To Eat or Not To Eat Essay Example for Free

To Eat or Not To Eat Essay Hello, my name is Dr. Rachel Green. I am an eating disorder counseling specialist. Today I would like to talk with you about two forms of eating disorders, obesity and anorexia nervosa. In our discussion, I would like to be able to give you a new perspective on food, hunger and satiety hoping that it may benefit those who live with these disorders. Obesity is defined as when a person has maintained a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. People with obesity have many health risks which include hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone health problems in addition to many other health complications and illnesses. Anorexia nervosa is defined as a mental illness because it refers to individuals who refuse to keep their weight within 85% of the standard weight for their age and height. Those who live with anorexia express deep anxiety about gaining any weight in addition to their body image being dramatically distorted. These individuals refuse to eat and have a habit of going on eating binges, which they follow with vomiting. Their excuse for this is that they have to do this to keep what they view as an acceptable weight. This illness is very severe and is life threatening in most cases. It can result in heart failure, kidney failure and damage to the brain. Both anorexia and obesity are studied in depth. Several new theories have brought new light to the treatment of these conditions. We will also discuss numerous hunger and satiety myths as well as facts about  the maintenance and development of these disorders. We will have a chance for QA in the later part of the program. There are a wide variety of theories that attempt to address why we choose to eat or not to eat. Hunger and satiety have bio-psychosocial factors that are detailed in theories relating to obesity and anorexia. From an evolutionary perspective, we can see that periods occurred in which shortages existed in our food supplies. These may have contributed to obesity as a part of our genetic predispositions as a means of storing food when it became available so that those calories would be available to us later for our use when food supplies became scarce. This relates also to the desire to eat great quantities of high calorie foods. Consumption of high calorie foods leads to fat storage of that food’s energy. We also know that we require at least 3 solid meals daily to maintain our normal weight. This social connection to normality can be carried forward into social interactions that take place when consuming foods that are more palatable due to high fat content or high sugar content. This carries forward into our understanding of the motivations for eating. Such factors do influence our eating patterns. Additional factors play into the choices that we make that may conflict with our ability to maintain a healthy and ideal body weight. Calories are burned during exercise and if we do not balance our caloric intake well with our exercise levels then we will not be in balance. People also have different rates of metabolism, which affects their ability to burn or store fat. Thermogenesis, which is a non-exercise activity where energy is dissipated, is also relevant to this discussion. Studies in Biopsychology have shown that we do not eat due to the need to fuel the body, but eat because of our learned, embedded responses. Studies show that people tend to eat larger quantities in social settings than when alone. This factor alone would be a significant contributor to obesity if we correlate socializing with food. Satiety has shown to be related to the types of food we eat. We need certain nutrients and minerals. Candy doesn’t include these nutrients and minerals, and so our bodies do not feel satisfied or full when we eat them. Meals that contain the proper mix of nutrients and minerals yield a more complete satiety. Some foods contain more of the nutrients required to allow us to actually feel full. Anorexia includes some of the same issues of social factors that influence our views of acceptable healthy weight and eating. The inclination to eat in social situations can be skewed in the opposite direction for some individuals. They can be so insecure that they do not meet their body’s needs due to their feelings about others’ perceptions of them. Anorexia involves a great fear of weight gain and the individual displays starvation habits of eating or alternate binge and purge cycles of eating. These patterns are learned eating behaviors. Binging is an aspect of anorexia that can help us to see how hunger and satiety are related to mind over matter because the mind is overtaking the body’s need for nutrition in this disease. The binge is meeting the body’s need, but the purge that follows is catering to the corrupted ideal as the individual sees it, so satiety no longer has a positive value. The start and development of anorexia is specific to the individual because external factors contribute to the development and beginning of this disease. The most common onset factor is dieting. Dieting is generally undertaken in response to socially perceived and abnormal expectations. There seems to be a connection between weight gain and food intake that defies the positive motivation that is normally connected to satiety and healthy eating habits. The value of the food incentive is lost in the negative contribution of feelings for weight control. In this discussion today we have reviewed a number of myths and facts relating to these two diseases. What questions do you have about anorexia or obesity? Question 1: I want to know if my parents’ obesity is the