Sugar Addiction

Hi, my name is Damaris and I'm addicted to sugar! In The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler, he says, "Rewarding foods tend to be reinforcing, meaning that they keep us coming back for more" (29). Kessler goes on to describe his urge to keep eating his M&M's due to the sugar and fat in the candy. I have encountered this struggle with my Diabetes for years. I have at times found myself not being able to restrain myself from sugary foods or drinks even knowing the consequences it might have on my health. I have always thought to myself why it was that at my age and with my family's negative health experiences it was hard to control my urges. Reading Kessler's work has put some of my questions and issues into perspective, leading myself to desire a healthy body over a quick sugar craving. And in all honesty my body does feel better without the extra sugar intake which motivates me to keep my new found mentality to overcome my sugar addiction as hard as it is.

Palatability

Have you wondered why after you have a mouth watering, well portioned meal you still have the urge to keep eating? Science has defined this action as "Palatability". In Kessler's The End of Overeating, he introduces how palatability is a pleasing taste which formulates the craving to keep consuming even after we have reached the stage of homeostasis. This desire arises from a variety of things such as, the scent, texture and even its temperature. It was found that sugar, fat and salt plays a significant role in our running appetite as well. Can we overcome the yearning to want more with these inescapable things influencing us?

Health

In Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser one will notice that there is a big connection between what the animals are fed and what people are consuming, and that is "Health". The price of grain has raised so farmers try to save money by feeding the cattle sawdust, cement, dead dogs and cats, old newspapers, etc. "They're designed to eat grass and, maybe grain. I mean, they have four stomachs for a reason- to eat products that have a high cellulose content. They are not designed to eat other animals"(Schlosser, 202). Not to mention, the other things that theses animals have to endure while they are in the feedlot and how unsanitary the process of butchering them is. People try to save money by buying what's cheapest. It's more pricey to buy something healthy than to stop at a McD's and buy a few things off the dollar menu for less and not knowing what it really is that their body is consuming. Alot of these food have led to numerous illnesses and deaths. People don't understand that by saving a dollar or two it's costing them their health. You are what you eat.