Bad Eating habits vs Health problems

People nowadays especially those living in urban areas live a fast-paced life. The demands and the emphasize on the speed and efficiency of getting things done has increased greatly as productivity in work is being more important day by day. This causes a lot of people to cut their time on eating by consuming heavily processed foods such as fast foods as it saves their time on preparing the food, which also results in an extra high intake of food additives which is added in order to give and enhance the foods' flavour, texture and colour. This is actually a very bad eating habit as it affects the body in the long run.

Obviously, poor eating habits are associated with various health problems such as Gastritis, Obesity, Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia and so on and so forth. Here, I will talk about these health problems with treatment suggestion for each.

Firstly, people who suffering from gastritis, mostly happens because the food is not taken at regular times. The absence of food in the stomach will result in the acidic juice acting on the epithelial lining of stomach wall and becomes inflamed. Other than that situation, inflammation and damaged to the stomach lining can also be caused by excessive alcohol consumption, stress and taking pain relievers regularly. For the treatment, it involves taking medication. For examples, antacids like sodium bicarbonate and magnesium hydroxide which can neutralize the hydrochloric acid in gastric juice.

Obesity is defined as the excessive storage of energy in the form of fats which results from an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure. Factors which lead to obesity include eating excessively, consumption of too much fats and oily foods as well as a lack of exercise. An obese person probably have higher risk to suffer diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Obesity can be overcome by practicing a balance diet and eating not more than what is required by the body.

On contrary, people with Anorexia nervosa experienced an intense fear of gaining weight persistently concerned about their body shape and weight. They have a distorted body image which convinces them that they are fat. They stop themselves from foods which causes a loss in both fat and muscle and this eventually leads to a disruption of the functions of the heart, endocrine system and reproductive system. To overcome the disease they should seek for counseling to help them correct any distorted belief and overcome emotional stress. 

Victims of bulimia may have a normal mass. They usually consume height amounts of food in a short period of time, feel out of control and are unable to stop eating during a binge. The victims will then feel guilty, ashamed, disgusted or depressed following a binge. This is followed immediately by purging through self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives or diuretics. Repeated purging results in serious injury to the digestive tract and can cause an imbalance of mineral salts in the blood. The victims will experience dehydration and irregular periods. Symptoms are malnutrition, hormonal imbalance, increased risk of diseases such as influenza, kidney and cardiovascular problems and liver diseases.

In a conclusion, the unhealthy weight control behaviors have turned into trend, such as fasting, eating a bit only, using a food substitute (powder or special drink), and skipping breakfast. We should always practise good eating habits. Good eating habits mean taking food in the correct quantity at the correct time. By having good eating habits we can ensure our body system in well-functioning.