Final Summary/Reaction (4/28)

       This project has truly opened my eyes to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Before blogging, and completing this survey, i always thought that there was no such thing as an obesity epidemic. I thought there was only a small percentage of people that were overweight. I also believed that many people were more concerned with staying fit because of all the healthy eating fads, and exercise fads... (Hot yoga, FroYo, Organic eating, Liquid Diets, etc.). After completing this survey I was shocked to find out that around 82% of all participants in the survey had eaten fast food in the last 10 days. My mom and dad both gave the survey to 25 coworkers, so 50 adults together. All together, the survey was completed by 28 males and 22 females. I also gave the survey to 50 teens, 34 girls and 18 boys. Before the survey, I hypothesized that the majority of women would NOT go for fast food because they would be concerned about body figure. The results showed that the ration of boys to girls that go to fast food are extremely similar. It was almost a 50/50 ratio. When counting up the results from the adult portion of the conclusion, I noticed that about 75% of males ate fast food weekly! The average male spent over 30 dollars a week just on fast food alone! There were several other conclusions I discovered after completing this survey, some that were extremely shocking and new to me. The majority of the other conclusions will be said in my presentation.  I never thought i would be so interested in health care, healthy eating habits, and the effects of fast food in the body. I always valued eating healthy, and never really noticed how much fast food I ate. I used to go to chipotle monthly, and go out of my way just to get it! Now I have realized how detrimental the effects of fast food can be on my body, and how cost effective it can be to simply go to a supermarket and make the food yourself. I am really happy i chose this topic, especially since i will be going away to college next year and will be surrounded by fast food and processed inorganic options.

Revised Summary/Plan/Update (4/14)

Things have been going well with the survey. Although an online survey is extremely efficient and easy, I decided to switch to a hard copy of the survey because it would be easier for my parents to distribute in the work space. People tend to avoid emails if they are uncertain about the subject matter, so I figured that creating a paper survey would be easiest. My mom has given the survey to 25 coworkers, and my dad has done the same. Out of the results, I am shocked to see how many older individuals are eating take out. My hypothesis for this is that after work, they are extremely stressed and want something quick and easy to eat after a long day at the office. I still have not received all the surveys back from my parents so I am eager to see what other conclusions I can form from the information I will collect.
     I have also given the survey to 50 teens that i have seen in the past few weeks. I gave it to my volleyball team, to see if athleticism would have anything to do with smart healthy food choices. I also gave it to a handful of boys as well to see if gender would have an affect on the stats. It is shocking to me how few boys tend to go to fast food. My initial hypothesis was that teen boys would go to fast food places more because they would be less concerned with body figure, physique. Shockingly, I was completely wrong. The stats show that it is more of a 50/50 thing with teen girls and boys. Haha, maybe it's a teen thing? I am looking to give the survey to more people to see if I can find anything else that is interesting...

Strategy Plan for Research (4/7)

I plan on making an online survey that has around 15 questions helping me to see whether or not teens tend to go to fast food more than older adults. I plan on giving the online survey to 50 adults, and 50 teens. My mom is going give the link from the online survey to her coworkers, and my father will do the same. This is crucial to my research because the people they work with are predominantly in the  upper-middle/ elite class.I also plan on giving the survey to fellow classmates, as well as teen boys. My hopes are that there will discrepancies with the different age variations and genders. I think that teens will be drawn to fast food because it is easily acceptable. I also believe teen boys will enjoy getting fast food more because they are not as concerned with their figure as teen girls are.

Suggested Research Method/Why

I plan on making a survey relating to fast food in today's society. I want to figure out how to see what people in society enjoy fast food the most and see if there is a change in the demand of fast food based on age and gender. I might also ask a few questions based on the race of the person to see if more ethnic people tend to go for fast food. I think that the majority of teens will go for fast food more because it is easily accessible and requires no culinary skill.

Summary of Research

     After reading countless articles and scrolling through Pinterest of healthy things one should do in one's life, it's crazy to think how much I have learned. Not only have I learned healthy eating habits, but I have learned what are the necessities to maintaining a healthy diet, weight, and well being all together. I think in today's society, we base a lot of our eating habits based off of looks alone. Yes, the crispy cream doughnut looks good 24/7, but after doing some research and trying new foods, who would have known how much I love kale, or Brussels sprouts, or even salmon.  I never tried any of these foods simply because I was intimidated by what they looked like, and I was afraid they would be disgusting.
    I also enjoyed doing research for the healthy ways to lose weight. I feel like everywhere I turn, there is always someone talking about losing weight or maintaining a certain weight. I enjoyed researching the HEALTHY ways to lose weight. Cleansing your body with a drink, or fruits and veggies can help you out in the long run. If more people knew how much a "Green Machine" smoothie can benefit your health, I'm sure more people would be inclined to drinking one. My goal after countless searches online, is to get the word out there that simple changes in the diet can help in the long run. I never thought I would learn so much about a simple topic, but I was shocked about the results and motivations I have gained from this experience.

