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.