Weighty Matters

Since the beginning of time humans have used food to fuel their bodies. Eating is a natural instinct. Human babies are born with the instinct to suck from their mothers breast and from there it continues. As humans we are around food every day the thing is which foods are we to be around.

The obesity rates in Utah are startling. Why is this? Is it because the excessive amount of green-jello? Or is it just mere coincidence. Research shows that neither is true. Most of Utah's population is Mormon and in this religion, drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited. However, as all human's they will still look for that narcotic high when they are in a slump and if they can't turn to drugs where do they turn? To food.

Food is a drug. Drugs initially were created for medicine and to cure and help the human body but over time the use has been mutated. This is also true with food. There are a couple reasons why this is so.

First of all, food is addictive. This is something we are not afraid to admit. On the Lays Potato Chips bag their slogan is "You can't eat just one." They are openly proclaiming the addiction. But when we eat food all the time are we willing to say we are addicted to food? Not normally. We see addiction as something bad but apparently eating a whole bag of potato chips is normal. Part of addiction is wanting it when it is not needed. I'm sure we have all felt that sudden craving for sweets. I believe that most people are addicted to food. We all might have a different severity but as part of human nature we want food. There is a crazy fact I found that out of the three things the human brain can't help but notice one of them is food. We are wired to become naturally addicted to this. So is this addiction normal or is it still a problem?

How many times have you had a bad day and tried to solve you problem by eating? I know I have quite often. I'll have days where I'm so depressed I'll sit on the couch and eat half a gallon of ice cream trying to soothe away the pain. This is not an effective way of dealing with my problems. However, we all use food for its narcotic effects. In Despicable Me 2, Gru says something we can all relate too when asked why he is so fat. He explains that sometimes he eats instead of facing his problems. Why is this line so funny? For once we see that is not just us. Food releases chemicals in our brains that make us feel happy for a short while much like what is found in drugs and alcohol but as we have all experienced with a sugar rush we will inevitably crash.

Obesity is considered the modern plague. This is because it is very harmful to the body. It can cause diabetes, heart failure, joint pain and so much more. Physically food in excesses is not good but mentally is not either. Many kids with obesity also suffer from depression. Sometimes, the emotional effects of obesity are worse than the physical ones. At this point you might be saying, "but I thought food was good for you?" Yes, it is but so are drugs. Drugs are used as medicine is a way food can be used as fuel it all just depends on how we use it.

Food Addiction is a problem all over the United States and especially in Utah. Together we can fight this addiction but the first step is to become aware. If we are aware that we are addicted to food we will make a more diligent effort to confront this problem.