How much say should the government have in what we eat? Recently, this has been a highly controversial subject. Well, you may disagree, and I am okay with that, but I firmly believe that the government should have no control whatsoever about what we eat.
As humans, we are naturally very intelligent (well that's what I choose to believe anyway). Generally, we know what is healthy for us and what is not so good. If we choose to eat something that isn't that great for us, then that should be our decision as a free American to make. Controlling the size of drink restaurants are allowed to sell or how many fast food restaurants a community is allowed to have is taking it way too far. We are fully capable of deciding what to eat on our own.
Also, who is it hurting if we want to eat McDonald's for every meal of every day until we die of it? That's right, ourselves. Not the government or community. In the end, what we decide to eat is only hurting or helping ourselves, not anybody else. Which is why I believe that it should be up to us. We choose what we eat, we have to deal with the consequences of our choices. That is the way that it should be. How else do you learn to take care of yourself?
Another reason that I believe that it isn't right to control what we eat is because it would be unfair to businesses. Limiting what fast food businesses can sell, or limiting the amount of fast food restaurants in a community is unfair to Americans. We should have the freedom to go into whatever business we want and sell whatever we want. It isn't right for the government to limit business.
Lastly, it doesn't matter if the government tries to limit fast food restaurants and certain foods, if an individual wants to eat food that isn't healthy for them, then they will find another place to do it. If someone really wants to eat McDonald's then they are going to find a McDonald's. Whether it is one mile away or 10 miles away. Trying to limit the unhealthy food isn't going make us any healthier unless we choose to be healthier.
Ultimately, our health should be our choice. The decisions we make concerning what we make only affects ourselves, and therefore we should be the only ones to decide what we do and don't eat.
Word Count: 414
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Skinny Can Mean Fit, But it Doesn't Always
Something that has been on my mind recently is one of the major problems that we are dealing with in America right now, and that's our health. We have been taught from a young age that skinnier is better and that the skinnier you are, the healthier you are. However this is not true at all. We need to take steps to solve these issues by encouraging a healthier lifestyle for Americans, instead of a skinnier lifestyle. This starts in the education system.
I think one of the main issues is that children aren't educated about this enough in school. They learn that exercise and fruits and veggies are good for them, but that's all. They need to be taught that their health depends on a balance of so many factors. They should learn that if you don't like exercise, then you don't have to do it every day as long as you watch what you eat closely. Or vice versa, if they don't like watching their calories, then they should be getting a good amount of exercise every day. That also doesn't mean however, that if you exercise everyday then you can eat whatever you want whenever you want, it just means that you have more freedom in what you eat. Your health involves a balance.
Another thing that they should be taught is that part of that balance is genetic, but skinny doesn't always mean healthy. Some people are more prone to obesity, and some people are just naturally skinny. However, don't get that confused with some people are naturally healthy, because that is not the case at all. Often, weight and health correlate, but sometimes they do not. You could be a size 0, but if all you eat is junk food and you never work out, then you are not living a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, if you are a size 6 or 8 and you eat healthy and workout regularly, then you should be happy with your body and accept that that is your healthy size.
Our education system needs to teach all of this to children. Health isn't just eating healthy or just getting exercise, it is a combination of both, and that is where people often go wrong. Just keep in mind that if you are eating healthy and you get regular exercise then you are good to go, don't worry about your weight.
Word Count: 407
I think one of the main issues is that children aren't educated about this enough in school. They learn that exercise and fruits and veggies are good for them, but that's all. They need to be taught that their health depends on a balance of so many factors. They should learn that if you don't like exercise, then you don't have to do it every day as long as you watch what you eat closely. Or vice versa, if they don't like watching their calories, then they should be getting a good amount of exercise every day. That also doesn't mean however, that if you exercise everyday then you can eat whatever you want whenever you want, it just means that you have more freedom in what you eat. Your health involves a balance.
Another thing that they should be taught is that part of that balance is genetic, but skinny doesn't always mean healthy. Some people are more prone to obesity, and some people are just naturally skinny. However, don't get that confused with some people are naturally healthy, because that is not the case at all. Often, weight and health correlate, but sometimes they do not. You could be a size 0, but if all you eat is junk food and you never work out, then you are not living a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, if you are a size 6 or 8 and you eat healthy and workout regularly, then you should be happy with your body and accept that that is your healthy size.
