You may have noticed my recent reference to another venue for which I write so let me give you a bit of detail. I have recently become a staff writer for a project, now an Incorporation, titled Social Justice Solutions (SJS). Our mission is: To create a forum for social workers to promote the exploration of social welfare policy, and social work practice that is in keeping with the NASW Code of Ethics in order to better connect with the needs of the public they serve. By unifying social workers and our clients in a digital space we will create the foundation of power needed to promote social workers for public office. I try my best to incorporate chronic illness, food allergy/intolerance/celiac disease factors, and food advocacy into what I write there. That being said, I wanted to share today’s post with you which is in reference to tomorrow being FOOD DAY 2012. While not entirely related to gluten free living, food access and production is an important component in healthy eating, which is what we try to do by abiding by a particular diet. Please read on, and see the bottom of the post if you would like to find out more about SJS or follow us on one of our social media sites.
I feel this is something we as a profession should all get behind. Hunger and poor nutrition influence everything from our disease rates, mortality rates, mood, and academic success (and so much more). Disease and Mortality rates are obvious. Our American diet of fast and sugary foods is leading to an epidemic of obesity and other disease complications that lead to more deaths than needed from diseases that are preventable through diet and life style changes. The Food and Mood connection is a bit foggier, but none the less clear. In fact, some mental illnesses have diet suggestions and Complementary and Alternative treatments or as mainline treatments. Finally, there is plenty of research which links poor nutrition (linked meals or poor options) to academic outcome in youth. This may be the underlying reason behind the push for improving school breakfast access by the Dairy Counsel and other agencies (because we cannot be a nation slacking academically when compared to others right?), which isn’t all that bad because it gives access to food to many youth who may not otherwise have breakfast.
But FOOD DAY’s priorities go far beyond simply food, health and diet itself. If you care about the economy, the environment, politics, or wellbeing you care about what we eat and our food system. There is an obviously bigger issue at stake. With so much mention of the growing number of food stamp users in the debates it’s clear: Hunger and Food Access. In a first world nation where millions of communities and citizens live in area’s designated as Food Deserts (areas with limited access to affordable and healthy foods) and spend everyday struggling to meet their nutritional needs we need to address the bigger picture. From a system’s perspective FOOD DAY’s goals of improving working conditions of farmers as well as sustainable farming techniques provides jobs, decreases injuries and use of pesticides, protects our environment (and thus our global health), and offers a means of effectively (if embraced and implemented) reducing food desserts and hunger.
While food day will help address the problem and bring awareness to it, it doesn’t eliminate the Socioeconomic disparity which exists between citizens who have easy access to healthy affordable foods (often middle and upper class, and white), and those who are food insecure (often lower class and minority). If you care about the economy, the environment, politics, or wellbeing you care about what we eat and our food system. It will take far more backing for improved assess and nutrition awareness from ALL professionals to do this, which is where I feel we come in:
I wanted to share this with you a day before FOOD DAY because I wanted to give you a challenge. Tomorrow, FOOD DAY, I want you to think about how hunger, diet, or food access influences you, your agency, or your clients. Maybe even speak about it to them, acknowledge the day in whatever way you can. If we as a profession are to help improve the lives of our clients we must think beyond our day to day interactions and realize the bigger picture. Food is what gives us energy and life, and it is a big part of this bigger picture.
For more information and an interactive map of Food Deserts please these CDC Websites:
