Reply to classmate introduction

Hello, my name is Ashley Mairena, and I am an English Literature major in my second year. A fun fact about myself is that I am a fraternal twin (it’s the best). In this course, I am hoping to learn how to incorporate better food and/or health choices into my lifestyle through education, rather than through social influences. 

Nutrition is something that I have had an interest in, which has led me to searching the internet about nutritional advice in the past. From articles I read, they claimed the idea that anything remotely carbohydrate-related was terrible, especially if butter or oil went along with them, because they were “unhealthy.”

For quite a while, I found this statement to be true as I watched others around me take part in the keto diet, cut out all breads, pastas, baked goods and more, or even stop using olive oil when making certain dishes. These claims of carbohydrates and lipids being terrible for one’s diet seem quite believable when others around demonstrate actions influenced by what is socially considered “healthy” and “unhealthy.” Condescending words were used when referencing carbs and oils/fats, allowing someone to subconsciously chastise themselves whenever they decide to eat foods within these two categories. Not only that, but when one hears testimonies of weight loss, better energy, or even glowing skin from individuals who took out these specific nutritional needs, it allows one to view the statement that carbohydrates and oils are horrid as true because without them, one seems to be living an improved, healthier life.