Our education system needs to teach all of this to children. Health isn't just eating healthy or just getting exercise, it is a combination of both, and that is where people often go wrong. Just keep in mind that if you are eating healthy and you get regular exercise then you are good to go, don't worry about your weight.
Word Count: 407
Clean Water, Healthy Life
Much of our tap water is contaminated by harmful chemicals, though the government claims that there is an "acceptable" amount. Can there really be an acceptable amount of toxins? Toxins are toxins. And if the water we drink from the tap is harmful to us, and drinking out of plastic bottles is harmful to the environment, then what are we supposed to do? I believe that our tap water is indeed harmful but that we shouldn't resort to drinking out of non-reusable water bottles. Instead, we should invest in a water purifier, that will clean our tap water for us, to keep both us and the environment healthy.
There are requirements set by the government that our drinking water has to meet, however I don't believe that they are strict enough. Water can only have a certain amount of toxins in it, when I believe that there should be none. I know that with pollution, it is near impossible to get our drinking water completely clear of chemicals, I get that. However then, I think it should be the government's job to clean our water. Houses should be supplied with water purifiers, we should not have to provide them for ourselves.
Though I wish that the government took more responsibility for keeping our water clean, this is not the case. So for now, we need to take responsibility for getting the cleanest water possible. While drinking out of plastic bottles seems the most practical and easiest way to solve this problem, we need to take into account the environment. The cost it takes to make the plastic and all of the extra waste we would be creating with the extra bottles, this does not seem like the greatest idea for our environment. I suggest a purifier. Either one that you can fill and store in your fridge (like I have), or one that attaches to your faucet directly such as the Ozone Boy Water Purification System. These systems may seems pricey right now, but they will pay off in the long run, and they will be healthier for you and the environment,
So I challenge you to take the step to a healthier life with a water purifier, and to look out for the environment by not drinking out of plastic bottles.
Word Count: 393
There are requirements set by the government that our drinking water has to meet, however I don't believe that they are strict enough. Water can only have a certain amount of toxins in it, when I believe that there should be none. I know that with pollution, it is near impossible to get our drinking water completely clear of chemicals, I get that. However then, I think it should be the government's job to clean our water. Houses should be supplied with water purifiers, we should not have to provide them for ourselves.
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| Ozone Purification System |
So I challenge you to take the step to a healthier life with a water purifier, and to look out for the environment by not drinking out of plastic bottles.
Word Count: 393
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Is Cheerleading a Sport? (part 2)
So if you've been keeping up with my blog, which you probably haven't been, I recently wrote a post about whether or not I thought cheerleading was a sport. Well I only touched on the fact that I didn't believe that sideline cheerleading was a sport because it doesn't compete. However, I didn't get the chance to say that I strongly believe that competition cheerleading IS a sport. Please don't try to fight me on this one, I have done competition cheerleading before, so I know what it's like.
There are so many reasons why I believe that competition cheer is a sport, but let's just start with the time commitment. Competition cheer, depending on how extreme, can have 3-4 practiced a week, for 2-3 hours each. Also, on days you don't have practice there is open gym, which means a couple of hours working on stunts and tumbling. Then, when competition season starts, you spend the entire weekend at the competition. It's safe to say that these cheerleaders spend equal or more time training then every other sport.
Reason number 3 is that the skill and endurance it takes to be a competition cheerleader is intense. You have to work at it to be good, and it isn't an easy road to success. Tumbling and stunting and the dance component all take a great deal of training, you aren't just born with that kind of skill. You have to be in extremely fit to be able to tumble and do the tricks that these people do. Also, when stunting, the bases (people on the bottom of the stunt) have to have a great deal of muscle to hold a girl in the air for as long as they do and to throw and catch their flyers. Now the girl on top may seem like she has the easy job, but she too has to have a great deal of muscle and flexibility to hold her poses and keep her balance. Lastly, it takes a great amount of endurance to get through a 4 or 5 minute routine, of dancing, tumbling, and lifting/throwing people. I am a long distance runner and I remember breathing hard after my routine.
My last point is that they compete, and the judging isn't subjective. They are judged on the difficulty of their stunts and tumbling as well as the amount of facials they express. Competing is the part that really makes competition cheer a sport.
I also believe that school cheer squads that compete are considered a sport. Sideline cheer alone is not a sport, but competition cheer or competition cheer combined with sideline cheer should definitely be known and thought of as a sport.
