Poison in Disguise
Food—it is loved by all, required for life, but widely abused. The food industry has come under attack, especially in the last few decades, by nutritionists and doctors concerned by the overwhelming health problems in the developed world.
Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are just a few of the myriad issues impacting
Americans today. Consumers must become educated on food labeling so that they can avoid foods dangerous to their health, and become more active in demanding quality food from the food industry.
Most people have known for decades what good eating habits are. They have been lectured to eat more fruits and vegetables and to stay away from “junk food” from the elementary level into adulthood. The problem, however, …show more content…
[And a] related study in women found a similar sugary beverage–heart disease link” (The President).
To effectively surmount such harmful food habits, it is sometimes necessary to cut back slowly. Longstanding food habits can be difficult to break. If a person drinks a soda every day, it may be easier to gradually reduce the number of sodas each week. For example, their first goal could be to cut back to one soda every other day.
Once this seems normal to them, they might allot only one soda each week, etc. until they have eliminated it altogether or found a reasonable level of consumption. Every step gets them to a healthier place, and even small reductions in unhealthy habits are better than none at all. The food industry zealously pedals the idea that people need this and that food product because it is just so good . If they actually cared about the public’s health, they would be changing what they put in their food instead of creating products that target our tastebuds. Yet when it is convenient or …show more content…
“In 2012,
29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes” (American
Diabetes). “Heart disease (which includes Heart Disease, Stroke and other
Cardiovascular Diseases) is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 787,000 people alone in 2011” (The Heart Foundation). “68.5% of adults are overweight or obese; 34.9% are obese” (Food Research). These terrifying numbers should be enough to prompt people to act. The all too familiar taste of cheeseburgers, pizza, and cookies should not outweigh the cost of thousands of humans lives lost each year to senseless food related illnesses. If Americans keep choosing cheap processed food that cumulatively poisons people’s bodies, the disastrous health trends in this country will continue to worsen. By making simple choices such as selecting an apple over a donut or making a home cooked dinner at home, people will be—and feel—healthier. Education is essential in many elements of daily life: nutritional education is one of the most important. The old saying, “What you don 't know can 't hurt you” is simply ridiculous when it relates to one’s health.
What you don’t know can kill you—slowly and
Food—it is loved by all, required for life, but widely abused. The food industry has come under attack, especially in the last few decades, by nutritionists and doctors concerned by the overwhelming health problems in the developed world.
Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are just a few of the myriad issues impacting
Americans today. Consumers must become educated on food labeling so that they can avoid foods dangerous to their health, and become more active in demanding quality food from the food industry.
Most people have known for decades what good eating habits are. They have been lectured to eat more fruits and vegetables and to stay away from “junk food” from the elementary level into adulthood. The problem, however, …show more content…
[And a] related study in women found a similar sugary beverage–heart disease link” (The President).
To effectively surmount such harmful food habits, it is sometimes necessary to cut back slowly. Longstanding food habits can be difficult to break. If a person drinks a soda every day, it may be easier to gradually reduce the number of sodas each week. For example, their first goal could be to cut back to one soda every other day.
Once this seems normal to them, they might allot only one soda each week, etc. until they have eliminated it altogether or found a reasonable level of consumption. Every step gets them to a healthier place, and even small reductions in unhealthy habits are better than none at all. The food industry zealously pedals the idea that people need this and that food product because it is just so good . If they actually cared about the public’s health, they would be changing what they put in their food instead of creating products that target our tastebuds. Yet when it is convenient or …show more content…
“In 2012,
29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes” (American
Diabetes). “Heart disease (which includes Heart Disease, Stroke and other
Cardiovascular Diseases) is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 787,000 people alone in 2011” (The Heart Foundation). “68.5% of adults are overweight or obese; 34.9% are obese” (Food Research). These terrifying numbers should be enough to prompt people to act. The all too familiar taste of cheeseburgers, pizza, and cookies should not outweigh the cost of thousands of humans lives lost each year to senseless food related illnesses. If Americans keep choosing cheap processed food that cumulatively poisons people’s bodies, the disastrous health trends in this country will continue to worsen. By making simple choices such as selecting an apple over a donut or making a home cooked dinner at home, people will be—and feel—healthier. Education is essential in many elements of daily life: nutritional education is one of the most important. The old saying, “What you don 't know can 't hurt you” is simply ridiculous when it relates to one’s health.
What you don’t know can kill you—slowly and