cause of  my own obesity. Answer: Your parents’ obesity may have given you a genetic predisposition that affects your ability to maintain an ideal weight but isn’t the only factor. The Bio-psychosocial theory gives us the evidence to understand that you have the willpower to control your own weight in a healthy manner. You can learn to rehabilitate yourself with regard to your expectations and eating behaviors. This will give you greater satiety and a healthier prognosis. Exercise is also a critical factor in controlling your weight. A proper, regular practice can help you to burn calories. The combination of proper intake and proper exercise can give you a healthy weight. Overeating is not the response to need, but is a continuance of values and habits about food that are not healthy. Question 2: I eat the same foods and amounts as my girlfriend, but she does not gain weight and I do. What makes this happen? Answer: This would be because her basal metabolism and differs from yours significantly. She has a higher rate allowing her to digest foods more efficiently.Consumption is not the only factor in weight gain. You have to look at your own physical activity/exercise levels as well. Question 3: My family feels that I have become anorexic in response to my exposure to women’s images as portrayed in magazines and on TV. This may be true, but I do not have any cravings for food. Why would that be so? Answer: It may be true that you initially learned to connect extreme thinness with success and beauty and you chose to work toward that slanted ideal. Your dieting then contributed to this skewed viewpoint when you were able to lose weight in the beginning of your new eating patterns. You may have found yourself more beautiful due to the exposure to such idealized images and then failed to recognize later the health problems that this began to cause for you. I would attribute the feeling that you do not crave food at all to the negative value this skewed view placed on food. You look at food as a negative element in your life since you connect it only with weight gain instead of with nurture and health. Rehabilitation of your mind and body require you to nurture your body with healthy foods and exercise. It is possible to re-establish healthy eating patterns that can give you back your desire for and enjoyment of food. Question 4: I feel sick each time I eat, so I have taken to not eating. Can you tell me why this is? Answer: I believe this relates to incentive values of food. You may have taught yourself that food will make you gain an unhealthy amount of weight and now you connect food only with negative things. If you begin by eating foods that you know are healthy for you then you can begin to view food as a positive thing again. Eating healthy foods and staying away from high sugar and high fat foods is a way to let your body respond well to what you eat. If your focus is on weight control rather than on health, you will be punishing your body for eating even healthy things. Citations Pinel, J. P. J. (2011). Biopsychology. (8th ed.). Allyn Bacon. To Eat Or Not To Eat. Anti Essays. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from the World Wide Web: http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/95995.html

Hamlet: Power vs Happiness :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Claudius what are your motives for killing the king, marrying his wife and taking on the role of father to his young son?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Claudius is introduced in act I, ii.   In this scene he has an important speech. In this speech he talks about the death of the king, his marriage to the queen and the foreign problems of the state. He utilizes many transitions and tends to empiseze the foreign affairs of the state. I don't know what to make of this, it could mean various things. It could mean that Claudius is making a grab for power shown in his concentration on the foreign polices trying to distract from his lust for power, along with his marriage to the queen giving the change in leadership a smoother and more acceptable feel. He also down plays the death of the formal king so that he can redirect the peoples' attention to his plans and the problems of the state. But I could mean something else I'm not sure. Later on in this scene Claudius talks to Hamlet, Hamlet is very depressed, Claudius gives hamlet some comforting and fatherly advice here trying to get him out of his deep depression. But what is his true motivation here is he trying to get hamlet as a backer for his new rain, so he is just   lying and manipulating hamlet, or dose he have true and deep feelings for Hamlet and is just trying to help hamlet and was no self-interest in it. I feel right now that   it a bit of both I think   he cares about hamlet but would also like him to support his rise to power.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Next we come to act II, ii,   hamlet has made many strange comments and actions lately, many people think he is going, or has gone insane. Claudius finds two of Hamlets good friends to spy on him and try to find out what wrong with him. At this point we know that Hamlet knows that Claudius killed his father but we don't know whether Claudius knows that hamlet knows or even if he suspects, this cast a strange light on this scene. First if Claudius suspects hamlet knows that he killed his father then we might assume that Claudius is sending these spy to find out for sure if he knows, but if he dose not suspect hamlet then this might be another show of Claudius's affection towards Hamlet. So the same question keeps coming up dose Claudius like Hamlet or is he just using him? At this point it to hard to tell so we must delve deeper in to the

