Eating Ourselves to Death Essay

Through a substantial amount of research the authors prove that by following a fad diet it can cause many adverse effects, as well as shedding light on benefits of exercise and maintaining a balanced diet. In the opening chapters of the book it is discussed why low fat diets do not work and exactly which diets do. While reading about low fat diets and the health risks that they cause, the book draws you in by explaining the patient profile of a 55 year old man, whom had lost his life due to heart attack. By reading this section of the book its outline how we are all responsible for maintaining our own health, and cases

Profit-oriented leaders of new diet fads surely would be infuriated while reading the words of Michael Pollan in his work, Unhappy Meals—not necessarily because of his aim to disprove diet fallacies but, rather, the possible ramifications of Pollan’s words on their bank accounts. Explained in the article, the world’s understanding of diets and their effects on the human body has improved steadily—if not exponentially—throughout recent history. Here, the advocates of new diets claim the changing world and its understanding of health requires changes in diet; the human body will adapt to the new times. To counter, Pollan argues that is definitely true, but we have to be open to the idea of the death that occurs during the process.

In life, many people participate in various daily events and activities that help them enjoy being who they are. People may enjoy getting together with friends, going to the mall, going to an amusement park or simply finding relaxation in nature. However, a big part of everyone’s life is of course eating and many people find pleasure in doing so. Eating is a very enjoyable and delectable must for everyone but should be done so, like everything in life, in a smart and intelligent way. Being smart and perceptive when eating is a large part of nutrition.

While nutritionism is suppose to scientifically guide us to eat healthy, Pollan points out that there is no scientific evidence to back it. Instead, he provides research conducted by Harvard nutrition scientist that proves the opposite. "In the public's mind [...] words like 'low-fat' and 'fat-free' have been synonymous with heart health. It is now increasingly recognized that low-fat campaign has been based on little scientific evidence and may have caused unintended health consequences." (Pollan 43). In Based off these observations, Pollan uses inductive reasoning to draw the conclusion that nutritionism is more harmful then helpful.

In Michael Pollan’s essay “Escape from the Western Diet,” he informs Americans about the western diet and believes they need to escape from it. The reason Americans should escape the western diet is to avoid the harmful effects associated with it such as “western diseases” (Pollan, 434). To support his view on the issue, Pollan describes factors of the western diet that dictate what Americans believe they should eat. These factors include scientists with their theories of nutritionism, the food industry supporting the theories by making products, and the health industry making medication to support those same theories. Overall, Pollan feels that in order to escape this diet, people need to get the idea of it out of their heads. In turn he

As a culture and as individuals, we no longer seem to know what we should and should not eat. When the old guides of culture and national cuisine and our mothers’ advice no longer seem to operate, the omnivore’s dilemma returns and you find yourself where we do today—utterly bewildered and conflicted about one of the most basic questions of human life: What should I eat? We’re buffeted by contradictory dietary advice: cut down on fats one decade, cut down on carbs the next. Every day’s newspaper brings news of another ideal diet, wonder-nutrient, or poison in the food chain. Hydrogenated vegetable oils go from being the modern alternatives to butter to a public health threat, just like that. Food marketers bombard us with messages that this or that food is “heart healthy” or is “part of a nutritious meal”. Without a stable culture of food to guide us, the omnivore’s dilemma has returned with a vengeance. We listen to scientists, to government guidelines, to package labels—to anything but our common sense and traditions. The most pleasurable of activities—eating—has become heavy with anxiety. The irony is, the more we worry about what we eat, the less healthy and fatter we seem to become.

Today eating has made a major impact on what choices we make when making a meal or choosing where we go out. Many people seem to think that dieting is the answer or cutting out things that have too much fat content or too high of sugar. Others on the other hand seem to have other solutions to how this issue can be controlled. In the essay, Escaping from the Western Diet, by Michael Pollan has an interesting way to dieting and it's not your typical way you would think. The other essay, Food for Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating, by Mary Maxfield mentions, “Trust yourself. Trust your body. Meet your needs. “(Maxfield 446). She thinks that we shouldn’t really care but still meet your needs. The way we look at dieting

One of the most unhealthy diets in the world is that of an American. It is made up of processed foods and a good amount of television. America easily has the most fast food restaurants in the entire world. Leave it to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or any other fast-food restaurant to serve extremely cheap and even unhealthier food at any time during the day or night. ”It tastes good so why not?” That seems to be the question many people are asking now-a-days. Because it is so easily accessible and processed, it is made to be very tasty and extremely unhealthy. Many Americans find his or herself indulging on the these fatty foods of America on a day-to-day basis. While it may taste good at the time, it has a terrible effect on your body

The Medical and sports nutrition establishment are horrified by the concept of low carbohydrate and ketogenic diets. While studies are being released almost daily proving the superiority of low carb diets for fat loss, the medical establishment warns against trying them as the long term health risks are "unknown". Apparently it is a case of 'better the devil you know than the devil you don 't '.

In “Escape from the Western Diet” Michael Pollan argues against the scientific theories of nutrition, and discusses the harmful effects, and chronic diseases associated with the Western Diet. Pollan offers an alternate view of a healthier lifestyle to escape the western diet that simply suggests that we “stop eating and thinking that way.” (Pollan 423) He explains that the food industry has changed the wholeness of our food, which causes us to eat unhealthier things such as fast food. He approaches a solution to these contradictory theories and science by focusing on a personal approach to eating that is based on the individual's view of food. Pollan three rules to create a healthier lifestyle are to “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants” (Pollan 426) which suggest to eat “real” food in a new balanced and healthy way that creates a pleasurable approach of eating. I agree with Pollan’s concepts about the western diet and his rules of eating simpler.

Michael Pollan talks about how the food industry on one side and nutritional science on the other side, but both stand to gain much from widespread confusion about what to eat. Pollan, said, "Yet the professionalization of eating has failed to make

If there is one thing Americans know a lot about its diets. Everything from Weight watchers to Atkins and everything in between has been promoted on televisions, in bestselling books and now advertised all over social media. Each one claiming to be the answer to weight loss, lifelong health and even making claims of reversing disease. Unfortunately even with this inundation, Americans are larger than ever. It’s confusing. Who is right, who is wrong? What can be believed? What can the average person actually attain and stick to? The government even has a say in what people should be eating. The food pyramid and more recently MyPlate have been attempts to steer people towards health. Unfortunately, they have been steering people in the wrong direction. A low fat high carbohydrate diet has been promoted extensively for many years, but it has left Americans fatter than ever So what is the answer? It surprises some and frustrates others, but a high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate diet is the way to go. This way of eating is commonly referred to as the ketogenic diet or keto. The ketogenic way of eating is the best diet because it promotes safe, healthy weight management including appetite control, reduces inflammation and high blood sugars, and supports brain health.

The difference between a healthy and a dangerous diet rely on the way we decide to do it:

It is indeed true that the quality of food that you take in will do a

Growing up in the United States, there are many things that I had just accepted as the norm. Eating a diet heavy in meat and dairy are staples in the diet of the average American that those who differ are considered strange. Interestingly, the United States is also referred to as one of the unhealthiest nations in the world. How could we be so unhealthy, when we are such a developed country that has access to the best medical care and information. The documentary “Forks Over Knives” focuses on exactly this point. It claims that there is a fundamental problem with the diet of Americans, particularly our heavy consumption of meat and dairy. This documentary asserts that the cure for all of our health related problems is to switch to a whole