Eating Habits

   What is the purpose of food? Why do we eat? It provides our bodies with sustenance, helps give energy to our muscles, and supplies our brains with the things we need to function properly. That’s what food is for. So what’s up with poor nutrition?

   Well, for most of us, food is more than just sustenance. It’s not a chemical equation, easily calculated to figure out what goes where in the body. It’s a memory in a flavor, a culture in a bite. We have holidays, traditions, and gatherings, all with food at their focus. As intelligent beings, we require more than just mere sustenance to make it through the day. Food isn’t just good for our bodies, its good for our hearts (so to speak).

   Although food is nearly as important to us emotionally as it is nutritionally, it is also important to remember that unhealthy food can lead to excess fat build-up. Too much of the things that make our taste buds smile can also play a role in problems such as, atherosclerosis (thickening of the artery walls) and hypertension (high blood pressure).

   To combat the risk of future heart disease, I’ve started trying to cut out sweets. It’s a difficult task that requires diligence and discipline. For me, motivation is the key when trying to accomplish something. After a difficult workout at the gym, I can say no to sweets by telling myself that the several moments of pleasure are not worth all of the work I just put in.

   The CDC reports that over one third of the population of the United States are classified as obese (obesity is defined as having a BMI of over 30). As a society, how did we get so heavy? The simplest explanation is that we have become more sedentary and do not eat the proper nutrients to accommodate for such. The CDC would agree, saying that “obesity result[s] from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity.” This could be a result of our work force switching from labor-intensive occupations to less physically demanding ones.

   We need food to survive. And even though it can be delicious and it’s nice to enjoy, we need to remember that at its roots, food is nutrition and should be treated as such. The negative affects of a poor diet can have some serious consequences and can also be downright dangerous. I love food and I’m sure you do too. But let’s work on making our diets better.

Hand Washing

   Are you a hand washer? We all know we should wash our hands after using the bathroom. 95% of adults claim to practice restroom hygiene. But a university study showed that 90% of women do and only 72% of men wash their hands after leaving the bathroom (Edwards et al., 2002)*. Hand washing was one of the most significant medical discoveries of all time. So guys, what’s up with that?

   Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician in the mid 1800’s, was disturbed by the number of deaths from infection that victimized many birthing mothers. His clinic’s doctor’s ward suffered three times the mortality rate of midwives. Semmelweis realized that doctors who had recently worked with dead bodies were also caring for expecting mothers. He established hand washing and reduced the clinic’s mortality rate to below 1%.

   On school days, I generally spend several hours on campus. Naturally, it is necessary for me to visit a public restroom. I’ve noticed one facility in particular that seems to be plagued by under washing. Although there is ample sink space to wash up, there is only one hand soap dispenser on the far side of the counter. This leads many patrons to leave the bathroom without lathering up, simply because it is inconvenient to reach around another user to get disinfectant.

  The other day, I had several hours to kill, so I decided to see if the problem persisted only in restrooms in which there was not enough soap. Each one was the same. I walked in. The smell of deodorizer barely masked the unmistakable stench of fecal matter. Even if the restroom had no dispenser issues, I usually observed at least one person not washing his hands. It didn’t seem to matter what type of movement it was- be it bowel or bladder. I found myself wanting to exclaim, “Dude, I know your mother taught you to wash your hands. You just got off the toilet and I have to touch the doorknob too.”

   It’s clear that as a society, we understand that we are supposed to wash our hands. Edwards and his crew show in their study that most people claim to wash their hands. They look into several other factors, such as race and whether or not an observer being present makes a difference. But the key factor is gender. And men are far behind.

   So seriously, what’s up with that?

*Edwards, Donald, Elizabeth Monk-Turner, Steve Poorman, Maria Rushing, Stephen Warren and Jarita Willie. 2002. "Predictors of Hand-Washing Behavior." Social Behavior and Personality 30(8):751-756