Food allergy is quite a significant problem for the healthcare system of the US. More than ten percent of the countrys population is susceptible to food allergies of different kinds (Zhao et al., 2019). There are several reasons for allergic reactions emerging, and gut dysbiosis is one of them. The gut microbiome contains thousands of bacteria, both good and bad. They may either help cure and prevent diseases or cause them. The present essay addresses the impact gut bacteria has on food allergies to establish the connection between these two phenomena.
The gut microbiome plays an important role in forming both the adaptive and the innate immune systems. Recent research has proven that alternations in microbiome development may result in allergic reactions and even lead to asthma, eczema, or other allergic-related diseases (Lopez-Santamarina et al., 2021). The studies also confirm that gut dysbiosis may become a reason for the further development of food allergies. Newborn children are the most susceptible to this problem since their microbiome develops really fast and is still not strong enough to eliminate harmful bacteria.
However, the influence of microbiome and allergic reactions on each other may be considered mutual. People with food allergies have a distinct gut microbiome, which differs depending on the type of the allergy (Bunyavanich & Berin, 2019). However, since the gut microbiome develops during the lifetime, its changes may influence the allergy as well. In addition, it is necessary to understand that allergies do not develop only due to the weakness of gut immunity. Their emergence is dictated by a group of factors which include the environment people live in, the diet they stick to, and the level of their physical activity. Apart from that, the microbiota of other body systems other such as respiratory or integumentary systems, since they deal with internal and external bacteria and are influenced by them.
Taking into account all mentioned above, it is possible to conclude that the gut microbiome is connected with the emergence of food allergies and may influence them. However, their connection does not presume the gut microbiome is the only factor that influences allergic reactions. Food allergies are complicated and ambiguous phenomena. That is why it is necessary to assess other external and internal factors that may cause their appearance.
References
Bunyavanich, S. & Berin, M. C. (2019). Food allergy and the microbiome: Current understandings and future directions. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144(6), 1468-1477. Web.
Lopez-Santamarina, A., Gonzalez, E. G., Lamas, A., Mondragon, A. D. C., Regal, P. & Miranda, J.M. (2021). Probiotics as a possible strategy for the prevention and treatment of allergies. A narrative review. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 10(4), 1-19. Web.
Zhao, W., Ho, H. E. & Bunyavanich, S. (2019). The gut microbiome in food allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Official Publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 122(3), 276-282. Web.
Soil erosion is a process whereby soil (mostly the top fertile soil) is transported or swept away from its natural environment then deposited to other places. This usually happens as a result of blowing wind, water flow, rainfall, by the force of gravity (down slope movement of soil) and human together with animal activities. Erosion is a natural process although it has been seen to rise due to extensive use of land and more so in the agricultural industry. The reduction of soil cover and the cutting down of trees also triggers soil eroison. Agricultural land that is used on the industrial scale is seen to be the most affected as it is subjected to greater rates of erosion. This is evident especially when there is the use of tillage which clears vegetation covering the soil while disturbing soil structures together with roots holding these soil particles together (Willett, p. 24).
Main body
Soil erosion triggers a number of impacts but the main area of concern in this report is soil degradation by erosion affecting the worlds food supply. Soil is taken to be the worlds most valued resource. The loss of this resource, through land degradation processes such as wind and water erosion, is one of the most serious environmental problems we are faced with as it is destroying the means of producing food (Willett, p. 89). This is a problem that affects the whole world as food is a basic need. Erosion, takes away the best organic matters, it tempers with the depth of the top rich soil, reduces the soils capacity to hold water, and affects the soil biota. Rainfalls beneficial impacts are reduced too due to increases in water runoff and reductions in the soils water holding capacity. Taken together or separately, these factors limit the soils productivity and, as a result, can reduce crop yields from 15 to 30 percent (Pruski, p. 15).
A research carried out by the U.N showed that about 11% of the worlds best soils (which are as big as size India and China put together) have been spoiled by our activities from as early as 1935. About 9 million hectares of arable land have been irreversibly damaged by erosion through overgrazing, deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices. A further 1.25 billion hectares is considered to be seriously degraded and could be restored only at great costs (Hinkel, p. 81).
There are many examples showing that erosion has really affected the worlds food supply. This one is explained by Lal who reveals that:
Erosion is very significant in land degradation that leads to decline in crop production which eventually leads to a drop in the worlds food supply. On a global scale, the annual loss of 75 billion tones of soil through deforestation as a major cause of soil erosion costs the world about US$400 billion in a year (at US$3/ton of soil for nutrients and US$2/ton of soil for water), or approximately US$70 per person a year. It is estimated that the total annual cost of erosion from agriculture in the US is about US$44 billion in a year or about US$247/ha of cropland and pasture. In Sub-Saharan Africa it is much larger; in some countries productivity has declined in over 40% of the cropland area in two decades while population has doubled. Overgrazing of vegetation by livestock and subsequent land degradation is a widespread problem in these regions (Lal, p. 157).
