The United States Food Industry: A Look into Its Faults and Your Health
Every year, doctors diagnose millions of individuals within the United States with chronic and life altering diseases due to faults seen within today’s modern food industry. From diabetes to various forms of cancer, everyone knows someone who has struggled with a chronic illness that changes one’s life forever. Within the last century, the United States food industry dramatically changed its production style which resulted in the rise of serious illnesses seen all across the nation. In order to meet the demand of the growing population, the food industry had to change its production style, ultimately causing an increased amount of chemicals laced within our nation’s food. In order to live a healthy lifestyle, individuals must no longer rely on the United States food industry to provide healthful, nutritional advice, but instead focus on the many lifestyle changes one can make to improve one’s overall health.
Today’s food corporations add chemicals including dyes, growth hormones, and phosphates into their products which cause harmful results in the bodies of each individual who consumes their foods (Sibaja). Additionally, as the population increases Genetically Modified Organism foods, or GMOs, ultimately have arose since farmers and corporations must make an increased amount of produce in a more effect way(MacEachern). Although GMOs provide an increased availability of certain foods, they can cause a handful of serious side effect including organ issues, infertility, and even certain immune disorders (MacEachern). However, America’s health problems do not only lie within the added chemicals placed within processed produce but within processed meats as well. In fact, processed meats, including hot dogs and bacon, are linked to increasing one’s chance of contracting both colorectal and colon cancer by roughly eighteen percent (Krantz). While advertisements and government agencies push diets heavy in meat and dairy products, the nation’s people have ultimately been suffering. And if cancer was not enough of a reason for concern, the mass productions of animal products (including meat, eggs, and dairy) additionally increases an individual’s risk of contracting food borne illnesses from various sources including E. Coli or Salmonella (Krantz).
Although one’s future does not seem bright if he or she falls into a constant cycle of consuming mainly processed foods, there is hope of a longer future if one decides to change their eating lifestyle before it is too late. Although multiple fad diets constantly circulate throughout the public eye, both veganism and Mediterranean eating habits prove to be beneficial to one’s overall health. These lifestyle changes incorporate large quantities of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains which increases their food’s nutritional value since individuals are eliminating primarily processed foods from their diets.
Veganism has been on the rise as more individuals learn about the benefits of living a more plant-based lifestyle. The vegan diet, or rather lifestyle change, focuses on eliminating all animal products from one’s personal usage and consumption. Thus, all dairy, meat, and egg products are no longer consumed by individuals following this lifestyle. Although these changes may seem detrimental to some, remember that by cutting out these animal based foods individuals are ultimately eliminating their chance of contracting an illness associated with eating highly processed foods. By adopting a high fiber, vegan diet an individual will have many added health benefits which could potentially add years to one’s life, including a fifteen percent decrease in the likelihood of developing cancer and a forty-two percent decrease in contracting heart disease (Petre). In fact, a close friend of mine who suffers from various auto-immune disorders follows a strict vegan diet and her symptoms improved greatly after following this diet for multiple years. Instead of facing chronic pain and many of her other common symptoms, she now lives a more carefree life thanks to the benefits of following a plant-based diet. Although some may worry about becoming deficient in various nutrient requirements, individuals can easily thrive off of a plant-based diet through continual monitoring of one’s food consumption. In the end, not only will your body thank you for the added nutrients by following a vegan diet, but the animals will too.
Although, a plant sourced lifestyle is growing in popularity, there are other beneficial diets that are seen within today’s changing world. The Mediterranean diet, also associated with its health benefits, incorporates many elements seen within veganism including large quantities of fiber from vegetables and fruit sources, however this lifestyle also incorporates small amounts of fish and dairy. By following this lifestyle change, individuals have been able to limit one’s chance of contracting heart disease by eighty percent and decrease the possibility of Type 2 diabetes by ninety-percent (Babcock). Both of these diseases are commonly associated with diets rich in animal based products and low in fiber intake. By following the Mediterranean lifestyle, one can easily start living a healthier lifestyle and help improve one’s overall health and body.
Following a proper eating lifestyle is an important aspect in order to continue to live healthily each day. Processed foods and added chemicals cause lasting effects within an individual’s body, and without developing proper eating habits individuals increase their chances of contracting life altering diseases and illnesses. Since the United States food industry will not stop adding harmful additives to the foods sold in grocery stores all across the country, consumers must become increasingly more aware of the small steps each person needs to take in order to live a life without health complications. By following a vegan or Mediterranean diet, each rich in fiber and unprocessed foods, individuals will be able to live healthily for years to come without fear of illness (965 words).
