Reflective Blog Posting

            During this semester I had the opportunity to develop a researched blog project that consisted of an introductory post, followed by five researched postings, and wrapped up with this final reflective posting. This has definitely been an emotional journey for me. Having the freedom to develop a writing project on a subject that was important to me has given me the opportunity to share with others about topics that have affected me and my family on a very personal level. Over the course of this project I have discovered that it is easy to acknowledge the fact that I need to eat healthy, but it is very hard to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

            This project has definitely been a new learning experience for me. I feel that by developing this project over time in separate steps, this allowed each posting to be fresh, unique and original from each of the other postings. I also feel that by this being a researched project this allowed me to share credible information with others. I notice when searching online that many blogs are made up of the author’s opinion are not fact based. I feel that my project is great reference material for someone looking to change their eating habits.

            I feel that participating in this type of online project has introduced me to a new aspect of learning for me. In the beginning I struggled to develop my blog in an acceptable format for this type of online project. I wanted to make each posting pick up where the last one left off. But now I can see that even though my postings are linked together to ultimately cover one main topic, each posting is also independent of the other and must therefore be introduced and concluded as such.

            

Obesity and Healthcare

            Unhealthy eating habits can be quite hard to break, even though we know that these unhealthy habits can negatively impact our lives in a major way. Many of us chose to ignore the warning signs of unhealthy eating habits. Most people don’t make the decision to adopt a healthy lifestyle until either them their selves or a close friend or family member suffers from a major health scare or even worse death occurs due to a chronic disease that was caused by unhealthy eating habits. It has already been established that eating healthy can be quite costly, but in the end it can save you thousands. People whom suffer from hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases spend millions of billions of dollars a year on health insurance premiums and co-pays. And for those who are uninsured or underinsured a major health event can cause them to lose their homes and life savings. Eating healthy now can save you from a lot of negative outcomes later.

            Recently in the last couple of years, employers have been researching ways to cut down on employee related health care costs. Many employers are now requiring pre-employment healthcare screenings for potential employees; these wellness screenings are being performed to weed out “unhealthy individuals” who could potentially costs employers a lot of money in paying employee related health premiums and costs. Employers are now looking into charging people who are considered to be obese higher premiums than those who are considered to be in a healthier weight range. A study done in 2010 reports, “an obese person incurs medical costs that are $2,741 higher than if they were not obese, nationwide that translates into $190.2 billion per year, or 20.6 percent of national health expenditures” (Finkelstein, 2009). Employers also have discovered that obese employees are more likely to suffer from work related injuries, and that obese people also have a higher call-in percentage than their thinner counterparts.

            Obesity is being seen as an epidemic that is taking over the United States. With the economy “failing” we as consumers all want more for our money and the one place we can definitely get it is in fast food and dining out. No one wants to go the restaurant that is known for giving small portions, when telling a friend about a new place to eat, one of the ways we convince them to try it is to say you get more than your money’s worth, but at what price? One of the early warning signs of unhealthy eating are the ever expanding waistline, which many of us dismiss as just getting older. But getting older does not necessarily mean getting wider. There are many people who are able to maintain their weight over the years. Another indicator that unhealthy eating habits are negatively impacting your health is aches and pains. Once again this is not a sign of aging. Most backaches, legs, and knee aches are a direct result of too much weight on the core of the body, which in turns puts the back and legs under more unnecessary strain which causes the aches and pains. Chronic fatigue is also a sign that your dietary habits may be doing you more harm than good. Many people who eat foods high in fats and sugars report that they often feel overly tired and fatigued and for no good reason. This is because these food let off toxins that build up in your system and this affects your immune system, leaving you feeling tired and never really feeling rested no matter how long you sleep or how many naps you take in a day.

            Healthy eating and exercise can do more for a person than just making them look physically good on the outside. These two go hand in hand in conditioning your heart to keep it healthy, and to keep your lungs healthy and well expanded. Your body must have oxygen to survive, healthy lungs brings in oxygen for a healthy heart to circulate oxygen rich blood and glucose to all of your cells, tissues, and organs keeping them healthy and working leading to a healthy you.

Works Cited

Finkelstein, E. (2009, August).  Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: Payer- and service-specific estimates. Health Affairs, 28(5). Retrieved April 16, 2012, from Academic Premier Database.

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