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Few lines on Food as Medicine
Food as medicine Essay
Few lines on Food as Medicine
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Foods as Medicine Since a long time ago, human has acknowledged the health benefits of foods. However, with the development of chemical drugs and pills, they have forgotten that the food they eat are directly linked to their health. Foods, in facts are the best medicines and therefore we should take into account carefully how we perceive and use them. Firstly, choosing the right diet and the right food to eat can help improve health and body functions. Secondly, using food for health benefits has been a norm and that scientists are looking forward to create foods that can fight diseases. Not surprisingly, there are some similarities and differences in the views on the health benefits of foods between two different generations. And last but not least, foods with health benefits have been industrialized (nutraceuticals and functional foods), which raised the concern on how the government should regulate them. We are what we eat, the foods we consume every single meal significantly impacts our health and therefore it can be used as medicine. Healthy diets are directly linked to good health. It is because human bodies need food to function properly, if the food is not good enough, then our functions are disrupted. For example, eating foods with high Glycemic index (the digestion rate of carbohydrates) can lead to sudden increase as well as drop of blood sugar, which are said to increase risks of cardiovascular diseases and obesity (Ghartey & Nembhard, 2013). On the other hand, consuming unsaturated fatty acids, which are found from vegetables sources, such as olive oil, walnuts and soybeans, can improve health. This is because unsaturated fatty acids raise the level of HDL cholesterol that collects excessive LDL cholester... ... middle of paper ... ...D. (2013). Nutriotion and Healthy Eating. Whitby, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. Nutraceuticals/Functional Foods and Health Claims On Foods. (n.d). Retrieved from Health Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/claims-reclam/nutra-funct_foods-nutra-fonct_aliment-eng.php#a4 Phytonutrients. (n.d). Retrieved from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/diet/phytonutrients-faq Schorr, M. (2013, October 17). Chicken Soup Really Is Good for a Cold. Retrieved from ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117888 What are Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals? (n.d). Retrieved from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/statistics-and-market-information/by-product-sector/functional-foods-and-natural-health-products/functional-foods-and-nutraceuticals-canadian-industry/what-are-functional-foods-and-nutraceuticals-/?id=11
In the article “Paranoia about Fats is Driven by Junk Science” by Jill Richardson discusses the idea of how many Americans’ have false beliefs on the consumption of fats. Many think fats are bad and unhealthy for our diets, when in reality; we need them to maintain a healthy diet. For me and just like many others, I had the wrong impression on fats. Since many products today contain the label fat-free, I always believed that this was bad for diets. Since reading this article, it helped me take into account that eating omega-3 and omega-6; such as fish, greens, seeds, and oils are part of a well-balanced diet. This can be related to chapter 3, as omega-3 fatty acids are essential in preventing
It is packed with omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, and it has been shown to improve cholesterol, decrease inflammation, and stop unhealthy formations. Sesame seed oil: This oil is packed with B-complex vitamins, which is essential if you have an autoimmune or chronic disease that could impact the levels of vitamin B in your body. Vitamin B is essential for optimal health. It is also very high in the antioxidant vitamin E, which plays a part in the prevention of heart disease and
Nutritionism and Today’s Diet Nutritionism is the ideology that the nutritional value of a food is the sum of all its individual nutrients, vitamins, and other components. In the book, “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan, he critiques scientists and government recommendations about their nutritional advice. Pollan presents a strong case pointing out the many flaws and problems that have risen over the years of following scientific studies and government related warnings on the proper amount of nutrients needed for a healthy diet. Pollan’s main point is introducing science into our food system has had more of a negative impact than a positive one, we should go back to eating more of a traditional diet. I believe food science has given us
For some time, scholars and writers have continuously debated as to what constitutes or defines the idea of healthy eating, mainly because of the increase in the number of people diagnosed with ailments associated with bad eating habits. It has quickly become the forefront of issue, particularly in the United States. In recognition of this on-going debate, this composition seeks to compare and contrast two well-known authors concerning how we think about and consume food. In Michael Pollan’s discussion, “Escape from the Western Diet,” he discusses the negative sides of nutrition science, including conflicting theories surrounding the elements of healthy food consumption and why solutions are essential for the Western diet and lifestyle. “Escape from the Western Diet,’’ is among the articles that talks about the eating habits of individuals in the society. In the article, Pollan points out not only the numerous conflicts concerning what types of diets – including carbohydrate-based, the inclusion of omega-3s, other nutrition-specific needs - that are believed to directly affect general health or specific illnesses, but also how western nutritionism compares to other countries diets affect longevity outcomes. In the end, Pollan suggests that the United States must seek solutions that move towards more natural, unprocessed, plant-based lifestyles that ensure that individuals are making what they consume a primary
Michael Pollan makes arguments concerning the eating habits of the average American. Pollan suggests, in spite of our cultural norms, we should simply “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.”
In the past decades the incidence of heart disease has increased, about three million people dying of cardiovascular disease in China per year (according to statistics from the Ministry of Public Health of China), which draws people’s great concern to find ways to take precautions. With the development of element analytical method, some types of chemical substances that are beneficial to cardiac health have been found. Lycopene is a very popular natural anti-oxidants found in recent years (Dai, 2011), as well as capsaicin and dietary fiber. Whilst some research focuses on the mechanism of action, little attention has been paid to usability issues, in particular to the generalization of health-giving chemical substances in ordinary meals. There is a lot of evidence that vegetables can positively contribute to prevent heart diseases, by supplying biologically active components. This article continues previous research in the field of Biochemistry and Medical Science, mainly trying to study the effective components which can prevent heart disease in edible vegetables.
