en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:50:59 GMT 15 By Magali Valenza
In the 21st century, where watching hours of television and eating at least a weekly consumption of fast food, more and more Americans are becoming obese. They ignore the damage that they do to themselves when they eat processed foods, and focus on the momentary satisfying- yet addicting- taste. “The general population eats too much sugar instead of actual meals,” said Ms.Algaze, Head of the Health Department and teacher of both Pharmacy and Dental Assistant classes, when asked her opinion on the diets of MLEC students. In fact, a typical American’s diet consists of high fats, calories, and salts that increase the risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure. To avoid becoming part of the statistics, willingness to change is vital. Eating healthy is a process and a lifestyle. It needs to be carried all the way to old age. “Hundreds-no, thousands- of studies have indicated that eating the right foods can prevent a host of ills,” said William E. Connor, M.D., a nutritional scientist and professor of medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University. The question now is, what foods are considered “right”? Typically, teenagers assume that increasing their intake of vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes- the basic components of a salad- is all that’s needed for health benefi ts in the long run. Not even close. Keep in mind that eating healthy is not as boring or diffi cult as the media portrays. The food pyramid shows the many varieties of foods that can be included in a daily diet. Students at MLEC turn to vending machines or nearby fast food restaurants for lunch. “The food just tastes better,” said an anonymous source attending MLEC, “If they had Subway, I’d eat there everyday!” One meal alone of Wendys or Tacobell could add up to 2,000 calories, not to mention a whopping load of fat and sugar! Students don’t realize how badly it can affect them now. Hair, skin and nails lose their shine and texture and illnesses become more frequent due to the body’s loss of ability to defend itself. There is no denying how food describes who a person is. Next time wake up, throw on your uniform and rush out the door, take fi ve more minutes to pack snacks that are high in fi ber, protein, and whole grain into your book bag. From here on out, it’s all about applying it everyday. ]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:42:00 GMT