Healthy Eating Habits

Healthy Eating Habits

"To eat or not to eat, that is the question!" Everyone struggle with giving our bodies the proper amount of nutrients; as a result, they tend to make unhealthy eating choices. After viewing the Harvard Pyramid, Mediterranean Pyramid, and the USDA My Pyramid, I believe that my family follows the USDA and Harvard Pyramid. My mom, niece, and I partake in fiber filled diet containing whole grains, vegetables, and fruits; however, my mom wasn't fortunate in lowering her risks of getting diabetes. Everyone in my family loves beans, fish, and poultry; however, we haven't been avoiding processed meats (mostly bacon and deli meats) like we should. Avoiding red meats haven't been an issue because we don't eat them; therefore, that's one less health problem my family has to worry about. When my mom or I fry food, we use the healthier alternative (canola oil). Because my niece has peanut allergies, we use peanut oil or have products which contain peanuts around the house. Everyone receives the daily requirement of dairy; however, my mom is lactose intolerant and uses other sources (Soy milk) to meet the requirement. Because of hectic schedules and various daily responsibilities, we have failed in daily exercise participation. Exercise is important in living a healthy life; therefore, we have agreed to designate a particular time for everyone to go walking, biking, or workout to videos. It's being implemented slowly; however, everyone is beginning to enjoy the family time that is being spent together.

I found a statement made by the Harvard School of Public Health interesting; as a result, it made me rethink some of the foods I consume. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "Diets rich in high glycemic index foods cause strong increases in blood sugar level; as a result, it has been linked to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and overweight." If I want to avoid getting diabetes and becoming overweight, I have to decrease my consumption of white bread; as a result, I will have to resort eating wheat bread (the healthier alternative). I have been doing better; however, I sometimes have the desire to cheat sometimes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) play a significant role in regulating the daily food requirements. The FDA is responsible for "safeguarding all ingredients used in food products, approving new food additives, monitoring ingredients and foods to see that they are contaminant free, monitoring dietary supplements, infant formulas, and medical foods for safety; in addition, the FDA oversees food labeling and requires that food product labels be informative, truthful, and useful to the consumer" ("Regulatory Agencies"). Because the FDA has a huge responsibility and places their stamp of approval on food products,