Contemporary Nutrition Preexam Reflection

A healthful body weight consists of many things. First of all, a healthful body weight is a weight that is appropriate for your age. It is maintained without a need for constant dieting. A healthful body weight is a weight that is compatible with normal blood pressure, lipid levels, and glucose tolerance. It is something that is based on your family history, specifically your family history of both body shape and weight. It promotes good eating habits and allows for normal, regular physical activity. Lastly, a healthful body weight is a weight that is acceptable to you; it allows you to become and remain healthy while lowering the likelihood of disease. There are quite a few factors that influence people’s body weight; it all depends on the person. Age, gender, and genetic makeup, such as your family’s history are common factors that influence an individual’s body weight, but yet again, it all varies from person to person. Weight control is something that is extremely important. Obesity is associated with a wide variety of health issues. Some of these health issues include heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and more. Losing weight isn’t an easy task. Extreme weight loss measures can be very harmful to your body, and not to mention extremely dangerous. There is no ‘quick fix’ to lose weight; you need to put in a lot of time and effort for results. There are so many fad diets out there that claim to work, but in the long run really don’t do much for you. An example of these fad diets are detox teas, which seem to be endorsed by many celebrities nowadays. These teas claim to help you lose weight quick, and ‘slim your stomach.’ Any nutritionist would tell you that this is just a fad diet and not a valid way to lose weight. There are countless ways to lose weight. Physical activity is key. Running is a physical activity that burns 10 times as much energy as sitting, which is quite a large chunk if you ask me. In order to return to a healthful weight, I would recommend to eat grains, vegetables, and if applicable, lean meats. While consuming this diet, I would recommend running, as there are many benefits to this physical activity. It is important to try and stick to your diet and physical activity routine while trying to return to a healthful weight. Speaking of food, there are certain precautions that come along with food. Foodborne illness is caused by consuming food contaminated with any of the following: pathogenic bacteria, toxins, viruses, prions, or parasites. Foodborne illness is a major concern. It usually occurs from one or more of the following: improper food handling, improper food preparation or improper food storage. Foodborne illness can also be caused by pesticides on food, medicines added to food, or consuming naturally poisonous substances. Foodborne illnesses are something that we need to always be aware of. In the US alone, foodborne illnesses cause 48 million people to get sick, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths. In addition, healthcare costs associated with foodborne illness amount to over $3 billion each year. The difference between bacteria and viruses is that bacteria grow in food, while viruses grow in cells. The conditions needed include: food, moisture, temperature, and time. The thing with harmful bacteria is that you are unable to see, smell, or taste it. It is extremely important to take precautionary measures in preventing foodborne illnesses. For example, follow the four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill. A common bacterial infection is salmonella, which is due to improper cooking or cross contamination. Food allergies are another food safety concern. Food allergies are wildly popular. Reactions to food allergies can range from a mild response to anaphylaxis, which is a severe and potentially deadly reaction. The number of people who have food allergies is growing rapidly. There has been a 50% increase among children between the years of 1997 and 2011. It is important to get tested for allergies and take precautionary measures. If you are allergic to a food, say for example, peanuts, DO NOT EAT it or anything associated with it. Cross contamination can also cause your allergies to spark up, so it is extremely important to be aware of not only what you are eating, but where your food came from. Word count (731).