The production ability of most land that has been subjected to soil erosion is seen to decline up to 40% due to soil erosion brought about mainly by deforestation. The reduction of yields in Africa as a result of erosion is about ten to fifty percent. The total mean loss for the whole continent stands at 9%. Africa is perhaps the continent most severely impacted by land degradation due to soil erosion, with the global average being lower, possibly in the range of 18% (Baanante, 224). With increasing land degradation due to erosion and deforestation triggering erosion on a bigger scale, food productivity might actually drop up to 50% necessitating international aid which in turn affects the supply from wherever the food is coming from. With the current rate of population growth and soil erosion it is said that by 2050 there would be a humanitarian crisis as far as food supply is concerned.
Another good example is of an East African country (Kenya) which has had severe famine due to lack of enough produce. In Kenya agriculture is taken to be the backbone of the country. The country was initially self sufficient in terms of feeding its people. The famine that affected the country was attributed to soil erosion that occurred mainly by the use of unsustainable agricultural practices that exposed soil to erosion and deforestation. Kenya being a hilly country is highly prone to erosion by gravity. This issue is made worse by unsustainable agriculture that does not take care of the issue of soil erosion. Top fertile soil was extensively carried away leaving behind soil that was not good for agricultural food production. Due to lack of produce in the year 2007 and later rains were not sufficient in the year 2008 a great famine ensued leaving people to boil poisonous wild fruits for hours to extract the poison in order to fix a hot plate (Kamau, p.17). Research shows that lack of rain again was due to deforestation that is helping desertification in this nation. The country was forced to use all its food reserves to the extent of asking for emergency relief food from international organizations.
Generally soil erosion occurs where there is lack of adequate soil cover, putting this in consideration; the situation can only worsen when necessary measures are not taken on time. When erosion continues all fertile soils will be swept away leaving behind soils that are not good for crop production or farming activities. Because of the lack of vegetation on land, rainfall attraction does not take place then a famine may be realized. Many countries having this problem rely on other countries for food supply thus creating imbalance in the supply of food. All this is brought about by not tackling the initial problem that is soil erosion.
The percentage of desertification is very high in the world today. In deserts and arid areas very little crop production can take place. Deserts do occur because there is lack of vegetation which is responsible for rainfall attraction and soil cover for water preservation. When soil erosion takes place these areas lack the ability to have vegetation and thus there wont be water retaining capabilities or factors influencing rainfall attraction. What will be left is the soil exposure to wind and other factors that influence soil erosion. The main factor influencing this is deforestation. After sometime these areas lose all agricultural relevancies thus having a negative impact on food supply.
Across the world research shows that after soil erosion (especially after over use of agricultural land or tillage erosion) has taken place the remaining soil is not good quality soil for food crops. What is normally done with this is the planting of other crops which can survive harsh conditions and the soils that are left behind. These crops are normally cash crops as food crops need more nutrients to grow. With the current rate of soil erosion most parts of the world lack the capacity to produce food crops and rely on other countries to produce food crops for them. This is also a negative factor to the worlds food supply since the initially food productive areas are unproductive at the time when the populations are high needing more food crops. This also has a negative effect on the worlds food supply.
Soil erosion does not only create unfavorable conditions for crop growth through land degradation but as shown by Matende:
The implications of soil erosion extend beyond the removal of valuable top soil. This is in regard to erosion brought about by water or rain. Crop emergence, growth and yield are directly affected through the loss of natural nutrients and applied fertilizers in the soil. Seeds and plants can be disturbed or completely removed from the eroded site by water erosion. Organic matter from the soil, residues and any applied manure is relatively light weight and can be readily transported off the field, particularly during spring thaw conditions. Pesticides may also be carried off the site with the eroded soil. This can effect negatively on the supply of food particularly when corrective measures are not taken on time or generally poor yields will be realized (Matende, p. 234).
Wind erosion has also been seen to cause significant losses on food crops. The unavailability of lasting vegetation cover in a lot of areas has led to widespread wind erosion (Bramson, p. 21). Loose, dry, bare soil is the most susceptible; however, crops that produce low levels of residue also may not provide enough resistance. Wind erosion may also create adverse operating conditions in the field (Mathews, p. 67). Food crops can be destroyed completely bringing about expensive delays and necessitating reseeding. If not the food crops could are sandblasted and destroyed with the end result being no yield, low yield and poor quality yields that impact negatively on food supply.
