Health Beliefs in Modern Society

The mechanism of myth creation is rather peculiar. Instead of checking the logical explanation of a certain phenomenon, people tend to follow a specific routine that has no obvious effect. For some reason, it has been believed for quite long that sugar causes hyperactivity in children.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Health Beliefs in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, parents tend to restrict the amount of sugar consumed by their children in order to address the behavioral issues that, in fact, demand a completely different treatment. To understand the mechanisms of the given belief, one should apply the concepts of sociological imagination to the issue. According to the ideas suggested by C. Wright Mills, sociological imagination occurs when routine actions start attaining sociological meaning for people (Mills, 1959). As Mills put it, sociological imagination can be defined as the â €Å"s the ability to view one’s own society as an outsider would, rather than only from the perspective of personal experiences and cultural biases† (The sociological view, n. d., 2). Mills also specified that sociological imagination has four key dimensions, i.e., structural, historical, cultural and critical ones. Applied to the mechanism of creation of the myth mentioned above, the given dimensions can be interpreted in the following way: Structural Even though there is no clear evidence that can prove the myth in question, people still continue believing it. The given phenomenon may have been caused by the pressure that most parents experience from the sources that are traditionally considered authoritative, i.e., their relatives, neighbors, friends, etc., who, in their turn, have also been under the impact of others (Harris et al., 2010). Historical When it comes to analyzing the past events that have led to such a common myth being created, one must admit that th ere have been quite few studies that have detected the link between sugar and behavioral changes. However, the numerous arguments that appeared in mass media by that time seem to have had an impact on parents’ minds (Comisarow, 1996). Cultural The reasons behind the persistence of the given myth are quite numerous, yet the influence of the opinions traditionally considered authoritative seems to be the decisive point. Since the myth has been believed to be true for quite long, it has gained a considerable weight. Consequently, the belief concerning sweets and changes in children’s behavioral patterns remains plausible for a number of people.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Critical Approaching the problem critically, one should address the famous cui bono, cui prodest issue. Indeed, for a myth to have lasted so long, it had to be supported by the people who were interested in its promotion. In the given case, the researcher known as Benjamin Feingold seems to have worked hard on making sure that the given myth should persist. In his study, he offered his Feingold Diet, which suggested that hyperactivity in children can be treated by feeding the latter with the meals that do not contain artificial flavoring, sugar, salt, and other food additives (Galaway-Patrick, n. d.). Despite the fact that the connection between hyperactivity or any behavioral change whatsoever and the consumption of artificially flavored food, or food with sugar in it, for that matter, was never proven, Feingold managed to plant the seed of doubt among parents. Therefore, there is no proof that behavioral changes and sugar consumption are related. However, parents continue addressing their children’s behavioral changes by prohibiting children from eating sweets. To change the given state of affairs, health professionals should spread awareness concerning sugar and behavioral changes in children. Once parents recognize their mistake, the myth will be busted. Reference List Comisarow, J. (1996). Can sweet treats drive children crazy? Sugar and hyperactivity in children. Nutrition Bytes, 2(1), 1–4. Galaway-Patrick, B. (n. d.). Sugar and children’s behavior. Web. Harris, J. L. et al. (2010). Effects of serving high-sugar cereals on children’s breakfast-eating behavior. Pediatrics, 127(1), 71–76.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Health Beliefs in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mills, C. W. (1959). The sociological imagination. Chapter one: The promise. Web. The sociological view, n. d. Web. This report on Health Beliefs in Modern Society was written and submitted by user Colin Taylor to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Todays Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet Arguments For

Todays Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet Arguments For Nowadays, people try to find out as many safe ways to protect their health as possible: constant physical trainings, qualified medical services, and less harmful environment are taken into consideration. Still, not all people are aware of how their eating processes may influence their health as well as relations with each other. This is why more attention is recently paid to the ideas of vegetarianism and its positive effects on human life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Today’s Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet: Arguments For specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Though not all people are eager to move toward adopting a vegetarian diet, there are still a number of supporters who want to take a step and improve personal health by means of appropriate diets. Many people from different countries truly believe that their chosen diets are good ways to improve their lives, and it is very important to provide them with information in order to decrease the number of failures and clearly define the expectations. While some people would consider vegetarian diets do not have a positive impact on human life and human health in particular, it is seems to be interesting to admit that vegetarianism