When we analyze the perspective on house-less-ness, we can see that many of the so called homeless population are surrounded by food deserts. Food deserts will cause nutrition deficiencies if the individuals such as the houseless, which are surrounded by fast food restaurants, convenient stores, and are regularly consuming those companies products due to the lack of finance. Many of these companies provide food that have different ingredient that are detrimental to the brain health of people. These products are GMO and grown in lab, which have unknown long term effects in the future. Food insecurity is not the same as food deserts. Food insecurity refers to a lack or a limited amount of food, while food deserts refers to the " specific geographic areas where residents’ access to affordable, healthier food options are generally restricted or even nonexistent due to the absence of grocery stores/supermarkets/farmers markets "(canr.com). Its important to know that if there is ever a purpose to solving the house less ness or "homeless" problem, there should be a way of empowering the individuals mind health, so that they may get back on there feet. Health is one of the biggest factors of causing people to not work, due to the fact that they can't function due to x-amount of reason, or are in Jerprody of spreading there illness. Covid-19 has been one the primary examples of job loss in the United states causing many evictions, job layoffs, and more. On top of all of that, we have food deserts that still remain as the majority source of food to acquire for the houseless. On the story map website for Portland, Oregon Food deserts are locations where "neighborhoods doesn't have adequate access to grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, or any the locations where food is purchasable."(StoryMaps). Fast food is designed to be cheaper compared to grocery food, simply due to the abundance of resources for each of the companies demands. The houseless is surrounded with markets indicated in the companies in the picture below, such as McDonald's, seven-eleven, and many more that have very little nutritional value. There is a direct correlation between mental health, and the food consumption according to the the conversation "it is now known that many mental health conditions are caused by inflammation in the brain which ultimately causes our brain cells to die. This inflammatory response starts in our gut and is associated with a lack of nutrients from our food such as magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, vitamins and minerals that are all essential for the optimum functioning of our bodies."(The conversation). Overall, we need to analyze a different source of food alternative when trying to help the houseless out in the efforts of getting them back on there feet.
Below is a quiz to get a grasp of Food deserts and food insecurity. This will open a new perspective for you. By the end of this quiz you should be informed on the matters of food deserts, food insecurity, and how the houseless have to eat.
1) Which of the following would you be most likely to find in a food desert?
- Grocery stores
- Farmers market
- Fresh Fruit/ Vegetables Stand By
- Fast Food Restaurant
- Fringe Foods
- Health Foods
- super Foods
- vegan treats
- Food desert
- Food insecurity
- Food pyramid
- Food ambivalence
Key:
1) Number 4 is correct
2) Number 1 is correct
3) Number 2 is the correct
4) False, food deserts refers to the lack of nutritional value the food companies provide around the local area, while food insecurity is a limited access of food or no food at all.
5) Its much cheaper, and filling to eat at fast food restaurant compared to locally grown food.
6) There is a direct correlation to mental health, and food based on the consumption of sugar and other ingredients that may cause inflammation in certain parts of the body that effect, mood, thought, and overall health of the individual that consumes certain foods.
Sources:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/57432585082c48f6a5594ff35b627508
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/food-insecurity-and-food-deserts-how-are-they-related
Photo Source:
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/food-desert.htm
Quiz Source:
https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-food-desert/quiz (1-3) (4-6 Self Made)
Shazad Ahmed Credits
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