American Women
Human health is a universal phenomenon that affects the body, without which we may not live. However, culture has a special imprint on the way we take care of our organism, and this influence is difficult to counter. Even though it is a condition that affects all of us, different civilizations imply different treatments of the body, which must be taken into account at the time of comparing health conditions. Many aspects must be taken into account, including possibilities of exercising and the tendency of the culture to lead people towards this aim. In my case, because I am a female and an American, I have both a good side and a bad side. The cultural significance of being a female helps towards a healthy lifestyle, even if it imposes standards that are not realistic. On the other hand being an American counters this lifestyle, as we are constantly submerged in a capitalistic and consumerist society, where the push to consume and eat more is always prevalent. Even though this tendency is for everyone immersed in the culture, each individual perceives it differently.
I am an American, where fast food and capitalism have reigned over good conditions of health. Since the point when women were integrated into the workplace and had to work instead of keeping up the household, lunch had to be resolved by other means allowing the fast food market to flourish. Capitalist and libertarian interests took precedence over proper nourishment, and these effects are still felt to this day. In my case, neither of my parents is available at noon to cook lunch for me and my brothers. Therefore, the majority of the times I have to eat out, where food isn’t as nutritive as it would be if I cooked it myself.
Also, consumer culture in the United States of America pushes towards buying and eating more every time. The sizes of the plates and all-you-can-eat style restaurants immerse you in a tendency of eating large quantities, instead of what is nutritionally necessary. This tendency to overeat is glorified as it helps the free market, but it leaves individuals that have bad nutritional states.
Furthermore, exercise is not promoted like in many other countries. Even though there has been a trend in the last years towards a lifestyle that includes fitness, this was not the mode of living that we were brought up with. As such, this is a current that one must work against with hard effort. It is remarkable that a country with such great public installations, including sports fields and the ability to do exercise outside, the well-being of the body is not promoted and taken into account. With such a prosperous economy, it is lamentable that the physical health is not being taken into account in favor of market interests.
Nevertheless, women are expected to be physically fit and have a decent body. Male-centeredness in Western civilization dictates that women are to be loved for their outwards appearances and aesthetics, rather than for inward characteristics. Thus, because of my gender, I feel compelled to stay within a certain physical frame figure. Women are labeled as fat in spite of not being medically obese. Culture also promotes that women will not find an adequate sexual and life partner if these physical conditions are not met.
As opposed to men, women are constantly bombarded with impulses to regularly visit the doctor. Men are culturally programmed to be strong and forceful; on the other hand, women are expected to be delicate and subordinate to men. Men are projected to be autonomous and, thus, have no need to visit anyone that will talk to them about their health. Nevertheless, women should seek a doctor at the first time. In my case, I have not visited a doctor in several years. Even though I do not think that this is the best way to act, the sky-high prices of medical attention prevent me from taking this luxury.
Therefore, as one can see, culture is an influential part in health perception, but individual choices are important too. Even though many people allow themselves to be influenced by contemporary culture, some are able to swim against the current and free themselves from this tendency. The culture wherein one is raised is difficult to separate from. However, rational thought allow people to distance themselves from this tendency. I have not been able to separate myself from this, even though I have tried. It is not easy to nullify that with which one has grown up with.
Nevertheless, this impulse may be detrimental to some women. Even though the pushes towards a healthy body my work for some people, for others it may be too much. The rise in the United States of America of both anorexic and bulimic cultures has lead to an extreme use of culture to be healthy, as it does not actually help the people that are involved. As one can see, even though each individual person is in charge of his or her own destiny, culture has an influence over their choices.
In conclusion, being an American and a woman, these forces have countered one another and allowed me to live a life that has been healthy overall. These tendencies have gone against one another, allowing for a healthy lifestyle to come into play. Nevertheless, being a woman has allowed me to flourish within my civilization. Even though being an American has the tendency to make me dependant on consumerism and capitalism, where society makes you consume ever more, being a woman allows me to counter these currents. Women are expected to be physically fit in Western civilization, even though this may even turn out to be detrimental. Nevertheless, this has kept me grounded on what a healthy person should be, allowing me to separate myself from American grounds. Culture has an important influence on health, even though each individual person has his or her own response to the problem.
