Malnutrition is a Global Reality

Malnutrition is not just an undeveloped country reality; its affects are experienced globally. What is malnutrition; it is a condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of the vitamins, and other nutrients, it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.

The above definition indicates that it is possible to eat regularly, and still be malnourished; because the condition is caused, not only, by the unavailability of food, but also by the consumption of foods that are vitamin and nutrient poor.

The human body, in order to maintain a balanced or healthy state requires a daily intake of the following: seven major minerals, namely phosphorous, calcium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and magnesium. In addition to these major minerals there are trace minerals that are considered to be essential for maximum health they are iron, iodine, cobalt (from vitamin B12), chromium, selenium, copper, fluorine, manganese, zinc and molybdenum.

What we eat, and how much, and how often we eat, are determining factors in both malnutrition and hunger. Many people consider these companion (Malnutrition, hunger) realities to happen only in developing countries or very poor regions, however, for 1 in 6 people in the United States, hunger is a daily experience.

Among those who go hungry are hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days.

A, perhaps surprisingly, related condition to malnutrition is obesity. At first, this may appear difficult to reconcile, but when you think about the fast food lifestyle many North Americans live, and the instant foods they eat; foods that often do not contain sufficient amounts of the vitamins and minerals our bodies demand, but are loaded with fructose, glucose or some form of refined sugar; it is easier to make the connection between improper food consumption, obesity and malnutrition.

Mark Hyman MD in the Huffpost Healthy Living Blog, March 8, 2012 said “Americans are overfed and undernourished. That's right, the most obese children and adults in the country are also the most nutritionally deficient.”

I suspect the same can be said for Canada and other developed nations; countries that are not normally associated with hunger or deprivation.

Hunger and malnutrition are not just happening over there, someplace that is far from our homes, but are taking place in our communities, neighborhoods and quite possibly within our own families.

Addictions of any size difficult to beat, not impossible

Samantha Torrence - Many people battle addiction in the world. You may be addicted to something as significant as heroin, or maybe it is just that video game you play. No matter what your addiction is it is important to remember that once it reaches to the level of addiction it is not healthy.  Beating the addiction in your life that is holding you back from health, happiness, and prosperity is difficult in this age of stress, but it is not impossible.

There is nothing like waking up in the morning to a cold glass of Dr. Pepper. The ice clinking in the glass, the coldness, the fizziness, and let’s not forget the caffeine. Pop/Soda was the alternative morning caffeine drink of my desire since I didn’t really enjoy hot drinks and I certainly did not enjoy the taste of any kind of regular coffee.  Tea presented the problem of not only being warm, if it wasn’t iced tea,  but also not having the same caffeine kick to it that helped me start moving in the morning. My morning pop addiction extended to almost all the drinks of the day and as a way to relax at night. When it dawned on me that I was drinking pop to relax as well as get going I then realized it wasn’t just the caffeine that I needed, it had become a habit formed addiction. I needed the ice, the fizzy, and the sweet taste.  I have battled with this addiction for years now going yo-yoing in my resolve, but I have never really accomplishing my goal to just quit craving it.

People do not realize how powerful an addiction is until they are caught up in one. It could be pop, like me, or cigarettes, or even MMORPGs. Each of these items has an addictive part of a routine that helps you calm down and alleviate stress. Some accomplish this through a chemical means and by helping to establish a control in their routine, while others reshape reality for a short time to something that is a little more tolerable. Some addictions start of as simply benign hobbies, while others are harmful from inception.  All addictions are like a weed, unless you get the root out it is going to come back.

When I was younger and used to bite my fingernails I read that to make a habit it only takes a week, but to break a habit it takes 21 days (3 weeks). If it takes that long for a simple habit then an addiction is only going to be more difficult. The breaking of an addiction is the wall that many people crash against. It is the mountain that is insurmountable without the correct tools. So what are the best tools for breaking an addiction?

Dr. Phil has listed his opinion on the best way to break addiction on his website.

The Summary:

• Acknowledge the purpose – each addiction starts from a need for fulfillment in a part of your life


• Think rational thoughts instead of denial – admit you have an addiction and that it is serious


• Use alternative coping skills – find some other way to fulfill your need that is positive


• Identify your danger zones – who, what, where, when, or why do you begin to feel the need for your addiction?


• Make lifestyle changes – Plan your life away from your danger zones and towards your health


• Be accountable and have a support system –You can’t do this alone. Have someone you trust hold you accountable and be there to help you before or even after you slip up.


• Reward yourself – Changing your life away from addiction is difficult. Be kind to yourself; pat yourself on the back when you make progress.

Dr. Phil has very good insight into how to break an addiction. For me personally I could not get past the “Think rational thoughts” part until I realized that almost all of my conditions are exacerbated by drinking soda. When this realization dawned on me I was ready to move forward in my progress. Now I have switched from Soda to green tea with ginseng and honey. My drink is still in a glass with ice, still has some caffeine although not as much, but far less harmful to my body.

If you need support while you break a habit, find a group in your area or even an online forum of fellow travelers where you can find people to hold you accountable and give you the emotional support that you need.