I believe that our fast-paced American lifestyle is killing us physically, mentally and emotionally.
Our American society is so caught up in this hectic lifestyle that numerous of adults and young children are forced to juggle various tasks in order to have the money, power, and success. However, since we forced ourselves to maintain this dorm of living, it has severely is taken a toll to our bodies, health, and well-being.
One of the problems of living in our fast-paced society is that it affects the way that we eat. Millions of Americans with frantic work schedules always tend to consume in fast-food restaurants in order to save time and money from their own pockets. However, this unhealthy habit is increasing the risk of several health issues such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other diseases. According to New York Times, “nearly 40 percent of Americans are obese,” stating that it’s not only affecting adults, but the young children
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Although this may be true, it also can cause the diligent Americans to overwork themselves. According to recent study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis”. Beside of the restfulness, it also induces other mental health illnesses, such as stress or anxiety disorders. Without a doubt, individuals will always stress about their perceived reputation they display in our society as the thought of being shunned discourages their motivation. If the society can alter their way of thinking, the hard-working classes will no longer have the sense of being pressured. Maybe for once they will be able to have a great night sleep and have not a stressful
Throughout the United States many American’s go through and eat at fast food places such as, McDonalds, Burger King, and Jack ‘n the Box. Mainly unaware of the amount of weight one can gain if consuming it on a daily bases or even two times week, can cause health issues, diabetes and possibly obesity. This was the main premise for writer Dave Zinczenko essay Don’t Blame the Eater, who makes an argument that many people are becoming obese and diabetic because of the fast food they eat. He asks a regarding his concern; Shouldn 't we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast-food restaurants?, As a way to engage the general public, like parents and teenagers, he expresses his argument through his own experience when he was a teenager eating at fast food places and information on the fast food industry in regards to how many calories are in the food.
America is known for many things. It is famous for its sports, fast food, and of course Hollywood. Yet it is infamous for being the home to millions of workaholics. It is home to millions of people that literally work themselves to death . This country is plagued by nonstop work, and it is a disease that has no cure.
It is true that sleep deprivation is a widespread issue, generally resulting from early start times. It is also a serious one; according to a study by Harvard Medical School, sleep deprivation can lead to issues such as obesity, heart disease, difficulty learning, and can genuinely shorten a person’s lifespan. As Robbins explains, teenagers have a different internal sleep clock than other age groups. It is most healthy for students in high school to go to bed around 11 and wake up around 9. Since school often begins as early as 7, students are told they simply need to go to bed early, around 8 or 9 PM. This contention does not take into account the fact that humans are biologically not wired this way, and it's virtually impossible for most teens to fall asleep this early. It also doesn't take into account that with clubs, sports, church, volunteering, other extracurriculars and hours of homework, students often struggle to start their homework before their suggested “bedtime”. It is contended that students can control their own schedules so that they can get more sleep. However, pressure from parents and peers to get into a “good” college can cloud students’ perceptions of what is right for them, making them choose to overwork themselves in order to build impressive resumes. I myself can identify with this phenomenon. During the weekdays alone, I volunteer two nights a
Over the last several years, the United States has experienced the emergence of countless lifestyle based illnesses. We have seen an increase of inactivity, poor nutrition, an increase of tobacco use, and more frequent alcohol consumption; Americans are living unhealthy lifestyles that are surely factors contributing to the pervasiveness of chronic diseases. Chronic diseases use to be seen as problems that older generations faced, but over the past several years the United States’ working age group has become a main target. For example, Americans are experiencing higher rates of diabetes, and heart disease. Conditions like these only lead to a diminished quality of life, could possibly lead to shorter life spans, disability, and quite possibly in the long run increased health care costs. Businesses are also impacted by an employees lifestyle decisions; absenteeism and presenteeism.
The American diet is full of on-the-go amenities from an array of different meals; however, is this fuel actually causing harm to the body in the long run? What is in the American diet that sets American’s health apart from other parts of the world? The documentary Forks Over Knives states that “We spend 2.2 trillion dollars a year on health care, over five times more than the defense budget. In fact, we pay more per person for healthcare than any industrialized country in the world, yet we’re sicker than ever” (Forks Over Knives). Studies are finding that the excessive consumption of sweeteners, meats, and dairy products are many of the leading causes of American’s health failure.