If we can control the consumptions of foods and drinks, we can have a prolonged life. The intake of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and even home made meals increase...
The Omega-3's are widely recognized for their role in heart health. Not only do these fatty acids help healthy hearts, they also benefit those with cardiovascular disease. Research has proved atherosclerotic plaque reduces with consistent consumption of omega-3's. Further, incidences of irregular heartbeats decline with these fatty acids; high blood pressure has been known to slightly drops as well.
Having a good health is a very important, but most people do not realize about it. Even if they do, they may still disregard it. We need good health in order to do any activity. To have a good health we need to eat a healthy food. Our body needs a sufficient water and healthy food that covered five classes of food which consist of carbohydrates, protein, fruit and vegetable, and fats. However, people nowadays always put their career as their priority and do not take care about their health. Sales of product such as vitamin supplements to get a healthy body and skin becomes more popular and trending. Some people are willing to buy it because they want to get a faster result of their body and there are also people who feels it is a must to take vitamin supplements in their life. Nevertheless, some people consume and relying too much vitamin supplement each day and there are various effects from it which are laziness and toxicity.
Food has been a common source of necessity in our everyday lives as humans. It helps gives us nutrition and energy to live throughout our life. Over several decades, the development of making foods has evolved. They have changed from natural to processed foods in recent years. Nowadays natural ingredients are barely used in the making of foods like bread, cheese, or yogurt. The food industry today has replaced natural food making with inorganic ingredients. The cause of this switch is due to processed foods being easier, cheaper and faster to make. Artificial nutrition and processed foods have been proven to last longer in market shelves then natural foods. Also, due to artificial additives in processed foods they help satisfy consumers taste more than natural ingredients. The method of producing processed foods is common in today's food industry and helps make money faster and efficiently for companies. Examples of this can be found in all markets that distribute food. Even though processed foods may be easier and faster to make, they are nowhere near as healthy for consumers compared to natural foods. Natural foods are healthier, wholesome, and beneficial to the human body and planet then processed foods.
Holistic nutrition is increasingly becoming popular in healthcare practice due to the growing detoxification culture amongst the people with the aim of improving individual health. Consumption of toxic elements toxifies the body, the consumption of processed food products is the primary cause of diseases amongst the people. There is increased use of Holistic Nutrition by both healthy people and people with health conditions with the aim of achieving optimum body function and health. The increased use of holistic nutrition in the community improves health outcomes and reduces poor health outcomes that are caused by poor lifestyle choices of using processed food products. Holistic nutrition provides a natural approach of ensuring positive health
We must concern the importance of vitamin to stay healthy. The blood sugar level and the amount of insulin must be stable. Nevertheless, food intake according to the food pyramid does not guarantee good health. For example, large portion of vegetables and fruits should be included in our diet, butif they are not product of organic farming, the comestible might show sight effects due to the usage of artificial fertilizers for crop production. Thus, human health will be affected also even if they practice their food intake according to the food
Therefore, understanding the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle can help encourage healthier choices. There are a number of diseases that can result from living an unhealthy lifestyle such as type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Type 2 diabetes is defined as a chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar. Cardiovascular disease which includes heart attacks, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, damages blood vessels, places high levels of stress on the heart and ultimately may lead to a stroke. Due to living an unhealthy lifestyle an individual also increases the chance of being diagnosed with prostate, esophagus, kidney or pancreatic cancer. It is clear that there is a connection between lifestyle choices and chronic disease. According to the article “Chronic Diseases As a Result of Poor Lifestyle Choices” the author, Pan Koenig states that “A diet of fast food, highly processed or salty foods and large amounts of starchy carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, cereal, baked goods, sweets, sugary drinks, alcohol excess, overeating and lack of exercise are the primary causes of obesity”(5). It is clear that eating unhealthy foods will give an individual harmful diseases. Therefore, to prevent a life full of pain and disease an individual must begin to change and improve their quality of life today, but one cannot accomplish this on their own
Proper nutrition is one of the most essential elements to being healthy and living a long life. People deal with food every day, and food has been a part of life since the beginning of civilization. What we eat becomes our diet, and our diet plays a major role in deciding how healthy we are and how well our body functions. Without proper diet, our body cannot carry out the functions it needs to perform. Most people have some common knowledge on what is good and what is bad for the human body to consume. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains are some common items people think of when they think of healthy foods. However, it is not enough just to know what foods are good for your body, it is also important to understand why certain foods are good for you and what they do to help the body function.
Weight control is a concern of most individuals, and as a person ages weight becomes more difficult to manage. When this problem occurs, the majority of people look to exercise or diet change for answer. In order to manage one’s weight a person must eat fewer calories than they expend, which can be completed by consuming foods with lower energy density, high fiber, and high water content. When it comes to research and diet it is common knowledge that fruits and vegetables are superior in nutrition when compared to the other food groups. According to the Center for Disease Control, “consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with lower risks for numerous chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease” (Can, n.d.,