With today’s economy, money and socioeconomic status in America have proved to become a more and more pressing issue. There’s not a day that goes by without each one of us sitting in this very room hearing about the horrible economy that has become a trend. North Carolina’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed from 3.1 (1999) to 8.1 (August 2013). I know you probably hear all the time that this issue is due to the bad economy or even race, but what if I told you that this was not due to the bad economy, but rather due to unhealthy eating habits? Would you believe it? Over the course of this paper I plan to explain to you why this is, and give some tips on how we can turn this problem into a positive light.
Statistics show that more than one third of the US, 39.7% to be exact, are obese. This trend not only causes many health risks, but it can also run families out of house and home. The average American household spends $350 to $800 a month on groceries alone, imagine how much that can add up to each year. Good quality meat is probably the most expensive grocery to buy, and cheap meat...
Simplifying the Case for Vegetarianism is an article written by Andrew Tardiff as part of the academic journal Social Theory and Practice; published by Florida State University, Department of Philosophy in 1996. Tardiff was a part of the department of philosophy at Rhode Island College and wrote other articles, including A Catholic Case for Vegetarianism and Vegetarianism Virtue: Does Consequentialism Demand Too Little?
Throughout the past years and more here recently obesity has become a fast growing problem in the United States and around the world. Since this has become such a problem certain authors are starting to take a stand in how they think the solution should be fixed. The solutions are discussed in the following articles: How Junk Food Can End Obesity by David H. Freedman and What You Eat Is Your Business by Radley Balko. Both articles have clear and distinct arguments, but the argument by Balko entices his readers and has a clear purpose and tone that allowed his article to be more effective.
Christopher McCandless, a young American who was found dead in summer of 1992 in wild land in Alaska, wrote in his diary about his moral struggle regarding killing a moose for survival. According to Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, Chris had to abandon most of the meat since he lacked the knowledge of how to dismantle and preserve it (166-168). Not only did he have a moral dilemma to kill a moose, but also had a deep regret that a life he had taken was wasted because of his own fault. He then started recognizing what he ate as a precious gift from the nature and called it “Holy Food” (Krakauer 168). Exploring relationships between human beings and other animals arouses many difficult questions: Which animals are humans allowed to eat and which ones are not? To which extent can humans govern other animals? For what purposes and on which principles can we kill other animals? Above all, what does it mean for humans to eat other animals? The answer may lie in its context. Since meat-eating has been included and remained in almost every food culture in the world throughout history and is more likely to increase in the future due to the mass production of meat, there is a very small chance for vegetarianism to become a mainstream food choice and it will remain that way.
“In the evolving landscape of neurological research, a plant-based diet may help in treating symptoms of anxiety and depression.” Neal Barnard, M.D. Unfortunately, depression affects a staggering 9.5% of the adult population. As a result $83 billion are lost in productivity each year. Research suggests that a Western Diet, high in fat and animal protein contributes to lower cognitive abilities and mood disorders. Thus, adopting a vegetarian diet is an excellent choice for many people because it improves overal health. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that when individuals improve their physical health, they become more physically and socially active and their overall quality of life improves.
Though vegetarianism was never a taboo subject as are some other controversial topics, The question of whether or not human beings should live off meat still is highly discussed amongst all types of people. Spiritual leaders, activists, scientists, and doctors have spoken up on behalf of their group’s opinion. Amongst the arguments of what is right when it comes to the food chain, resonating on many a mind is where the concept of vegetarian came from. Was it started as a religious virtue or a moral decision? Perhaps it was a forced lifestyle or a diet trend gone wrong (or right depending). Health wise, which is better for us? Educating ourselves by answering these questions helps us answer the, perhaps, most important question of all. Which lifestyle will we, as individuals, choose?
The necessity of food has created one of the most powerful diseases in the health of today’s nation. According to the resent documentary (Silverbush 2012) it shows how obesity and hunger are closely related to one another. Obesity today has over taken what we know of most of the United States population. This phenomenon of unhealthy eating starts in children even before they start going to school. A large amount of today’s population is found living in the middle to lower class, creating complications when trying to support family’s with insufficient funds. When it becomes comes time to buy healthy foods for their family it becomes overlooked due to the high prices of fruits and vegetables. Times of scarcity lead the average American to buy cheap, unhealthy, quick and easy food products due to government subsidies. With food being an essential aspect to living it makes eating a necessity one cannot live without. Americans with low budgets are forced to buy products that are mass-produced. The high demand for food has caused a process in which food production has become degrading to the environment, the animals, the quality product itself, and the consumers. Large livestock farms create large amounts of animal waste that in turn producing noxious air emissions, water pollution, and potentially spreads risk of infections to humans. Billions of tons of polluting pesticides and fertilizers have destroyed waterways, are responsible for causing cancer, food-born illnesses and obesity, and are one of the many causes of global warming (Kallen, 2006). Many Americans are forced to go against the functional aspect of sociology and conform to eating products that are in turn dangerous for them resulting in multiple health issues. Due to t...
