1. Nutrition is something that is in the back of everyone's minds. Yet, having a better understanding for it isn't. Most people think that nutrition itself is just about eating more veggies and not so much junk food. However, it is much more complex. Nutrition plays one of the biggest roles in an individuals health, so knowing what nutrients do what, and having the basic knowledge of why processed foods are bad can make a difference in society.
2. Over the years technology has advanced for many industries such as personal use (phones, computers, etc.), exploration and transportation, science, medical, and even nutrition. Scientists have found ways to take a nutrient and put it into a condensed form, what we call supplements. Science and nutrition have always been related down to a cellular level in fact. It has been proven that being nourished recreates tissues and cells in the body.
3. Although nutrition is a good thing, the vast majority of the food industry doesn't seem to care. Everywhere you look in today's society you see advertisements for fast food or supplements like weight loss pills, protein, etc. Unfortunately, marketing has taken over such a big portion of media in a negative way. Children see ads on television of happy individuals at McDonald's eating fattening foods, without showing the consequences. Obesity rates are rising at an alarming rate and marketing is at the reins.
4. Taking a look into the past it is pretty easy to tell the difference between that and the current state of nutrition. Food in the past usually meant a home cooked meal, and healthy food options. It wasn't until about the 1950's when fast food really started. People didn't have a cheap, convenient way to get food. They either had to make it themselves or go to dinner at restaurant with non-processed food. As the years went on fewer and fewer family owned restaurants started being built, and more chain franchises emerged.
5. The food industry has a major impact on human health, not just in food choice. Healthy food doesn't just meet what nutrients it has, it also has to do with cleanliness, cross contamination, and handling. Sadly, nobody really knows what goes on behind those walls. We've seen gunk in the bathrooms of restaurants, and tv shows that give you a behind the scenes look at nasty kitchens. There have been multiple news reports on people getting deathly ill from food for these reasons. Not washing your hands before food prepping can lead to a deadly disease, E. coli.
6. Diet and nutrient issues can rise for multiple reasons. Dieting can be dangerous if not carefully planned, and being well executed. In addition, being nourished is just as hard as being on a diet. Making sure you get every nutrient each day in the right doses, eating in moderation, and variety are the first steps to a healthy diet. In society however, obesity is at an all time high, and what are companies doing about this? Well, for starters companies that propose a weight loss pill are luring people into an unhealthy choice right off the bat. Eating healthy, staying physically active, and staying away from pills are key ways to stay on top of your health and avoid gaining excess fat. But, going back to convenience, food availability is getting so simple that it takes zero effort to eat nowadays. We have phone apps that send a random person to pick up food for you and drop it off wherever you please. You can sit in your car at a drive through for three minutes and take home an entire family meal. Instead of eating certain nutrients because you don't like it or you can't afford it, you can plop a pill into your mouth made from technology. The world is changing fast, and if the food processing industry doesn't slow down, human life will deplete faster and faster.
Reflection:
1. I've learned a lot from my classes, and most of what I learned can be transferred to this class. Further growing my ability to make choices in all of my classes is number one. By learning decision skills, it has lead me to a healthier lifestyle path. I choose my groceries at the store more wisely than previously, and my nutrition options as well. The $10 challenge was probably a bit easier for me than most of the other assignments we did in class because I've learned to shop cheap from my wife who is a vegetarian. I highly enjoyed that challenge and encourage others to try it out.
2. Like I said above, critical decision making is something that has grown through taking this class and other classes. Understanding what fast food is actually doing to my body is an eye-opener. I realized that it wasn't healthy to begin with, but I didn't quite grasp how fast unhealthy eating can affect my life. Metabolism doesn't stay in full gear for my whole life and I needed this class to really show me the consequences. My healths future will be scaly, and full of green! I plan to eat more fish and veggies at home. On top of that, I plan to learn new recipes and cook a home meal everyday.