On the Free Choice of the Will Essay

This book by St Augustine contains many philosophical arguments. St Augustine was a Latin speaking philosopher born in what is now modern day Algeria. He was one of the most prolific philosophers with hundreds of surviving works attributed to him (having survived the passage of time). The book On Free choice of the will contains may divine references with the central argument concerning free will as a gift from god, a gift which leads to humans becoming evil due their own inherent flaws. Free will is a large theme in the book. I will be critically analyzing Augustine’s argument that ‘†¦ a mind that is in control, one that possesses virtue, cannot be made a slave to inordinate desire by anything equal or superior to it, because such a thing would be just, or by anything inferior to it, because such a thing would be too weak’1 . I will be looking at the weaknesses and strengths of this argument and conclude how convincing his argument is. Augustine’s first argument about the mind being made a slave to inordinate desire contains many flaws its states â€Å"Each mind possesses the same degree of excellence and any thing that would attempt such a thing will have fallen from justice and become weaker† 2(originally said by Evodius but Augustine agrees to it) in this he is essentially saying that any mind attempting to enslave another mind to an inordinate desire will have become unjust and in the process weaker meaning it cannot control the superior mind. The first problem with this argument is the premise that all minds posses the same degree of excellence, this notion is completely wrong as it would be illogical to assume that all humans are intellectually equal. The fact that the foundation of the argument is wrong could serve to debase the entire argument as it is a paramount (and erroneous) notion upon which the argument is built. Augustine’s argument states â€Å"a Mind cannot be enslaved by something equal or superior to it because that thing would be just† 3 Not only does this statement destroy his previous notion that all minds are equal it also contains many faults on its own. Firstly its assumes that a mind that is superior would be just this assumption contains many problems. Firstly it assumes that the smarter you are the more just you would be, this statement is quite the contrary the smarter you are the more likely you are to be able to manipulate and scheme making you unjust, one can only look at politicians to see that the more intelligent you are the more susceptible you would be to carrying out unjust acts, so in my opinion this statement can be easily refuted. It is quite logical to assume that the superior mind will be more likely to try and enslave another mind for some purpose or another. One can only look at the peace among intellectual inferior animals which do not commit a multitude of nefarious acts in order to further themselves, contrast this with the chaos amongst humans and one can begin to see that the superior mind is truly less just than the inferior mind, humans have pride and ambition which engenders greed and other destructive traits, these are not seen in animals and babies (both of whom have inferior minds) and galvanizes the notion that a superior mind is less just than a weaker one. The next part of his argument that an inferior mind cannot enslave a superior mind because it will be weaker, contains much more logic than his previous arguments. I would not say this statement is wholly correct but the notion that a weak mind cannot enslave a superior mind is mostly correct in my opinion as it is logical to assume that weak cannot overcome the strong. On the other hand to completely write off a weak minds chances of enslaving a superior mind would be foolish as many other factors are involved in this process including emotions and circumstance, for example if a man with a superior mind is in love with a woman who possesses an inferior mind he could still be enslaved to inordinate desire by virtue of his love for her which will have warped his reason. Hence under some circumstances a weak mind can over come a superior mind yet it would be prudent to assume that a superior mind will always have the upper hand barring external factors. Finally in my opinion there is a huge inherent flaw in the entire argument of Augustine, I believe that pride, ambition, gluttony and all other various inordinate desires are inherent in humans in general, I do not believe it is necessary for a mind to sway another into these desires as they already exist within the human being, it is environmental factors which sway a human being into experiencing these inordinate desires not people and as a result I believe that Augustine’s arguments are fundamentally flawed. He takes a very idealistic view on humans believing them to only corruptible due to other unjust people corrupting them. In truth I believe (unfortunately) that humans are more inclined to feel inordinate desires due to extenuating factors that catalyze their latent emotions that lead to the dire consequences that are engendered by inordinate desires. In conclusion I believe Augustine’s arguments are mediocre. Their strengths are far and few and hugely outweighed by the flaws In them. His arguments while appearing logical and reasonable contain many imperceptible cracks which can be exploited greatly (and at times can debase his entire argument) in the case of a debate. On the basis of this I would have to say that his arguments are mediocre at best and while they are somewhat convincing a wise man would see through them easily.

