The Third Law of Thermodynamics
The Third Law of Thermodynamics states that as a system approaches zero (temperature 0 kelvins), all processes cease and the entropy of the system reaches a infinitesimally small value. The concept of reaching zero is actually a limit because it is not possible. The point is that we get so close to it that it is basically the same as being there.
The point of the law is that the colder it gets the less entropy will be present. In cold environments, everything slows down to decrease entropy. It is important to note that it is impossible to reach 0 kelvins. It is theoretically possible. The reason is that as something cools it will tend to draw energy from surrounding matter and that will raise the temperature. This fact is implied by the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Obesity and The Third Law
The third law shows that as temperatures decrease the entropy will decrease as well. This means that at very cold temperatures there will actually be a higher organization and less randomness. How can this apply to obesity?
As things get cold they slow down. They become so slow that the randomness decreases. This points to a very important part of human lives. Humans have become more and more busy.
In many households today, there are two wage earners. People are required to work more than 40 hours per week and many people have second jobs to make ends meet. People are working harder and feel more stressed out than ever before. It is part of our culture of getting ahead.
There are a lot of trends that correspond to the obesity epidemic. One of these trends is the absence of the mother from the home and the increase in stress levels. Many people do not have a peaceful home to go to or are required to work so much that they don't even know what is going on.
As a society, it is easy to see the increased entropy. The disorganization leads people to make poor choices. They make eat fast food out of being too tired to go home and cook. They may find junk food next to the counter and buy a bunch to elevate their mood. Food industries move away from nutrition and towards a more entropic state of random junk.
Slow Down – Get Colder
The Third Law of Thermodynamics shows that slower processes decrease entropy. This means that, in our lives, we need to slow down to a state that we can manage our lives well. Slowing down seems so simple, but in doing so we will find that our lives naturally increase in order and that the required work load will become less. Managing our lives is an important part of obesity management. Isn't the main problem of obese people learning to manage it well?
As scientific evidence, it is proven that stressed out people have an increase in the hormone Cortisol. Cortisol is widely known to be a predictor of weight gain. It is also proven that the best way to get rid of Cortisol is through exercise.
Summary
It may be clear that the Third Law is loosely applied here. However, it is certainly true that if we slow down our busy lives that our chances of success improve in the weight loss area.
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