Word Count: 451
There are so many reasons why I believe that competition cheer is a sport, but let's just start with the time commitment. Competition cheer, depending on how extreme, can have 3-4 practiced a week, for 2-3 hours each. Also, on days you don't have practice there is open gym, which means a couple of hours working on stunts and tumbling. Then, when competition season starts, you spend the entire weekend at the competition. It's safe to say that these cheerleaders spend equal or more time training then every other sport.Reason number 3 is that the skill and endurance it takes to be a competition cheerleader is intense. You have to work at it to be good, and it isn't an easy road to success. Tumbling and stunting and the dance component all take a great deal of training, you aren't just born with that kind of skill. You have to be in extremely fit to be able to tumble and do the tricks that these people do. Also, when stunting, the bases (people on the bottom of the stunt) have to have a great deal of muscle to hold a girl in the air for as long as they do and to throw and catch their flyers. Now the girl on top may seem like she has the easy job, but she too has to have a great deal of muscle and flexibility to hold her poses and keep her balance. Lastly, it takes a great amount of endurance to get through a 4 or 5 minute routine, of dancing, tumbling, and lifting/throwing people. I am a long distance runner and I remember breathing hard after my routine.
My last point is that they compete, and the judging isn't subjective. They are judged on the difficulty of their stunts and tumbling as well as the amount of facials they express. Competing is the part that really makes competition cheer a sport.
I also believe that school cheer squads that compete are considered a sport. Sideline cheer alone is not a sport, but competition cheer or competition cheer combined with sideline cheer should definitely be known and thought of as a sport.
Word Count: 451
Is Cheerleading a Sport?
I recently read a blog post done by one of my classmates about whether or not dance is a sport. I totally support her opinion on that by the way, dancers are athletes, but I do not believe that it is a sport because the judging is subjective. However, if you want to read more about that point of view then you will just have to read her post because that is not the topic at hand today. I have decided to discuss whether or not cheerleading should be considered a sport.
Okay, so let me just say that I am a cheerleader but I am also a cross country and track athlete, so I know the meaning of pain. However, the answer to whether or not cheer is a sport is slightly more complicated than a yes or no answer. Both sideline cheerleading (cheering on sports teams at games and events) and competition cheer (competing in competitions) are two totally different things to consider.
I have done sideline cheer for either football or basketball or both every year during high school, so I have plenty of experience with it. I'm sorry to say it, but sideline cheer is not a sport. It does not compete. It also doesn't involve any quantity of endurance or a large time commitment (two one and a half hour practices twice a week). Yes, cheerleaders lift people into the air and that takes some sort of muscle and skill, but if you are not competing, then I don't believe it can be considered a sport. I see it as more of a hobby, or an extra curricular activity, or a club. It's not something that you have to put effort into for years and years to be great. It just takes a nice smile, some school spirit and a little bit of flexibility.
Now please don't be offended if you are a sideline cheerleader, because I am one and I think that it is something to be proud of. Just because I don't believe that it's a sport doesn't mean that it isn't accomplishment to be a part of a sideline cheerleading team. I am simply saying that I don't believe that it is a sport because it does not compete, that's all. Now competition cheerleading is a completely different story, but you will have to read my next post to find out my opinion on that.
Word Count: 411
Okay, so let me just say that I am a cheerleader but I am also a cross country and track athlete, so I know the meaning of pain. However, the answer to whether or not cheer is a sport is slightly more complicated than a yes or no answer. Both sideline cheerleading (cheering on sports teams at games and events) and competition cheer (competing in competitions) are two totally different things to consider.
I have done sideline cheer for either football or basketball or both every year during high school, so I have plenty of experience with it. I'm sorry to say it, but sideline cheer is not a sport. It does not compete. It also doesn't involve any quantity of endurance or a large time commitment (two one and a half hour practices twice a week). Yes, cheerleaders lift people into the air and that takes some sort of muscle and skill, but if you are not competing, then I don't believe it can be considered a sport. I see it as more of a hobby, or an extra curricular activity, or a club. It's not something that you have to put effort into for years and years to be great. It just takes a nice smile, some school spirit and a little bit of flexibility.Now please don't be offended if you are a sideline cheerleader, because I am one and I think that it is something to be proud of. Just because I don't believe that it's a sport doesn't mean that it isn't accomplishment to be a part of a sideline cheerleading team. I am simply saying that I don't believe that it is a sport because it does not compete, that's all. Now competition cheerleading is a completely different story, but you will have to read my next post to find out my opinion on that.