Save Yourself: The Truth Behind the United States Food Industry
The United States food industry is the cause of death for millions of people each year. Although many individuals point blame at their poor genetics or increased amount of stress in their lives for the cause of one’s illnesses, the American diet rich in fatty, animal products and lethal chemicals is ultimately the culprit for the declining health of individuals all across the country. With a greater need for larger food production, food corporations ultimately must add harmful additives to increase food production at lower costs. However, by making changes to one’s diet today individuals will be able to improve their overall health for years to come.
In today’s modern age, the United States food industry adds dozens of harmful chemicals into processed foods individuals eat each day. From harmful dyes to disgusting growth hormones, one can no longer be surprised at the rise of diseases within the last hundred years (Roberts). Although additives have lasting effects on one’s body, no other chemicals are as scary as Genetically Modified Organism foods. Many are aware that foods produced through GMO methods help aid in the mass production of food throughout the nation and attempt to help incorporate various minerals into produce to benefit one’s health (MacEachern). However, many are not aware of the various side effects GMO foods have including organ issues, infertility, and various immune disorders (MacEachern). To me, these facts are unsettling. How can a country known for the protection of its citizens consciously allow harmful chemicals to be spread into our foods? Additionally, the United States food industry today constantly pushes for individuals to purchase large quantities of products from the meat and dairy businesses, yet these processed foods can cause cancer and increase one’s chance of contracting colon related cancers by nearly twenty percent (Krantz). If the threat of cancer was not enough of a reason for concern, know that eating processed meat alone causes millions of individuals each year to contract horrifying food borne illnesses from E. Coli and Salmonella outbreaks (Krantz). These illnesses can be potentially life threatening, so why do individuals continue to give money to an industry that only causes more problems to one’s health and well-being? The truth is, consumers need to decide for themselves what steps they need to make to live a healthier lifestyle. In order to guide individuals onto the right track for living and eating well, I have provided easy guidelines and information about two of the country’s best diets: Veganism and a Mediterranean diet.
Veganism 101:
Veganism has grown in popularity over the last decade with its rise in popularity on social media sites and within popular blogs, so why not join the trend? This diet focuses on the benefits of eating a plant-based diet rich in high fiber sources including fruits, grains, and vegetables. However, if these foods do not particularly interest a consumer’s tastes, the health benefits will ultimately change an individual’s mind. By following a vegan diet alone, an individual will experience nearly a half reduction in one’s chance of dying from heart disease and a nearly twenty percent decrease in dying from cancer (Petre). Additionally, following a plant-based diet is linked to the decrease in autoimmune disorder symptoms as well (Petre). A few years ago, a close friend of mine that suffers from chronic illnesses began following a vegan diet when her medical doctors explained that a strict vegan diet could decrease her disease’s symptoms. What was the result? Today, she lives a much happier life with fewer pains and decreased inflammation thanks to the benefits of a plant-based diet. Make the change today and you too will feel the amazing effects a vegan diet has to offer.
Mediterranean Diet for All:
To anyone who believes that a vegan diet will not suit your food demands, do not be discouraged because a Mediterranean Diet can be the perfect match for you. This lifestyle change also consists of a high fiber diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables, however individuals are still able to enjoy certain fats from fish and dairy products. This diet allows individuals to find flexibility within their lifestyle, while cutting out the majority of processed foods from their diets. The results of this lifestyle are astounding. Individuals experience a nearly one-hundred percent decrease in the contraction of Type 2 diabetes and a dramatic drop in one’s risk of heart disease, so where could you go wrong? (Babcock) In order to live without illnesses in the future individuals must make their health their top priority today.
The food industry promotes individuals all across the country to consume harmful ingredients every day. Without making immediate changes to one’s diet, an individual can unknowingly take away years from their life due to a lack of information by the food industry about the effects of harmful chemicals. However, by adapting to a vegan or a Mediterranean diet individuals can thrive for years to come without fear of deadly diseases. So, what is stopping you from making a change? Everyone has the ability to create a better life for themselves if simple steps are made in preparation for a better tomorrow. (895 words)