Many people are feeling the pinch of the recession. Those that arent are hunkering down expecting the current lull to last a very long time. The fact is that there are just so many things to worry about now that sometimes people forget that their health is still something that they should be wary off. There is no point in worrying about you finances, childrens education etc while neglecting something as basic as your own health.
A recent article in a popular weight loss magazine states that the American society is the most obese in the world and has some of the highest rates of heart disease that can be directly attributed to being obese. This is even before the public knew of the pending recession. Strangely enough, with the looming recession and people cutting back on their spending for food, initial reports have indicated that even more people are graduating to the obese category and more people are suffering from heart disease. This is in sharp contrast to what normally happens to less developed nations. When suffering from financial distress they normally would suffer from malnutrition and instead start losing weight.
When investigating we came upon the answer to this strange phenomenon. It is mainly down to the pricing structure of foods in the US being radically different compared to other less industrialized nations. During the industrializing of the US and in the early post-war era, Americans demanded more meat and didnt have as much demand for vegetables. As a result of the economy of scales, animal proteins and fats are actually cheaper to buy than vegetables and low G.I (glycemic index) carbohydrates. Shoppers looking for deals in supermarkets can very easily purchase off cuts of meat that have been ground up for a mere few cents per pound.
It is this imbalance in terms of pricing foods that have made Americans so obese for so many years. The problem is now that a lot of Americans are losing their jobs and are in financial distress, they are turning to foods which are of even lower quality in the hope that they can save money. These cheaper cuts of meat are often ones with low protein and are high in fat. The cheap staples like potatoes and rice have very high G.I (glycemic index) and are generally bad for you too. Combine these cheap foods and the bargain basement price for fizzy pop and sweets and you have the recipe for one of the worst diet programs on earth.
As if to make matter worst, Americans who are on a budget for food will almost always flock to cheap diners and fast food restaurants. These places have the worst types of food for your health. Long term exposure to cheap foods in diners and fast food restaurants is seriously detrimental to your health. The lack on greens will mean that you are mal-nourished, lacking essential fibers, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
Although it might be a bit hard to swallow at first, just because you are in a financial bind doesnt mean that you should stinge on your food to the point of eating unhealthily. There are actually ways in which you can get fresh clean foods without having to pay very high prices. Naturally having fresh green vegetables is very important. You should always aim for freshness, leanness and fiber for the best combination diet. The best place to source fresh greens is to visit the farmers market in the early mornings so that you can get the best quality picks at reasonable prices. As for meats, local butchers can offer cuts that arent available in supermarkets and some can even offer them at very reasonable prices.
The trick to getting a good diet in even if you are in financial distress is to shop carefully and not simply find easy solutions by choosing food that is of lower quality. You should never look at canned foods as alternatives to properly cooked fresh foods. The problem is that you just have to spend just a bit more time in sourcing for your foods that you can cook yourself.