is a powerful means to promote safer environment, improve personal health, and support ethical ideas which are inherent to people’s relations with nature, animals, and other people around. One of the most evident reasons of why vegetarian diets are characterized by positive impacts on human life is all about the environmental conditions under which people have to live. Several investigations prove that â€Å"from an environmental perspective, what a person chooses to eat make sense† (Marlow et al. 2009, p. 16995), this is why the attention to the diet may considerably predetermine the quality of human life. Moreover, the less animals are eaten by humans on a daily basis, the more animals may be used to fertilize the land and facilitate the increases of agricultural outputs. In addition to the support of the chosen diet, â€Å"Lord Stern of Brentford, former adviser to the government on the economics of climate change, said people will have to consider turning vegetarian to help reduce global carbon emissions† (Batty Adam 2009, para. 2). While it is hard for many people to reduce the necessity of eat meat-based products and to increase the use of vegetables and other vegetarian products, however, there is a necessity â€Å"to reconsider the increasing demand for an animal-based diet† (Marlow et al. 2009, p. 17032) in accordance to which people are the only responsible figures for the ways of how animals and plants may be used in everyday life. It is evident that today’s society has to take as many effective steps as possible and adopt a vegetarian diet in order to promote better environment and protect future generations in some way.Adv ertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To further support the idea of vegetarian diets and identify its positive aspect, it is necessary pay more attention to the ways of how this type of diet may influence human health. It is proved that â€Å"the vegetarians live longer and also have an impressively lower incidence of heart disease and a significantly lower rate of cancer than meat-eating† people (Moritz 2007, p. 166). Moreover, the statistics shows the numbers by means of which it is evident that people who do not eat animal products save their hearts: cardiovascular disease may be developed due to fat and cholesterol that is observed in meat and dairy. In spite of the facts offered, the vast majority of nations, and the Americans take the leading positions in such lists, cannot refuse the desire to eat at fast-food restaurants like McDonalds because they accept such style of life as an integral part, and it is impossible to destroy their interests and preferences even if their health is under consideration. While it seems to be possible to change the traditions and invent something less harmful to protect human health: more attention should be paid to the components of everyday food and more investigations on which alternatives may be used are required; however, it is not right to neglect personal health just in order to be a devoted fan of national traditions. â€Å"What we eat is very important for our health† (Mortiz 2007, p. 166), and if vegetarian diets may improve human health, it is obligatory to use this chance and adopt such diets. Finally, the positive aspect of adopting a vegetarian diet may be regarded from a pure ethical point of view: humans find it appropriate to befriend with pets and enjoy the time spend with animals. When a person makes a decision to develop the relations with another human being, it is very important to try to follow a number of principles and rules with the help of which good relations are developed. Pity, desire to help, devotion, and many other aspects are connected to the relations which are possible to be developed between animals and people, and it is wrong to support the idea of relations and at to eat meat of animals the same time. While many people admit that they do not eat dogs or cats as they befriend with them, and it does not seem to be a kind of sin or wrong action to eat meat products and have pets. However, eating animal meat is still a kind of betrayal from human side, this is why to develop really good relations with animals and be a good friend, there is a need to refuse animal meat and to adopt the idea of vegetarianism. And society has to adopt this point as soon as possible.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Today’s Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet: Arguments For specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/p age Learn More Although the idea of vegetarianism is not a new one in today’s society, there are many people who do not find it necessary to refuse the use of animal meat. However, adopting vegetarian diets has a number of positive aspects which have to be considered by people. Vegetarianism is not only about the relationships between animals and people. The ideas of vegetarian diets have much more serious grounds: human health depends on the food used by people and even environment may be considerably improved in case people re-evaluate their food preferences. There are always some ideas and innovations which help to change this life and improve the conditions under which people have to live, and vegetarianism should be considered as one of such brilliant attempts made by people. In general, there are many reasons of why vegetarian diets have to be adopted by today’s society due to the positivism of its effects; and in spite of the fact that some peopl e are not ready to understand how urgent the use of vegetarian food and neglecting of animal meat for a human life could be. Reference List Batty, D. Adam, D. 2009, ‘Vegetarian diet is better for the planet, says Lord Stern’, The Guardian. Web. Marlow, H.J., Hayes, W.K., Soret, W., Carters, R.L., Schwab, E.R., Sabate, L. 2009, ‘Diet and the environment: does what you eat matter?’, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 89, no. 5, pp. 16995 – 17035. Mortiz, A. 2007, Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation. Ener-Chi Art, Minneapolis.