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Mar 18

California’s obsession with unhealthy diets are a longtime fad – The Daily Titan

Diet Comments Off on California’s obsession with unhealthy diets are a longtime fad – The Daily Titan

Its no secret that California is one of the most influential states in the nation. Along with having the largest economy in the nation, when compared to the rest of the world, California ranks 5th in thriving economies, according to Business Insider.

To simply put it, the state could rule itself and still be capable of not just surviving, but perhaps prospering.

It has sun-kissed beaches, known to Southern California locals as some of the best in the world, and a collection of the most strikingly beautiful native redwoods that tower amongst the Northern California hills.

The landscapes are eclectic, people-friendly and its vibes are just uncharacteristically good. Its safe to say that from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, California has it all and its Instagram game is arguably always on point.

The Golden State has an image to uphold, one that is maintained from history to the modern media. Its the epicenter of film and television; synonymous with fame and fortune not to mention the fantasy ideals that accompany them.

Theres an inherent expectation that people from California are wealthy, which doesnt seem so far-fetched considering the sum of monetary circulation in the state alone. The high cost of living proves that nearly a quarter of the nations richest people live in California, according to Forbes. Looking at the booming tech industry in Silicon Valley and the celebrity status of LA, it seems understandable.

But the requirements to be a Californian dont end with money. They perpetuate the notion that people are also naturally more attractive than those in other states, setting both unrealistic and unhealthy standards of beauty.

These physical ideals have many people consistently manufacturing new ways to lose weight and maintain the idealized beauty standards that society has portrayed, not limited to but including: tan, blond and more often than not, skinny.

Its the skinny part that has stood out throughout history to be non-negotiable, especially in the eyes of many Southern Californians.

Fad diets arent new; theyve been a topic of conversation since the early 1800s when the creator of graham crackers, Sylvester Graham, became an advocate for the benefits of vegetarianism. His detailed push for Americans to eat a low-fat, fiber-rich and meatless diet was only the first step into a multibillion-dollar industry that began to succeed by preying upon the average persons deepest insecurities.

Since then, fad diets have become a staple in the health and wellness industry. But many of these diets, which often fall under the guise of cleanses, produce only temporary weight changes.

They emphasize shedding pounds and changing sizes almost exclusively. These fad diets highlight the speed at which this can be done with little to no regard to an extended plan for sustainability, a distinction made by a University of California Santa Barbara article that outlined the fad dieting epidemic the nation faces.

A majority of these diets stem from California, the same star-studded epicenter that most trends emerge from. Unlike the horrors of denim on denim, this is one fad that seems to have a tighter grip on the minds of society.

At this point, there is almost no denying that these diets are harming a whole new generation of impressionable Californians.

While Northern California has its fair share of diet-obsessed people who have managed to digitize dieting through intermittent fasting, its Southern California whose under researched and overpriced obsession with green juice cleanses are teaching young people that being healthy equates to rarely eating or not eating at all.

With its inclusion of several major beach cities and their proximity to Hollywood, there are many reasons Southern California seems to breed an unhealthy number of eating disorders. The expectation to be conventionally attractive is simply higher with more exposure to people who seem to be naturally perfect.

There is no question that social media has made a sizable impact when it comes to body image standards. Although there are examples of influencers who use their platform for good, promoting body positivity and sustainable healthy living, there are just as many who are not credible and advertise products for monetary compensation alone.

It is this constant exposure to carefully curated healthy lifestyles that is causing clinically diagnosed disorders, including a newly researched orthorexia, a new fixation with healthful eating that is becoming particularly detrimental, according to the National Eating Disorder Association.

Turning to a life fueled by exclusively whole wheat avocado toast and green juice may seem like the glamorous Californian dream, but in a time when fueling our bodies and immune systems is of the utmost importance, please be kind to the hunger of the body.

Its important to understand the difference between fad diets and simple healthy diets, which maintain a certain degree of integrity, focusing on lifestyle changes to promote health on a long-term scale.

It ultimately comes down to finding a proper balance which many people struggle their whole lives to find. But, always remember that before a healthy body comes a healthy mind.

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California's obsession with unhealthy diets are a longtime fad - The Daily Titan

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