To Eat or Not to Eat Free Essays

To eat or not to eat? That is the question. â€Å"I have made an appointment to have my blood lipid levels checked, but I can’t remember if my doctor mentioned fasting before the blood test. And I’ve heard that it is unnecessary to fast before a blood test. We will write a custom essay sample on To Eat or Not to Eat or any similar topic only for you Order Now Is this true? † Nowadays, people are more concerned and aware of how much fat is in their diet. Having your blood lipid levels tested regularly is a good way to keep track of this. However, it is often inconvenient for many people to fast before a blood test as the idea of missing a meal can be disconcerting. A recent study, done by students of HUNT221 at the University of Otago, looks into the effect of blood lipid levels after consuming different types of meals, compared with fasting. In the experiment, total (plasma) cholesterol and triacylglycerol (1) concentrations were monitored between fasting and non-fasting blood tests. The aim of the investigation was to identify whether these lipid levels were raised by recently ingested meals. Subjects were required to consume a high carbohydrate (CHO) or high fat meal with similar energy and protein content. The results obtained were necessary to determine if there was a post-prandial(2) effect on the true validity of the lipid concentrations. This is also useful for diagnosing blood lipid disorders such as high cholesterol. All subjects were required to provide a fasting blood sample to show a baseline for the lipid concentration. The fasting results showed a mean total cholestrol level of 4. 36 mmol/L and a mean triacylglyceride level of 1. 13 mmol/L. The study showed that the lipid concentrations between subjects who ingested a high carbohydrate meal and those fasting were similar. There were no significant value to show that the high carbohydrate meal had an effect on lipid levels in the blood. Triglyeride levels in CHOs are generally low(? ), explaining the little effect that a high CHO meal has on triglyercide levels in the blood. However not all foods high in CHO are low in triglycerides. For example, muffins which are considered to be high in CHO also have an elevated amount of hidden fat. So yes, that toast with your favourite low-fat spread is okay to have before going for your blood test. But always check with your GP first. When comparing the high fat and the fasting blood samples, it showed that there was a significant increase of 20% in total blood triacylglyceride concentrations. The total cholesterol concentration did not change significantly. This suggesting that by eating a high fat meal, the triacylglyceride levels will be affected; hence the blood test would not be accurate and would not provide a correct indication of actual lipid levels. Therefore, lipid intake should be kept to a minimum before a blood test. . Replacing standard dairy products for low-fat alternatives is better when considering eating before a blood test (3). Also look out for hidden lipids in foods high in carbohydrates by checking nutrition panels on the packaging. So to answer your question, it is preferable to fast for 10 to 12 hours to avoid obtaining invalid results. However, if it is necessary to eat, avoid high fat foods such as bacon and eggs, or high fat spreads. Rather, you can opt for carbohydrate foods such as fruits and vegetables or breads and cereals. It is necessary however to keep in mind that these suggestions only apply when testing for blood lipids levels, if in doubt talk to your GP. How to cite To Eat or Not to Eat, Papers To Eat or Not to Eat Free Essays To Eat or Not to Eat In the twenty first century people have managed to clone animals and transplant organs but they still have not managed to cope with many serious diseases. Some of the most widely spread are the eating disorders – such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Even though many people underestimate them, they are extremely dangerous and even fatal. We will write a custom essay sample on To Eat or Not to Eat or any similar topic only for you Order Now In order to prevent eating disorders, we should learn more about them. First of all, everyone can be affected by such diseases regardless their age, gender, race and place of living. However, the risk is higher, if one`s parents suffered from an eating disorder or if one is engaged with for instance dancing, modelling or cooking. It is worth mentioning that the psychological factor plays a very important role. Many young girls ‘give up’ eating because they want to look like the girls from the fashion magazines and the TV. But something that has started as an innocent diet or a bit of overweight, may destroy one`s health and life. There are a lot of types of eating disorders – the most notorious being anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is characterised with an extremely strong desire for losing weight and fear of gaining weight. It is believed social and family factors cause that condition. Nowadays society exerts a lot of pressure on people, especially girls and young women, to be thin and good looking. Many start starvation diets and become obsessed with their weight which can easily lead to anorexia nervosa. Most people who suffer from it do not realise that they have a problem and believe they are obese even though their body mass is less than 35kg. One of the most extreme examples is that of Lauren Bailey who dropped below 20kg. Fortunately, she managed to cope with her terrible condition unlike many other women. Bulimia nervosa is characterised with periods of extreme overeating and binging followed by guilt and depression that usually lead to intentional vomiting. It is another example of eating disorder caused by social and family factors. However, many people who have digestive problems may also suffer from bulimia nervosa. These are people who haven`t found medical solution of their problems and try to find one themselves. This condition may cause more problems with the digestive system, affect the teeth, the hair and the nails. Some celebrities that have had problems with bulimia are Lady Diana, lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. Binge eating disorder is characterised with over consumption of food even when one is not hungry, obesity and feeling of guilt. This condition is usually caused by depression and different problems at work or in the family. People start eating more and more to feel better. The affected are usually ashamed of themselves, tend to hide and eat alone. This disease may cause diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, bone