The Slavery Of African Slaves Essay - 1163 Words

President Lincoln gave the black people hope and this is what they needed. Initially his decisions and actions are to preserve the Union; however, they were the black people’s only hope for freedom. President Lincoln needed the black people as much as they needed him. Southerners prideful thinking led them to believe they are superior to blacks. The South could not function without the labor of the slaves and depended on them heavily for working the fields and running households. The treatment of black slaves is unjust and cruel. Families separated from loved ones, women, and men beaten regularly. Slaves received small rations of food, denied education, and could not travel without a note. There rights completely stripped that left them with little dignity. The day that President Lincoln declared that freeing the slaves was essential in winning the war was a day of celebration! Many slaves responded by fleeing and rushing to enemy lines while for other’s it to ok months before finding out. Many slave owners withheld this information. The Emancipation Proclamation would ignite a series of events that would change the course of history. This is the beginning of change for our country. Blacks come together and are willing to sacrifice their lives for this cause. They realize that they need to take swift action. If the Confederacy wins the war, it will be the end of their existence. Unwanted Participants The Confederate soldier’s superior thinking is that blacksShow MoreRelatedThe Slavery Of African Slaves1906 Words   |  8 PagesThe inequities presented through the oppression of African slaves from 16th to 19th century Britain due to increased forms of slavery, highlight extremities relative to their mistreatment and the consequent need for betterment through the abolition movement. Increasing tension between racial populations as a result of the promotion of slave trade, increased through their mistreatment, evoked opposing movements from pro-abolitionists. Similarly, significant events and figures contributed greatly toRead MoreThe Slavery Of African Slaves1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe origin of slavery was not caused because of racism. As rice cultivation expanded in the South, movement of white indentured servants was declining due to the harsh conditions. Moreover, white landowners began to feel unsure about their dependence on white workers because of the scarcity of labor in the South. The importation of African slaves was a response to a growing demand for labor. Thus, slavery was the desire for white landowners to find a useful, stable workforce. Racism was created toRead MoreThe Slavery Of African Slaves913 Words   |  4 PagesWhen the first slaves were taken from their homes in Africa and placed onto the ships to bring them to wherever they were destined, their freedom was taken away. One of the reasons that people were okay with this situation was because they viewed Black people as an inferior race. The slave codes stated, â€Å"Slaves were not considered men. They had no right to petition. They were ‘devisable like any other chattel.’†¦ The slave owed to his master and all his family a respect ‘without bounds, and an absoluteRead MoreThe Slavery Of The African Slave Trade1280 Words   |  6 PagesBritish slave trading begun in the late sixteenth century and grew remarkably during the seventeenth and eighteent h centuries. As a woman in society, she faced challenges herself; however, she addressed the humanity of slaves as human beings and not by the color of their skin. 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African American slaves were forced to live without privileges, until they found a solution. Slaves found freedom in the church, where they could praise, sing and be happy. The church was a way to express their hardships and rationally deal with slavery (Du Bois, 115). The preacher was their â€Å"advocate† and someone they could relate to, and their feelings were in the music. The church was a place of security, where African Americans felt safe and comfortable (DuRead MoreThe Slavery Of African Slave Trade1039 Words   |  5 Pagesthe practiced slavery that took place in Africa. Slavery included stripping humans of their identities and classifying them as property, forcing them to obey their masters. The slaves had no rights and humanity had fled their thinking. Some even claimed slaves to be aliens even though they were not. Slave’s masters could do what ever they pleased with the slaves including, making them do their dirty work, striking them whenever they pleased and abusing their slave sexually. The slave had no defenseRead MoreAfrican Slavery And The Slave Trade Essay1795 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Slavery is the legalized economic activity under which people, especially the natives of a land, are treated as property by colonizers like the Spanish. Slavery was a system that lasted for many years before it was abolished and the Africans as well as the Indians went through a lot of suffering upon the hands of their masters. The slaves were meant to perform duties such as cultivation of the plantations, domestic chores and even mining activities and were on the constant watch ofRead MoreSlavery : A African American Slave1518 Words   |  7 Pageswas an African American slave that went through many hardships during his life just like any other slave. We look at slavery as a whole picture most of the time and don’t give very much thought to the political, economic, and racial factors that influence slavery, even in modern time. Of course, we know that slavery in the 1800’s was extremely racial in that only blacks were enslaved. However, looking at the statistics as w e talk about slavery, it has become widely apparent to me that slavery is largelyRead MoreThe European Slave Trade And Intra African Slavery1511 Words   |  7 PagesThe European slave trade and intra-African slavery began with different intentions and goals held in mind. Although, they also shared similar aspects and ideals shown through how they functioned and were run. Intra- African slavery began before the European slave trade came to exist; this unpopular fact shows the beginning of such a gruesome and detrimental act began by the people of Africa, which, later in time, is what fuels and strengthens the European slave trade. African slaves were once captured