JUNK FOOD AND DISEASES, HOW ARE THEY RELATED?

 There is a famous saying that Jaan Hai Tu Jahan Hai, meaning success in every aspect of life is conditional on your good (health), if your internal and external health is pleasant then you will be able to perform all the responsibilities and tasks efficiently. 

 

junk food

And if a person is suffering from any kind of disease, surely all the matters of his life will be badly affected. In today's era, living free from diseases is not less than fighting a big war, it can be said that as fast as the world is developing in technology, facilities, and science, diseases are also developing at the same speed and undoubtedly. The biggest hand in making ourselves a victim of some disease is our own. 

Food delivery, craving for taste, and party desire have increased the trend of fast food. Excessive consumption of fast food is increasing diseases like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. 

 Fast food culture became popular in America in the 1950s, today it is the staple food of every country, our food habits have changed, and fast food has replaced home cooking. 

Food is a very important component of the human body. To live a better life, after hard workday and night, a person needs rich food and energy to keep his body moving. 

Good food is a guarantee of good health, but here the question is, what is meant by good or healthy food? What is it?

To gain strength and keep the body fit, it is important to include foods rich in protein, vitamins, calcium, iron, and salts in your life. A diet that includes all these ingredients can be considered a healthy diet. But unfortunately, today almost all of us are adopting unhealthy food, the food that is less beneficial for health and more trouble, our attitudes and likes and dislikes regarding food have completely changed, which is mainly due to the increase of fast food. The trend and our innovation are to become addicted to consuming new unhealthy foods.

According to a report by the World Health Organization, consumption of unsafe food causes 30 lakh deaths worldwide annually.

Fast food changed diet.

The word "fast food" refers to foods that can be prepared and served quickly/in a short time, such as pizza, burgers, shawarma, sandwiches, pasta, and others.

junk food and diseases

Even though these foods taste excellent, their unnecessary consumption is not beneficial to health but harms them. While home-cooked meals include ingredients such as fresh fruits, vegetables, proper meats, and spices, which are useful for hygiene.

Fast food contains more flour, fatty meats, full-fat mayonnaise, cheeses, and various artificial ingredients. 

 The trend of fast food today has increased to an extraordinary extent all over the world including Pakistan. Because with the changing era, human needs are also becoming complex from simple. Early man was happy with two meals of simple bread and today's youth prefer fast food over simple food including both young and old. Especially those who work long shifts, or offices, etc., do not have time to manage good food, so they go to a nearby restaurant or order fast food, which can be delivered easily by the restaurant. 

Fast food culture first became popular in the United States in the 1950s and has made its indelible mark on the diet of every country today.

Why did the trend of junk food increase?

It is generally said that we all adopt things and habits from the West, so fast food or unhealthy food habits have also been adopted from here. It has become a favorite food, one of the reasons is that nowadays eating in restaurants has become a fashion, young people not only enjoy eating fast food with their friends. It can be said that it has become a status symbol among the youth. Treat your friends or organize a birthday party, they prefer fast food and take pride in it.

Similarly, another major reason is free home delivery, due to which the youth segment has become lazy and the consumption of fast food has also increased, among young boys due to the convenience of free home delivery.

Similarly, when the country was locked down due to the recent coronavirus, everyone was confined to their homes and hostels, meanwhile, fast food home delivery made their habit stronger.

 In the same way, apart from fast food, the food business is booming in all the big cities and small towns of the country, traditional food restaurants, dhabas, and stalls are full of rush all the time, where the idea of healthy food is not kept at all. High consumption of substandard ghee, oil, and meat destroys health. 

 

According to a report by the World Health Organization, an average Pakistani spends about 22 percent of his income on eating out. Which is promoting unhealthy food habits.

What do medical experts say?

The opinion of medical experts around the world is that fast food/junk food is making people suffer from various diseases, while scientific research also shows that this kind of food can cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

In the report of the international organization Center of Science in Public Interest, the use of an unbalanced diet has been declared as the main cause of heart disease and diabetes.

junk food and diseases

Obesity:

 Nutritionists say that unhealthy food, especially fast food, is high in calories and extra fat which causes obesity. Essential substances are added, due to which the human stomach cannot digest these substances and they start accumulating in the body in the form of fat.