Word Count: 411
Seeing is Believing.. or not
Most people have seen advertisements at one time or another of a weight loss pill that miraculously helps you drop 30 pounds, with no other dieting. You may have even seen the transformation that real people experienced by using this substance. Well don't be so quick to believe every ad you see, because recently, a few weight loss companies were charged for false advertising.
Yes, everyone wishes that they could take a pill and all of their weight problems would just disappear, but it's not that easy. If it really worked, then why isn't everybody already doing it? How come this magical pill isn't all over the market selling like wild fire? My guess is that it doesn't work as the companies make it out to be. Of course, most companies stretch the truth a little bit when they advertise, but I think this has gone too far. Nothing you see on the internet or television can be trusted anymore, which is sad but true. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out when a company is trying to deceive you though, which was proven by many girls on social media.
I have seen things on twitter, which is what actually sparked my thought about this. Some people on twitter decided to show everyone why they shouldn't trust these weight lose pill advertisements by demonstrating how you could "lose 15 lbs" in 15 minutes with a few easy steps. All it took was a new outfit and a fix in their posture, and boom, they look 15 lbs skinnier. It's upsetting to think about how many times I have probably been tricked or deceived in my life. This is just one thing that companies advertise falsely. I am sure that skin care commercials and cellulite and wrinkle cream commercials can be equally deceiving. If the company's product doesn't work, then instead of going through the trouble of lying to us, they should put forth the effort to make their product better.
It is too bad that there is no sort of weight loss pill that actually helps you lose weight without diet and exercise, and it is also too bad that companies lie to us by saying that there is. So just remember, the next time you want to try out the newest weight loss pill, do your research and don't believe everything that you see on the internet.
Word Count: 406
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Depression
Depression. A 10 letter word and a feeling that most of us don't like to admit that we are having. I'm sorry to break the news to you, but everyone is probably going to experience this at some point in their life. It is not anything to be ashamed of, but you should be aware of it and seek help if need be.
I know from experience how hard it can be to admit to yourself that you are experiencing signs of depression. Most people have been there, even if it was only for a short period of time. However depression can become a serious mood disorder if it last more than 2 weeks and it can be dangerous to your health.
My AP Psychology class is learning about mood disorders right now. I know that if you are depressed then you start having negative thoughts. Also, if you get into a deep depression, then it can become a vicious cycle. You need to be willing to accept that you are depressed and realize that it is nothing that you should be embarrassed about. Once you reach this point then you can get the help you need either from friends, family members, or a professional.
I don't think that a lot of people understand the consequences that can surround a mood disorder such as depression. One of the many consequences of long term depression is disturbed sleep. Just this one problem can lead to so many other complications, such as fatigue and becoming more susceptible to sickness. If you are depressed then you are really slowed down and every day that you are depressed, you are missing out on living your life to the fullest. Depression can be treated and it should be before it goes on for too long.
I myself have recovered from depression multiple times. I never had to seek professional help because I didn't let it get that far, I just talked to family and friends. After a while of that, it made me feel so much better. If you are passed the point of getting through it only through the help of friends and family, then I strongly encourage that you find help. Like I said before, depression is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about and you need to find help before it impacts your life any further.
Word Count: 394
I know from experience how hard it can be to admit to yourself that you are experiencing signs of depression. Most people have been there, even if it was only for a short period of time. However depression can become a serious mood disorder if it last more than 2 weeks and it can be dangerous to your health.
My AP Psychology class is learning about mood disorders right now. I know that if you are depressed then you start having negative thoughts. Also, if you get into a deep depression, then it can become a vicious cycle. You need to be willing to accept that you are depressed and realize that it is nothing that you should be embarrassed about. Once you reach this point then you can get the help you need either from friends, family members, or a professional.
I don't think that a lot of people understand the consequences that can surround a mood disorder such as depression. One of the many consequences of long term depression is disturbed sleep. Just this one problem can lead to so many other complications, such as fatigue and becoming more susceptible to sickness. If you are depressed then you are really slowed down and every day that you are depressed, you are missing out on living your life to the fullest. Depression can be treated and it should be before it goes on for too long.I myself have recovered from depression multiple times. I never had to seek professional help because I didn't let it get that far, I just talked to family and friends. After a while of that, it made me feel so much better. If you are passed the point of getting through it only through the help of friends and family, then I strongly encourage that you find help. Like I said before, depression is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about and you need to find help before it impacts your life any further.
Word Count: 394
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