My Struggle with Unhealthy Eating: A Story of Understanding and Change - Essay Sample

Introduction

The rise in cases of obesity, which has been associated with several serious conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases, has been a major cause of public health concern in recent years (Chan 11). Resultantly, various efforts have been targeted at addressing the issue. This notwithstanding, the consumption of unhealthy foods has persisted even among people who understand their effects. Such was my case. I had read about the detrimental effects of unhealthy foods, both in the short and long-term, but had never made an intentional effort to overcome it. Buoyed by recently acquired knowledge, I would keep off junk food for a day or two before falling back into the habit again. Addiction to junk food has been likened to drug addiction (Oginsky et al. 2977). The effect that these foods have on the brain’s reward centers makes it difficult for one to stop, not due to lack of willpower but as a result of alterations in the brain chemistry. The infiltration of junk food into every sphere of modern culture also makes it increasingly difficult to avoid. In this condition, I frequently craved foods such as burgers and French fries, even when I was full. I would also often feel guilty after consuming these foods, and hence the habit had a huge emotional toll on me. Gradually, the habit was affecting my self-image, self-esteem, and increasingly making me unhappy. In light of these changes, I made an intentional decision to give up unhealthy foods for a week. This paper presents the effects that the change had on my mental, physical, emotional, social, and economic wellbeing.

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While most people give up unhealthy food with the sole aim of losing weight, a week is not sufficient to observe any significant changes in weight. As such, it was not one of my targets when I embarked on the challenge. Besides, giving up junk food gave more room for nutritious foods. I discovered that healthy food could be delicious and satisfying, just like junk is. For instance, during the week, I took more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These foods supply the body with essential vitamins and minerals, which generally improve health. Healthy eating also provides the body with all the nutrients required and hence boosts one’s energy. The thought that I was contributing to the overall health of my body, especially in the long-term, kept me going even when the cravings threatened to win.

Since the dangers of unhealthy foods are well known to me, the effort I put in during the week had several psychological benefits. I felt good that I was doing something helpful to my body. I was also generally more alert. Besides, as mentioned earlier, I would always feel guilty after eating junk. I did not experience such feelings during the week, a factor that contributed to my overall mood. My self-esteem also received a boost. Resultantly, I participated in various social activities more actively. Also, I was more committed to my workout schedule. I believe that this was a psychological push.

However, regardless of the positive effects listed above, the week also had its challenges. Since, as mentioned earlier, addiction to junk food affects brain chemistry, I was increasingly irritable and had frequent headaches, a factor I attributed to the change. I would also often experience a dip in energy. According to research, quitting junk food can lead to withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen in drug addiction (Milano et al.). For instance, symptoms such as tiredness, sadness, cravings, and irritability are also experienced when one quits drugs such as cocaine and cannabis. Fortunately, these effects became more bearable as the week progressed. Sometimes the cravings would also weigh me down, but I tried to suppress them, especially by reading literature on the adverse effects of junk food on one’s health. Also, unhealthy foods are cheaper and more accessible. It was, therefore, a challenge to make healthy foods every day for the entire week, considering that I also have to balance school, work, and family. This notwithstanding, the benefits associated with the change far outweighed these challenges.

Conclusion

While the dangers of unhealthy foods are well known, and the need to address the issue has been emphasized over and over again, the difficulty of quitting the habit is not given enough attention. This insight was one of the major lessons I learned during the week. Addiction to junk food resembles drug addiction, and quitting can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, tiredness, and headaches, some of which I experienced during the week. However, though the real impact of changing one’s eating habits is seen after a considerable period, I experienced various psychological, mental, and social benefits during the week. My moods were better, and the feeling of guilt that I would experience after eating junk food was gone. This change helped me enjoy social activities, such as working out more. Physically, my energy levels were boosted, probably because healthy foods provide all the nutrients that the body needs. Most importantly, I discovered that healthy foods could also be enjoyed and ultimately contribute to the general health, at a time when lifestyle diseases are on the rise. By successfully keeping off unhealthy foods throughout the week, I was motivated to pursue this path to enjoy all the benefits associated with healthy foods.

Works Cited

Chan, Margaret. "Obesity and diabetes: the slowmotion disaster." The Milbank Quarterly 95.1 (2017): 11. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5339378/>.

Milano, Walter, Uberia Padricelli and Anna Capasso. "Food addiction: A new form of dependence?" (2018). <https://www.academia.edu/download/56223495/Food-addiction-A-new-form-of-dependence.pdf>.

Oginsky, Max F., et al. "Eating ‘junk-food’produces rapid and long-lasting increases in NAc CP-AMPA receptors: implications for enhanced cue-induced motivation and food addiction." Neuropsychopharmacology 41.13 (2016): 2977-2986. <https://www.nature.com/articles/npp2016111>.