Why is a balanced diet important? 

On this question, experts say that the organs and tissues in the human body need a balanced diet to function properly. Without adequate nutrition, various diseases, infections, fatigue, and poor performance start to increase in the human body. A good diet affects the skin, hair, and body shape of a person.

Cardiovascular Diseases: 

Cardiologists say that when meat is cooked at high temperatures and for short periods, a certain chemical starts to build up in it, which can adversely affect the heart. . Fast food is a fast-digesting food, so the digestion of those who consume it slows down, which continuously puts pressure on the heart and causes various heart diseases.

A study conducted in the United States looked at the relationship between obesity and heart disease and found that men with a waist of more than 45 inches, and women with a waist of more than 40 inches, were more likely to develop heart disease.

According to a study by London College University, 74% of people who were overweight in their youth had heart disease in their old age.

Diabetes: 

Fast food can also cause a person to become a victim of diabetes type two, experts associate this with depression, hypertension, and obesity, and excessive consumption of fast-food increases hypertension in a person. The pancreas becomes weak, and gradually it stops making insulin in the body, causing the person to become diabetic.

Other diseases: 

Experts warn about other diseases caused by excessive consumption of fast food because the saturated fat in fast food has bad effects on the heart as well as the ability to work the brain and memory. This excess fat also causes skin problems, besides muscle and kidney diseases, asthma, and liver diseases are also caused by the constant consumption of fast food. 

 Research from the University of Toronto has proven that the chemical/soda used in fast food is easily absorbed into the human blood and due to this, blood cholesterol increases and changes in hormones occur, which can affect children's mental health. Adversely affects growth.

 

Experts advise that to avoid all these problems, it is important to prefer healthy foods instead of fast food and not to play with your health.

How to make your diet healthy?

According to a USAID report, obese people consume more white flour than any other grain. White flour contains very little nutrients because the fine husks of the grains are removed during the preparation of this flour. This shell has immense nutritional value, so the flour prepared with this shell has more nutritional value. That is, plain wheat flour, we should include wheat flour in our diet instead of fermented products made from flour. Fruits and vegetables, which are rich in nutrients, must be included in our lives. 

Fast food and other types of dishes may not be completely removed from our lives, but they must be used carefully, because indolence is necessary for every aspect, even in food moderation should be adopted.

Similarly, there is a need to spread awareness among people who have become completely addicted to it, in this regard, intellectuals, doctors, and media have to play an important role. Simple and traditional foods should be encouraged. Because the diet can be made healthy only by adopting these habits, a healthy diet is the guarantee of a long and healthy life.

Avoiding Junk Food Healthily

 Say "NO" to Junk Food 

There are several strategies you can use to avoid junk food and maintain a healthy diet:

1. Plan your meals: Prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance to make it easier to resist junk food when you're hungry.
2. Keep healthy options on hand: Keep a stock of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, at home and at work to make it easier to make healthy choices. A
3. Avoid buying junk food: Don't bring junk food into your home or keep it at your desk at work. If it's not available, you won't be tempted to eat it.
4. Eat regular meals: Skipping meals can lead to overeating or making unhealthy food choices later on. Make sure to eat regular, balanced meals to keep your energy levels up and your appetite in check.
5. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help you feel full and satisfied. This can also help you resist the temptation to reach for unhealthy snacks'.
6. Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can lead to cravings for unhealthy foods. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to help you make healthier food choices. 
7. Find healthier alternatives: If you have a craving for a particular type of junk food, try finding a healthier alternative that satisfies the craving. For example, if you crave chips, try making your baked vegetable chips or snacking on air-popped popcorn.

Remember that it's okay to indulge in junk food every once in a while, as long as it's part of an overall healthy diet. The key is to make healthy choices most of the time and to be mindful of your food choices.