"Americans yearly consume and average of 8 to 15 pounds of chemicals that contribute nothing to the growth or maintenance of body cells" (Bowles 2). Useless and even harmful calories are constantly being consumed in our affluent society. The United States of America has more of a problem with obesity than any other country and we are trying to get the others to catch on. The majority of the food that most Americans have available to them is full of preservatives, fatty acids, and is over-processed. These things make it almost impossible for Americans to stay healthy. The way we eat is a reflection of habit; if people were not raised to eat such fatty foods than the inherent disorders such as obesity and depression would not be such an issue. For many people food is also their comfort or their biggest struggle. Eating such ways causes more damage than just body weight. Many things can result internally to digestive organs, mental clarity, and emotional stability.
[...] It would be impossible to eliminate all available junk food, but at least people can do something good in their own lives. Poor nutrition is far to common in America and it accounts for a large portion of the nation's obesity, depression, and health problems; although society may be bad, there is still hope for individuals. In America there are more opportunities for people to eat potentially dangerous foods than nutritious foods. It is much easier for Americans to go to a fast food restaurant and get a burger then it is for them to spend the time reading labels and selecting smart meals. [...]
[...] Schlosser writes, “More than half of all American adults and about one-quarter of all American children are now obese or overweight. These proportions have soared over the last few decades along with the consumption of fast food” (240). This problem is thought to be worse in America than any other nation due to the excessive amount of fast food chains. This theory is supported by the effect fast food has had on the other nations that have adopted these American food chains. [...]
[...] Dr. Hardy reports on the tragic effect excessive amounts of junk food had on filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. Spurlock decided to make a documentary on food related health problems by going on a diet that consisted of 3 McDonald's meals a day for 30 days, and reported the effects it had on his body and life. After only a few days, Spurlock began vomiting out his car window. By the end of that month the body of the 33 year old began to change drastically; he gained twenty-five pounds, liver became toxic, his cholesterol shot up from a low 165 to 230, his libido flagged and he suffered headaches and depression.” Even the doctors examined him were shocked at how rapidly Spurlock's entire body deteriorated” (Hardy 1). [...]
[...] Other things could of course, cause these symptoms, but if diet is the cause then it would be most helpful for people to know if their body is contaminated with toxins. The way in which these foods are processed can also be particularly harmful and cause sickness of a more immediate sense. Food poisoning is an increasing problem in America. Every day, in the US, “roughly 200,00 people are sickened by food borne diseases are hospitalized, and fourteen (Schlossar 195). [...]
[...] There are many organizations that focus on assisting people through their cleansing process who would argue that the body cannot be cleansed without some kind of aid. These groups ask people to join and encourage them to purchase several types of pills and diet planning manuals to help them with the process. There have been no studies that prove these four hundred dollar pills to be harmful, but it is usually better to use the method that is the most natural especially when the problem already is excess chemicals. [...]
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