By With the rise of diabetes and obesity in our society, it is not hard to imagine that the eating of excess amounts of fast food and junk food is part of the blame, according to diabetes specialists in Austin, TX. There are several factors that drive us to eat fast food and junk food. Fast food and junk food includes processed foods, French fries, sweets, candies, pastries, pizza, fried chicken, tacos, hamburgers, and other fast foods. Maybe if we understand these factors, we can determine how to avoid poisoning our bodies with these dangerous foods. The factors that influence our behaviors to buy and eat these toxic foods include the following:
- Marketing (TV ads especially) plays a huge role in the access and distribution of junk food in our society.
- Cost: junk food is very inexpensive
- Convenience: junk food is very easy to obtain
- American lifestyle embraces a culture of eating junk food as part of normal recreational activity.
- Chemical addiction: there are chemicals in these junk foods that make us addicted to these foods
- Lack of Discipline: makes it difficult to change our poor eating habits
- The Education System has failed to adequately promote nutrition education alongside physical education.
Marketing
When traveling across major cities, literally around every major street corner is a fast food restaurant. Fast food is readily available for those of us who understand that time itself is money. In our society, time is valuable. When we all have to do lists and planners to help maximize our time, fast food seems to be the easiest way to get more accomplished. Get more information from seasoned diabetes specialists in Austin, Tx. Lifestyle
Besides marketing, the typical American lifestyle and culture have also played an important role in the obesity epidemic. When going to the movie theater or a sports event, it is acceptable for us to buy some of the unhealthiest food available. Between the high levels of saturated fat and salt, we seem to think we’re invincible against hypertension and high cholesterol. Also part of our culture is the donating to charity by accepting something in return, like chocolate or cookies. Your diabetes specialists in Austin, Tx can explain how you can change your lifestyle. Education
Then there’s the lack of education children receive at home. Just like parents explain in grave detail the importance of avoiding drugs and violence, they need to teach their children how to make positive eating choices like eating fruits more often than candy and buying a salad meal with milk instead of a double hamburger meal w/ fries. Solution
Now it is clear how marketing, lifestyle, and education affect our ability to choose healthy food over junk food. They are connected in many complex ways, but the most important thing to remember is that if you want to eat healthy, you have to address all of these areas. Take the following steps to eating healthier and avoiding junk food:
- Try to plan your meals when going out. Bring your own lunch, but if you can’t, buy a salad instead of hamburger. You can add chicken to the salad for protein to help fill you up.
- Try to read about why junk food is so unhealthy and ways to add more healthy foods to your diet. There are lots of free healthy recipes online. Take advantages of a few.
There are more ways you can manage a healthy lifestyle and avoid junk food. Talk to your health care provider as soon as you can.
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