There are a myriad of myths and misconceptions that surround the words “vegetarian” and “vegan.” One perhaps thinks that becoming vegan is synonymous with becoming weak and holier-than-thou or only consuming foods such as Tofurkey. Thankfully, this isn’t the case for the vast majority of vegans or vegetarians. For financial and health concerns, many Americans are consuming less meat and poultry; approximately one third of Americans follow a diet centered upon vegetables and whole grains, with the occasional consumption of meat. Nonetheless, meat consumption per capita is still extortionate in America—the highest per capita with the exception of Luxembourg—largely due to its ingrained nature in our economy and culture.
The vegetarian diet has become very popular in the United States. How does not eating meat affect a person's health? It is important for people to eat a nutritious diet that will fuel their body. Some people think the vegetarian diet is bad for a person because there are so many nutrients that we can only get from meat.The vegetarian diet has a stigma that it is not very healthy, however the vegetarian diet can be very beneficial to a person's health.
In the past forty years, the average American’s weight has skyrocketed. This can be traced to the introduction of fast food into our everyday lives. Fatty cheeseburgers and grease laden French fries have replaced fresh fish and crisp vegetables. Americans have come to value convenience more highly than personal health and consequently we are paying for what we consume.
Vegetarianism is becoming more widespread, particularly because of the belief people have that meat can potentially harm the body. The term ‘vegetarianism’ is used to describe people who avoid eating eat or seafood and possibly dairy foods or eggs. According to Nutrition Australia, the term is not well defined and it includes “people with a wide range of attitudes and eating behaviours with respect to foods of animal region” (para. 3). There are a broad range of vegetarians based on how much food is derived of plant origin, from animals and other sources. Thus, there are five types of vegetarians; Semi vegetarian diet excludes red meat and consumes poultry with/or fish, eggs and dairy food. Lacto vegetarian diet avoid meat, poultry, fish and consumes dairy foods. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet excludes meat,
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity now ranks as the 10th most important health problem in the world (“Obesity Seen as a Global Problem”). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Protection estimates that obesity contributed to the deaths of 112,000 Americans in 2000 (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). It is estimated that annual medical care cost of obesity are as high as $147 billion (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). Government-provided food stamps are often expended on junk or fast food, because it tends to be less expensive than fresh or cook food. Governments fund producers of meat and dairy products to keep prices low. For now, governments are taking a smarter and more productive approach through regulation, and by working with manufacturers.
Do you struggle with health problems or anxiety? If so, do not worry, because you are not alone. Today, America is in the middle of a serious crisis. Many people are suffering from diseases that are directly related to the American Diet. An estimated sixty-one percent of Americans are deemed overweight, and about one-third of these are currently obese (cdc.gov). Throughout the country, the obesity epidemic has struck every population demographic. According to the Center of Disease Control, an estimated 248,000 Americans die prematurely every year owing to obesity. The Center also asserts that many more people die prematurely today owing to illnesses related to obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. An even more ominous statistic is that the percentage of children and adolescents who are obese has doubled in the last twenty years (cdc.gov). In order to understand why obesity is on the sky rise in America, the average diet of Americans must be taken into consideration. In comparison to other countries, the American Diet is one of, if not the worst in terms of nutrition (Young 93). The unhealthy American Diet is a dietary habit that is highly associated with fast food, processed foods, soft drinks , and large portions, which explains why it has to change in order to save our country.
Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet
At the age of five I questioned my grandmother why we do not eat meat. She told me that eating meat was against the Hindu religion and I never questioned her until today. A vegetarian is someone that follows a plant based diet consuming mostly fruits and vegetables. There are many different types of vegetarian diets, some choose to become vegan and do not even consume eggs or dairy products. Anti-supporters of the vegetarian diet believe that vegetarians are missing out on the vitamins and minerals that meat eaters are gaining. However, vegetarians believe that this plant based diet will lead them to a longer life, not only this but it is better for the environment and it will help save animals.
The Advantages of a Vegetarian Diet Having a healthy dietary method can reduce the chances of receiving many health diseases. These health diseases include obesity, heart disease, and cancer. By consuming certain foods and nutrients in one’s diet, the risk factors for these health diseases can be reduced. A healthy dietary method that is beneficial to reducing and/or improving these health diseases is the vegetarian diet. The vegetarian diet follows a dietary pattern that is characterized by the consumption of plant-like foods and the avoidance of flesh foods (meat, poultry, and fish).