10 Worst Foods For Your Body + Alternatives

Since last week’s blog was about the best foods to eat on a daily basis, I thought I would go in the same playing field and talk about some of the worst foods for you. Who doesn't love a Cappuccino from Starbucks? Or a sugar covered crispy creme doughnut? Well here’s why they are so bad for you and how to fix the urge to want more.

     The article from HowStuffWorks, lists all of the unhealthy foods you should stay away from whenever you can. It includes, Bacon, Soda, Artificial Sweeteners, Swordfish, Processed Meat, Microwave Popcorn, Bagels, Stick Margarine, Table Condiments, Dairy, and anything Deep Fried. I knew for a fact to stay away from the majority of these items, but Dairy? Popcorn? Swordfish? These things seem so healthy..... My mom always reminds me to have my glass of milk everyday... why is she pointing me in the wrong direction?!

Dairy

  So why is it so bad, and why you shouldn't listen to your parents for once

     -Whole-milk dairy products are packed full of saturated fats, which increase high cholesterol levels in your body

   -RECOMBINANT BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN - (difficult to pronounce, easy to understand)

         -basically a hormone fed to cows to boost their milk production, leads to several health risks

-dairy has been linked to certain cancers, and increased pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis or migraines

Popcorn 

        I love the feeling of coming home after a long day, putting my feet up, and digging my face into a huge bowl of popcorn. Who doesn't love something that takes minutes to make, and will keep you satisfied while watching that scary movie?! Who knew there was a disease caused by something so simple....and yes... it is called popcorn lung

     -Why is it so bad? -oils and butter to the MAX, way too much for your body on a serving basis

     -popcorn lung- (Bronchiolitis Obliterans) 

     -Diacetyl- butter flavoring agent used in microwave popcorn, banned in some countries (NOT IN THE USA)

     -chemicals coating the inside of the bag to keep the oils from soaking into the paper

Swordfish

     How can something organic be so unhealthy? I thought fish was packed with nutrients and Omega-3's?

     -Why it's bad- contains mercury

     -So why is mercury so bad? - NEUROTOXIC- toxic to the brain, high levels of mercury develops brain and nervous system issues

     -although this is the only down side about eating Swordfish, it's still pretty huge and crucial to well being

ALTERNATIVES

Don't be too disappointed! There are plenty of healthy alternatives to avoiding these foods. For bacon, try turkey bacon! It's loaded with nutrients, and has no saturated fats! Don't worry, you can still have popcorn, just in a healthier way. Toss popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag, and pop as you would the processed stuff! It's that simple! These simple tricks will help your body get rid of the chemicals, GMO's, and toxins it doesn't need. 

#6- 10 Most Hated Foods That You Should Be Eating Right Now

     When I came across this article, I was shocked at some of the foods on the list. Brussels Sprouts? YUCK! Liver? I think I'm going to be sick... I'm pretty sure I don't even know what a turnip is. Surprisingly I was shocked to see some of the other foods such as broccoli, eggplant, avocados, and spinach on the list as well. These are some of the foods I eat on a daily basis! So why are they so hated? And why are they so good for you?
     According to a recent study done by It's Not About Nutrition, people tend to avoid foods that they have never heard of or even tried. The color and even the shape of Brussels Sprouts scares people into never trying it. Instead of using all 5 senses into determining whether or not the food can be yummy to you is being thrown out the window. People are merely using sight to determine which foods they eat. I don't know about you but I would much rather dig into a vanilla coated Crispy Creme Doughnut than a nice slab of cow liver. But only judging the food by the mere look of it will never allow me to actually try one of the healthiest foods out there. To me, I believe that we live in a very materialistic society and in a way, we are bringing that into the foods we eat. If it doesn't look good or the look of it is different, we simply won't try it.
    What makes cottage cheese or fish so healthy for you? According to mensfitness, cottage cheese is extremely high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Most of its protein is casein, which is a protein that will reduce hunger for longer periods of time. It's also extremely high in calcium, which is important to bone structure. I know the thought of stuffing your face with curdled milk chunks sounds EXTREMELY intriguing, but by adding some fresh fruit or even some hot sauce can make it a delicious snack for any time of the day. The sight and texture of fish scares me to death. The thought of eating it raw freaks me out. After reading the health benefits, I have no shame in going to all you can eat sushi more often. "Children find everything wrong with seafood: fishy smell and taste, texture, bone paranoia, etc. However, as an adult, not enjoying the sea's bounty limits you from multiple ethnic cuisines. Not only that, it is the perfect protein source to help you lose weight and cut down on meat with saturated fat" Men's Fitness. By just eating two servings of fish per week, you can lower cholesterol levels in your body and get plenty of omega-3 to reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. If you don't like the taste, you can simply mask it with some delicious seasonings, or even throw it on a burger in substitution for ground beef.
   I know some of the foods seem extremely gross and unappetizing, but people will simply never know how good it is until they've tried it.

FUNNY QUOTE: "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days" (Benjamin Franklin).