the natural remedy

Students reflect on importance of eating clean, healthier foods

debkonya banerjee & elena alaniz online editor & section editor

In a nation dominated by fast-paced lifestyles and fast food, convenience and indulgence often take precedence over nutrition. Such a way of living and the prevalence of highly processed food have contributed to rising rates of chronic illnesses like obesity and diabetes. Many who suffer from these illnesses have raised awareness around ingredients and processed foods, opening people’s eyes and causing nationwide changes in diets.

Senior Calli Thompson is one of the many advocates for healthy eating and its benefits.

“[Eating clean] definitely makes you feel better,” Thompson said. “The life expectancy [in the U.S.] has gone down in the last couple of years and obesity is a big cause of health problems in the U.S. I think that it would be beneficial for more people to eat [healthy].”

Diet change isn’t always a decision made out of choice. For senior Alexa Howard, the change stemmed from a diagnosis.

“When I was six years old, I was diagnosed with celiac disease,” Howard said. “Whenever I would eat gluten and stuff like that, I would have constant back pain [and] stomach pain. I was [once] hospitalized for six days [as a result].”

Similar to Howard, Thompson also changed her diet due to health-related issues.

“I have a lot of food allergies and sensitivities to different things. [Because of] that, I started eating healthier,” Thompson said. “Then I just enjoyed eating healthier because of the way it made me feel.”

After switching from mostly processed meals to a healthier diet, Howard noticed changes in her health almost immediately.

“I used to have really bad headaches,” Howard said. “It’s way better [now]. [The changes in diet resulted in] a better mood [and] sleep.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 70% of the food Americans consume comes from packaged, processed, storebought and restaurant foods.

“All fast food is processed, and there’s usually not [many] healthy options,” Thompson said. “Even the salads have lots of dressing, and it’s not good for you.”

In addition to Thompson’s perspective on fast food, Howard emphasizes the importance of consistency and self-control when starting a change in eating habits.

“[Staying] consistent is a struggle,” Howard said. “Once you fall off, it’s hard to get back on. It is okay to have a cheat day, but you have [to have] self-control.”

At first the struggles of maintaining a healthy diet may seem greater than the outcomes, but there are various ways of overcoming these temptations and maintaining consistency in one’s diet.

“[An easy way to eat healthier is to] cook at home more,” Thompson said. “It’s easier [to buy] frozen foods [and it’s] not that expensive, [but] buying produce that’s fresh [is more healthy], and it takes like two seconds [to prepare.]”

Howard cautions that there is no onesize-fits-all approach to eating nutritious meals, and the contents of the meals can be modified to fit everyone.

“There’s just different diets for different people; there’s not really one [type of way to eat healthy],” Howard said. “Eating clean fits every single person.”