
100 Tobacco or health
V Appendix
Summary
Brief medical glossary
Index of search terms
Ranking of the world's 50 most prestigious universities
Impact factors (2016)
Literature.<br></p>