Fast Food Risks
Fast food risks- ‘serious health problems and chronic diseases related to obesity’ are at alarming rates in the United States- obesity at more than 25% in most states.
Most fast foods are very low in dietary fiber and essential minerals and vitamins and are full of unhealthy saturated and trans-fats, processed sugars, sodium, artificial colors and flavors. They include so many empty calories and toxins that are harmful for your body that it is hard to label them as ‘nutrition’.
Junk foods can be very addictive, by hormones in your body being rearranged after eating salty, sugary or fatty foods, you getting hooked on them and wanting more and more.
In various studies, artificial additives in junk foods and soft drinks are linked to weakness, fatigue, burning sensations, headache, migraines, itching, rashes, hives, nausea, chest pain, persistent cough, numbness, asthma, sinusitis, diarrhea, birth defects, hyperactivity in children, insomnia, irritability, nervousness, allergies, lung disease and cancer.
Fast food industry is also lately criticized for its impact on agricultural concerns and employment worldwide: Mass slaughters of cattle, deals with very big corporations with a negative effect on small businesses, labor abuse, very low pay and long working hours without pay in some countries. Teenagers that work very long hours are more likely to get depressed and use drugs. Many of them also suffer from work-place injuries, at rates way higher than adult injuries.
Fast food chains generally operate in very long supply chain and this makes it hard to monitor the handling and sourcing. The way cattle are fed, slaughtered, and processed has changed over the years, increasing the risk of large-scale food poisoning. Meat products, for instance, are known to be exposed to Salmonella and Escherichia Coli bacteria.
Now let’s have a look at some of the health related fast food risks:
• Obesity is an epidemic in developed countries like United States, Australia and Britain.
• Biochemical changes in the brain by high amounts of fats and sugars, that lead to addiction.
• Insulin resistance and diabetes, following weight gain and obesity due to high glycemic index, low fiber, high fat foods regularly.
• Stomach pain and food poisoning as the bacteria in preparing fast foods can be quite high.
• Hypertension by excess body fat, low calcium and high salt intake.
• High cholesterol due to high amount of saturated fat, animal protein and cholesterol.
• Heart disease– blood vessel and artery clogging greasy foods cooked in oil and high in unhealthy animal fats.
• Sleep apnea that many overweight people suffer from, stops you from getting a normal and restful sleep at night.
• Arthritis caused by the strain on your joints, the heavier you are the more burden you will put on your joints.
• Dyslipidemia– extremely high levels of triglycerides and LDL.
• PCOS– linked with insulin resistance and diabetes. High glycemic index foods causes a spike in blood sugar and high insulin, which alters the hormonal balance in women.
• Respiratory problems and asthma– your lungs being overworked by your weight problem.
• Stroke– blood not being able to reach the brain because of clogged veins by eating fatty foods and drinking soft drinks.
• Liver damage– the fat build-up around your liver.
• Cancer may be triggered by using oil too many times and certain chemical additives.
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