Every now and then there could be a night where people don’t feel like cooking and they want something fast and tasty. This can become an addictive and unhealthy habit. Staff member Uriel Moctezuma has experienced a consequence of said unhealthy habits and has a couple point to share, as well as warning signs to look out for.
Moctezuma recently got a surgery where he got his gallbladder removed, a small organ under the liver that stores bile, because of his unhealthy diet. “I honestly wish I researched thoroughly about the nutrition in greasy food, I didn’t realize just how much calories and sodium most of these restaurants have in their popular items.” he said. Uriel’s workplace offers a variety of UPF’s (ultra-processed foods) which was a huge temptation. However, there’s a reason why people don’t second guess the ingredients in burgers, french fries, fried chicken, and other popular items.
According to U.S. Right To Know, “Manufactures of ultra-processed foods often seek to find the most alluring combination of salt, sugar, and fat in their products.” Researchers provided that American adults consume 57% of calories from UPF’s, that percentage rises to 67% in children. A balanced mixture of all three of these ingredients trigger dopamine, a rewarding “feel-good” chemical in the brain, resulting in the average adult to stick to these dietary alternatives and creating unhealthy habits.
“If you want to look out for warning signs for your health, you should first consider your diet and what you do for exercise.” Moctezuma said.
He states that he had severe stomach cramps before his surgery, but didn’t consider external factors as to why he experienced such an unusual symptom. This is a major warning sign from the human body that something should be changed, as huge stomach cramping and/or pain shouldn’t be something that is routine. Making an appointment with a doctor should also be a first move to consider.
The fact that most restaurants offer 24/7 access to their addictive food doesn’t help with the harmful and addictive industry that is fast food. Research shows that when the human brain is tired, it wants quick energy; paired with the fact that many Americans get off of work either stressed or exhausted and don’t have enough time to prepare dinner makes fast food the easier, cheaper, and more convenient solution.
The real price to pay is one’s health, with companies taking advantage of these conditions without even considering the negative impact they put onto the general public.
It’s very beneficial to practice home prepped meals using ingredients that are naturally grown with no artificial preservatives or high fats. As well as reading nutritional labels before buying groceries for the week, leaving fast food as the last option should be a priority. “I’m sticking to less oily, fried foods in general as they are the highest risk to your gut health. At least that’s what I’ve learned now after my surgery.” Moctezuma says, one month after his surgery.
