Both good diet and regular exercises are important for individuals to stay healthy. However, there are many controversies that surround exercises and diet. Some people argue that particular foods are better than others. With regard to exercises, some individuals think that they have negative effects while others argue that it is important to exercise regularly.
There have been controversies on the best diets for disease prevention. Vegetarians argue that diets based on plant products prevent cancer and heart diseases. They also hold a view that the diets can even treat the diseases. They base their argument on the fact that people who eat a lot of meat are more likely to get cancer and heart diseases when compared with vegetarians.
Books have been written to support this view but arguments presented in the books have been regarded as unconvincing. In addition, the argument that keeping large mammals for consumption is unhealthy has been supported by many people. Documentary films have been developed and they all reveal dangers of consuming a lot of meat .
The diet controversy is heightened by individuals who promote paleolithic diets. They argue that human beings are supposed to eat plants and meat as vegetables and fruits rather than grains. According to them, large amounts of proteins and low carbohydrates cause chronic diseases.
Elimination of grains and starch from their diet is therefore a successful strategy of staying healthy. There are also nourishing traditions that prefer diets with healthy fats and products from animals .
Generally, it is advisable to eat animal products of organic nature. The animals should be kept in conditions that are healthy. Studies have shown that eating a lot of vegetables and fruits is healthy while reduced consumption of junk food eliminates certain diseases.
There are certain diets that are appropriate for particular groups of people. Individuals who take interest in diet controversies eat well than those who show little concern. For example, the Americans might find it difficult to abandon fried food and humburger, but it has been found out that concentrating on organic foods and healthy eating habits is a trend being embraced by many people.
Apart from the controversies that surround diet, exercises are also surrounded by controversies. About 80 percent of weight lost by individuals is associated with change in eating patterns while 20 percent comes from exercises. Exercises are important for human beings but some researchers have argued that their role in losing weight is minimal. They argue that exercises do not play any role in weight loss.
Although they agree that they burn calories which are responsible for weight loss, they associate them with other negative effects. For instance, they say that exercises stimulate hunger that causes individuals to eat a lot of food. This eventually affects efforts to lose weight. Exercises are therefore not helpful in weight loss since they can make the whole process difficult.
However, not all people agree that exercises are not helpful to individuals. Many people believe that exercises are important for maintaining good mental and physical health. The most important thing to remember is that food intake determines whether individuals lose or gain weight.
For individuals who work out to lose weight, they should be aware that exercises make people feel hungrier. However, this does not mean that they should not eat after working out. They should know how to feed wisely in order to control hunger .
References
Goldstein, M. (2007). Controversies in Food and Nutrition. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Heller, M. (2007). The DASH Diet Action Plan:Based on the National Institutes of Health Research. New York: Amidon Press.
Jio, S. (2012). Health Controversy: Some Say Exercise Won’t Help You Lose Weight. Web.
Neustaedter, R. (2011). Diet Controversies. Web.