Hard work, as Americans its how we define ourselves. Its what built our nation and we believe that we continue that tradition; but do we? Mass media includes some of the giants that can be held responsible for American spending less time outside and more time on the couch. TV, movies, and social media are constant outlets telling us how to do things the easy way by putting in the least amount of work. They also
While the American Dream of the post-war ‘40s and ‘50s was the same core ideology as the American Dream had always been, it expanded its previous definitions to include a uniform “American Way of Life”. Will Herberg argues that the true common religion in the United States is not western monotheism but this way of life that we have. He cites the fact that a majority of people at this time don’t let their religious beliefs affect their decisions about politics and society . He infers that there must be another force behind the country’s unity and it is our way of life. This way was more linear in definition than in the past and was reinforced by the pressure that the Cold War produced. Popular media reflected the conformism that was prevalent
One out of every three Americans is obese and the majority of these obese people in the United States have eaten regularly at fast food restaurants. As the obesity rate increases, the number of fast food restaurants goes up as well. Although it is not certain, many believe that obesity in the United States is correlated to eating fast food. Since the United States has the highest obesity rate out of any country, it is important for Americans to monitor the fast food industry that may be causing obesity. With the pressure to get things done in a timely manner, fast food became a big necessity. However, when creating fast food restaurants, the industries were not thinking about the negative effects such as obesity. Other than obesity, other harmful effects exist as well. Fast food restaurants serve unhealthy products such as greasy foods and artificial meat that lead to dietary health issues in many adults and children. A recent study showed that “Young children who are fed processed, nutrient-poor foods are likely to become unhealthy teenagers, and eventually unhealthy adults. Now twenty-three percent of teens in the U.S. are pre-diabetic or diabetic, 22% have high or borderline high LDL cholesterol levels, and 14% have hypertension or prehypertension” (May, Kuklina, Yoon). The food that they provide is made to be eaten quickly, causing problems for the digestive system. Also, the health problems lead to the use for health insurance, which adds to the costs of Medicare. Health care costs will only worsen an already failing economy. Therefore, the government should regulate fast food restaurants in the United States in order to repair the deteriorating health and economy in America.
Any group of people in the world, small or large, can share a culture. Merriam-Webster defines culture as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also: the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time.” Just as cultures form originally, they can also adapt and borrow traits from other cultures that may be mixed within them or living in their close proximity or from prolonged contact with a different culture (acculturation).
When I first started playing the episode, Ira Glass, host and producer of This American Life, immediately grabbed my attention with the line, “Sometimes things are not what they seem. Big news, I know. Here’s an interesting example of it.” Ira, with a voice clear and engaging, went on to describe the account of Damien Cave, a reporter for The New York Times, on an airplane. Damien was looking through an in-flight magazine that was using ads for tourists to attract people to various lands that were centers of drug and gang-related violence. The prologue had started with an interview with Damien and captured vivid descriptions of his analysis of how ads are tools of those in power to coerce people into thinking and consuming. “Propaganda is
Austin states that most students manage to “get less sleep during weekdays and more sleep on weekends to pay back the sleep debt” (36). But this sleep pattern is not what the body is used to during the week and actually affects the student more than he or she thinks. The pattern of sleep the student chooses to have on the weekends makes it difficult to rise each morning for early classes, and it increases his or her sleepiness throughout the week (Austin 36). While each student thinks sleeping more on the weekends benefits them, it actually hurts them because it makes their sleep patterns irregular. When this happens it makes the week harder to deal with because everything is out of
In America, if Americans do not work for what they want, they will not get that thing. The daily life of an American is either school or work. There isn’t really any time to do anything else. If Americans don’t work they won’t get their necessities. So as an immigrant coming into America you should take any opportunities that are available. In the short story, “America and I”, by Anzia Yezierska that is what she did. “In the golden land of flowing opportunity I was to find my work that was denied me in the sterile village of my forefathers.” She sees all of the opportunities that are in America so she is going to take advantage of that. “Once I thought that in America everybody works for love, Nobody has to worry for a living.” Sooner or later she realizes that that was completely wrong. But as the strong woman that she is, she proves that she has good workmanship and willing to work for what wasn’t given or allowed for her. She came from a country that didn’t allow women to work. Also is the poem “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman, he says “The mason is singing as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,” Working is an everyday thing like stated before. If you do not you will not survive in this cold world, people who do not work get looked down upon and they try to rely on everybody that’s around them. Somebody will let you to rely on them for so long until they tell you to get a job.
Obesity and overweight remain the two major social problems in the United States. Apart from the fact that obesity and overweight are dangerous by themselves, they also cause a variety of negative health consequences. Our lives our overloaded with tasks and obligations, and we often choose to eat something fast. “Fast”, however, does not necessarily imply “useful”, and more and more people face the risks of becoming obese even at young age. Because obesity has already become a national i...
The American diet has changed dramatically in the past couple centuries and so has the restaurant industry. The result of this change in Americans actions and diets is a rising obesity rate among children. In the 1970s, the childhood obesity rate was five percent of children (2-19 years old). The obesity rates doubled in the 1980s and by 2008 16.9% of children were obese (Grossklavs and Marvlesin). The percentage of obese children has more than tripled in the last 40 years. The growing epidemic is dangerous and alarming. There are many factors that contribute to the dramatic rise of obesity children. As obesity has grown, so has the fast food industry. “Between 1977 and 1995, the percentage of meals and snacks eaten at fast food restaurants doubled,” (...
Food is a major part of everyone’s everyday life. It’s hard to imagine life without the chocolate cake on your fingers or a carne asada taco in your mouth. Enjoying delicious desserts and fast food seem extremely magnificent to eat and spend money buying them. Although, there have been many controversies in the United States on how it’s the largest country with the most obesity regarding children, which affects their health, many people are still going throughout their day snacking. Many people in America are having full course meals with thousands of calories in one sitting not knowing the short term or long term side effects that are going to take a huge toll on their lives. Food is delicious, but it comes with a secret behind the savoriness/sweetness.