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Gabriella Pingitore
Ms.Taravella
English 12 Global Leadership
30 May, 2014
Are United States lifestyles healthy?
I feel that there are too many people in the united states that are living stressful, unhealthy
lifestyles and do not understand how to deal with it. Any type of problem or negative situation can
cause stress whether it’s a bad job or a negative spouse you may be divorcing, there is not just on
specific reason. I chose this topic because I feel that with the information I already know and future
things I may research about will be able help whomever may be trying to reduce stress in their
lives. Also this article will help the reader to live a healthier lifestyle if that’s what they are
searching for. There are many things that can cause stress, and it also effects lots of people around
the world, not just in the US.
Some factual things that I previously knew about unhealthy lifestyles in the US would involve
the fast food industry. There are lots of different places to stop and get fast food, so it’s the easiest
thing to do if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere like most Americans are. The thing with fast food
is that it is very unhealthy to eat. The food may be processed with GMOs and lots of other toxic
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chemicals most people don’t know about or even care to read about. That’s why some people
almost become addicted to it. A thought occurred, I once ate an apple and felt completely fine, but
then I had a Mcdouble from McDonalds and my stomach had never been more upset, this was after
4 months of cutting fast food out of my own personal diet. It’s almost sad to see today that some
people eat this stuff nonstop, when will they realize the damage its doing to their bodies, physical
and mentally.
According to Guy Slowick of ehealthmd, stress is defined as the emotional and physical
way in which we respond to pressure. Stress can cause both mental and physical symptoms. The
effects of stress are different for different people. The mental and emotional symptoms of stress
include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, feeling excessively tired, and trouble sleeping.
Also some of the physical effects of stress include… dry mouth, a pounding heart, difficulty
breathing, upset stomach, headache, frequent urination, sweating palms, and tight muscles that
may cause pain and trembling.
"To understand what stress can do to a person, imagine living thousands of years ago, at a
time when humans were threatened by hungry animals such as saber-toothed tigers and wolves.
Our caveman ancestors had to be able to react instantly, either by fighting the beasts or running
away. Sometimes we can still benefit from this "fight or flight" response - like the case of a mother
whose child was pinned under a concrete slab during a tornado. Under stress, she found the strength
to lift the huge slab with her bare hands, even though it later took three men to move it" Says Guy
Slowick.
Humans evolved the ability to respond to a stressful situation instantly, by preparing the
body for "fight or flight." Under sudden stress, you will get a burst of exceptional strength and
endurance, as a body pumps out stress hormones these few things will happen, heartbeat speeds
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up, blood flow to your brain and muscles increase up to 400 percent, digestion stops (so it doesn't
use up energy that's needed elsewhere), muscle tension increases, and begin breathing faster, to
bring more oxygen to your muscles.
Most of us are busy at work, that’s when lack of proper nutrition and frustrations after a
long day can lead to binge eating. Bad sleeping habits, bigger portions in restaurants, Addiction to
certain foods. There are many unhealthy habits that I feel this country is suffering from. Lack of
education and knowledge about good self-care and healthy eating. Yes, even in the information
age due to all the mixed messages provided by media (magazines) and the diet industry. Hidden
depression may also be a possible reason for unhealthy habits. Often teens and pre-teens aren’t
equipped with the tools to handle all the choices and situations they are faced with, so it’s easy to
turn to food, video-games, etc... to cope. We need to emphasize feelings and centering practices
that increase body awareness which in turn will increase positive self-image, confidence, and
motivation to lead healthier lives.
Sir Michael Marmot, PhD, of University College London Medical School and his
colleagues found that "In the realm of work stress, Marmot is right", "We do work longer hours
than people from other countrie"s, observes cognitive psychologist Alan Hedge, PhD, a professor
in Cornell University's department of design and environmental analysis.
"Americans unhealthy lifestyles are composed of two factors. One is that Americans' long
work hours leave us more stressed and less healthy. The other is that Americans may feel friendless
and isolated due to social stress, created by our country's widening income gap." In turn, those
great divisions may be bad for our health-not just poor people's health, but everyone's, he
speculates.
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Americans are beginning to live in a culture where they no longer recognize most of the
people encountered on a daily basis. With that my stem problems within people themselves, some
are so stuck up in technology that the forget how to meet and greet new people. A wise person
once said "that in order to like you must be likeable, and in order to love you must be loveable."
With that being said to make a decision to live a healthier lifestyle begins with yourself finding
your own balance and peace. Of course the common thing to do may be thought of as having
positive attitude and eating healthy but its more then just that. Its our personality and our overall
mindset that effects our health. "A positive attitude can be very beneficial to our health" says the
Mayo Clinic Staff.
"Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken
thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some
of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that
you create because of lack of information" The Mayo Clinic Staff also report.
If the glass is half full then your thought to be an optimist, if the glass is half empty then
your thought to be a pessimist, meaning one is always picking out the negative in every situation
and with that comes stress. If the positive was thought of more when approaching a negative
situation then that’s being optimistic looking for the brighter side of things. Researchers continue
to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on ones health. Some benefits that positive
thinking may provide include, Increased life span, lower rates of depression, lower levels of
distress, better psychological and physical well-being. It's unclear why people who engage in
positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook
enables you to cope better with stressful situations which reduces the harmful health effects of
stress on your body.
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Stressful lives affect many people all over the world. Especially people in America, they
are living in some of the most unhealthiest ways. This world is losing its morality and true ways
of living. After reading this there could be a new perspective about life itself instilled within the
reader.