deterioration, stroke and even death. The seven-year-old Jessica Gaude is regarded as the fattest child in the world with her 222kg. These are only a few examples of the seventy million registered cases of eating disorders. However, if all these people receive help that will make them realise their condition and they may change their way of living forever. All types of eating disorders involve unhealthy way of eating that begins gradually and reaches the point when it is extremely difficult to turn back. Everyone can fall victim to such diseases, so we should be careful with the people around us – our relatives and friends. If some of them suffer from an eating disorder they may not even realise it, so we ought to help them because this may save their lives. How to cite To Eat or Not to Eat, Papers To Eat or Not to Eat Free Essays Introduction: Hello my name is xxxxxxx xxxxxx and I am an Eating Disorder Counselor. Today I will be discussing the physiological reasons for eating or not eating and then I will open the floor for discussion. There are two theories on why we get hungry; these theories are called the Set or Settling Point theory, and the other is the Positive – Incentive theory. We will write a custom essay sample on To Eat or Not to Eat or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Set or Settling theory differs a bit in the point of optimal weight (or fat/energy level) however the basic idea is the same. In this theory everyone has a set point (or an equilibrium) where the body is using the stored energy, and if the body is above this point then it does not become hungry if it is below the set point the body is lacking energy to use and will become hungry in order to replenish the fuel supply. This theory is invalid for the simple fact if the body worked that way we would all be at our optimum weight. The second theory is the Positive-Incentive whereas we desire to eat instead of eating because we need to refuel. We are programmed to eat for many reasons but we have a desire to eat to fulfill the basic needs of our bodies much like having sexual desire increases the chances that we will procreate. How do we determine what to eat? Taste or what we have a preference to eating play a big factor in what we eat. If we eat what we prefer, salty, sweet, fatty, we are more likely to ingest food that is high-energy and contain vitamins and minerals to supply our bodies with nutrition. Another is learned tastes or preferences and aversions; most people eat what their families served or what the culture dictates. Also, many times we will eat food that is connected to good health versus toxic or something that is not good for us. How do we know how much to eat? How much you eat depends greatly on the nutritive volume of the content. It may also depend on the last experience we had eating that certain food; if it was pleasurable we may tend to eat more of it. Another factor many depend on pre meal hunger, contrary to belief that appetizer before out meal may cause us to eat more instead of less due to the phase the small amount of food has caused our system to go into. Studies have shown that people eating alone eat considerably less that people that eat with others; however certain factor such as dieting or afraid to eat in front of other may have some effect on this situation. Having too many choices or different foods can increase the intake of food because as you eat one food you naturally lose some positive-incentive to eat but as you take on a whole new taste the effect comes back for the new food and will continue with each new subject. There are some myths about hunger and satiety I’d like to address. First the lack of energy (fuel) is not what causes hunger. Second if you manage to lose weight without changing your lifestyle when you go back to eating as you always did you will gain it right back. Exercising alone is not an effective way to lose weight; if you don’t change the intake of calories there is no amount of exercise that can keep up. Exercising has healthy benefits but each of us has to have balance of the correct amount of calories and exercise to be healthy. As I opened the floor for discussion the first question was from: 1. Lindsey asked: My parents were both obese, is that why I am? It is very possible that there is a genetic link to your parents in the area of weight; however we should explore the fact that you may have simply inherited some poor eating habits. 2. Robert asked: My girlfriend and I eat together all of the time, so we eat the same food and amounts of food, but she never gains weight like I do. Why is that? There could be several reasons for this difference; one reason could be that your resting metabolic rate is different from hers. Your body’s ability to fat intake could be different. Of course the main factor is if you are getting enough exercise to dispel the intake of some of the calories. It could be a matter of your girlfriend getting more exercise than you. 3. Nancy asked: My mom says that I became anorexic because I’ve been reading too many Cosmos magazines and I want to look like those girls. Maybe I did, but I really don’t crave food. What do you think it is? Eating disorders often begin with poor body image or a desire to look like some other person that you see as a role model. If that desire to become slim becomes excessive and you have deprived yourself of food, then you see food as the cause of you not becoming like the girls in the magazine, therefore the positive-incentive for food is no longer there. The positive-incentive or the anticipation of a good experience with food is what causes hunger and that appears to be what is lacking. 4. Tyra asked: I don’t eat because every time I do I just get sick. Do you know why that is? When the body is deprived of food for a long period of time then is reintroduced to calorie intake it often has an adverse effect which makes you physically ill. It is very often the meal that is the problem. When you feel you are being forced to eat a large ortion of food then that meal becomes something that is undesirable instead of desirable. Furthermore, now you have had a negative experience instead of a positive (positive incentive) which does not promote hunger but causes you to be ill. Try eating small amounts of food several times a day, preferably something you might enjoy or have previously enjoyed. Eating small amounts should not give a true feeling of fullness and if the experience eventually becomes a positive experience then eventually you will not become ill and you may actually enjoy food again. How to cite To Eat or Not to Eat, Papers