Got Food? - the Scientia Review

Even given the strict diets followed by many consumers, America is on the path to having the
most obese population. The access Americans have to a sustainable food supply should result in a healthy
population. Yet, the opposite is true. Other countries in the world have people that struggle to survive on
what little food they can get. Diseases and malnutrition have spread around the globe due to a lacking
food supply in other countries.
The main problem with access is the need to spend immense amounts of money. Currently here is
national debt, and promoting a healthy diet is often ignored. The FDA is in charge of doing everything
food and drug oriented. Dr. McClellan, a business man and doctor of economics, introduced the idea of
efficient risk management where the FDA would only do things that have the most impact on society,
because it cannot complete every single task available (―Business: Food, drugs and economics; face
value‖ 2003). Challenges include how to inspect imports and medicine. These have to be completed, but
everything has a cost. The amount of money the FDA can spend is limited. After the most important task
has been accounted for, the nutritional problem can be assessed. Focusing on one aspect at a time will
yield better results.
Disease-Preventing Diets
Nutrition is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle, and many people forget how important it
actually is. An unhealthy diet can lower a person‘s life expectancy by decades, while a healthy diet can
extend a person‘s life above the average life expectancy. This in mind, it is crucial that people recognize
the nutrients that they are consuming and maintain a diet that will benefit their bodies.
Low-Carbohydrate Diets
People who have a low intake of carbohydrates are usually slimmer and have less fat. Some foods
containing this nutrient that are usually avoided and maintain body weight are white potatoes, rice, pasta,
and bread. Foods that are high in carbohydrates compel blood sugar levels to rise and, in result, insulin
levels as well. Eating foods that are composed of mainly carbohydrates leads to increased hunger levels,
and the best low-carb diets comprise a variety of whole foods. Although, crushed or refined fruits, beans,
vegetables, or whole grains are healthier than most foods, they have higher Glycemic Load (GL) levels.
Whole foods, such as All-Bran and Cornflakes have low GL‘s. A low-carb diet should also include foods
with healthy fats and protein (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2007)
Besides reducing fat in the body, a diet low in carbohydrates can improve sleep disorders and the
function of blood vessels. People who suffer from sleep apnea can benefit from this type of diet. Sleep
apnea is a disorder that is a result of abnormal pauses in breathing or swallowing while sleeping, and it is
a leading cause in daytime fatigue This disorder is more common in people who are overweight and
several researchers, from the Karolinska Institute, ran experiments which proved that low-carb diets have
a positive effect on sleep apnea (―Diet and sleep apnea‖, 2011.). In a similar way, a diet that is low in
carbohydrates improves blood vessel function by reducing fat, according to a study completed by Johns
Hopkins researchers. Loss of stomach fat allowed arteries to expand and helped the blood flow more
freely. Several overweight participants helped the researchers refine their idea that low-carb diets that
helped burn fat improved the overall health of the patient‘s vascular systems (―Improve blood vessel
function‖,2012).
Heart-Healthy Diets
Not only are fish tasty, but they are also important in lowering cholesterol levels. Oily fish such as
salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, and trout have omega-3 fatty acids that are very beneficial, unlike
saturated fats. Because of remarkable evidence from several studies on the subject, The Food and Drug
6