Off-site impacts of soil erosion are not always as apparent as the on-site effects. Eroded soil, deposited down slope can inhibit or delay the emergence of seeds, bury small seedling and necessitate replanting in the affected areas (Knight, p. 212). This kind of erosion is normally brought about by water or rainfall. When there are heavy rainfalls soils that are unprotected and do not have adequate cover or are loose due to tillage and human activities can easily be swept away. This type of erosion has its own share of negative effects as far as food supply is concerned as in the event of erosion taking place in wide areas crops will not only be buried but some will be left bare and thus germination will either not take place or the exposed seeds can be devoured by birds and other animals. If corrective measures are not taken on time there will be little or no production at all. This also affects the general food supply in the world today.
Conclusion
Therefore as shown in this report various types soil erosion has adverse impacts on the worlds food supply. Nevertheless, enhanced land use practices if embraced can mitigate this situation, using techniques such as terrace building, conservation tillage practices, and tree planting can help reduce soil erosion (Pruski, p. 14). When these practices are used properly soil erosion can not only be reduced significantly to about the same rate of soil reform but also the world will realize better food crop production and there will be sufficient food security. Using these methods again food crop yields could increase up to 20% this is in northern America and from about 4 to 17% in Africa.
Works cited
Baanante, Amos. Deforestation, Erosion and Productivity. Kampala: East African Publishers, 2002. Print.
Bramson, David. Wind erosion. Journal on water and wind erosion 21.1 (1998): 14-28. Print
Hinkel, Jones. Causes of soil Erosion. Journal of soil and water conservation 53.6 (1995): 64-91. Print.
Kamau, Samuel. Effects of Famine. Kampala: East African Publishers, 2009. Print.
Knight, Carl. On sight and of sight effects of erosion. New York. Oxford university press, 2000. Print.
Lal, Jones. Effects of Soil Erosion. International journal on soil erosion 82.9 (1989) 132-171. Print.
Matende, Ronald. Effects of Soil Erosion on Crop Yields. Dodoma: Chacha and sons Publishers, 2004. Print.
Mathews, Daniel. Effects of wind erosion. New York, NY: Oxford university press. 1992. Print.
Pruski, Ferdinand. Factors limiting soil productivity. Journal of soil and water conservation 57.1 (1996): 7-16. Print.
Willett, Sean. Soil Erosion and Land Degradation. Delhi: Kathak and sons publishers 1992. Print.
An important role of the government is to assist its civilians when they are in need. One way through which the government fulfils this role is through food stamps. Food stamps are welfare benefits aimed at assisting low-income members of society in feeding themselves. This government program provides the needy citizen with a card that contains money that can be used to purchase food items. While the benefit of food stamps is unquestioned, there are calls for the state to impose tighter conditions for receiving food stamps as the economy improve. Such calls are made on the assumption that citizens will be able to earn enough money to purchase food without government assistance when the economy is doing well.
This paper argues that the state should tighten the conditions for receiving food stamps as the economy improves since citizens are able to make more money and engage in productive activities. In addition to this, tighter controls enable the government to save more money that can be used to provide social support when the economy is suffering.
A Case for Tightened Conditions
Tighter conditions should be imposed since citizens are able to earn more when the economy improves. The food stamp program is meant to supplement the low income earned by people, therefore enabling them to purchase food. When the economy improves, the income earned by individuals also increases, making it unnecessary for many people to rely on government support. Stricter conditions would ensure that citizens do not continue to rely on the government even after their income level rises to the level where they can support themselves.
Tightening conditions for receiving food stamps will boost the countrys economy by forcing civilians to utilize the available employment opportunities. When the economy improves, more jobs are available to people. However, some people fail to take advantage of these opportunities since they can rely on food stamps for their sustenance. Stringent conditions will ensure that such people are forced to take advantage of any job opportunities available to them. The entire country will, therefore, benefit from the larger workforce.
Finally, the governments expenditure will reduce since the number of food stamp recipients will drop under tightened conditions. The food stamp program is funded by the government, and a lot of money is used when the number of recipients is high. By imposing strict conditions when the economy is favourable, the cost of the food stamp program will reduce. This will enable the government to save up more money that can be used to aid civilians when the economy is weak.
The argument against Tightened Control
Opponents of proposals to imposed tightened conditions argue that such measures would keep the needy from obtaining government aid. People who apply for food stamps are often low-income citizens who are unable to earn enough to feed themselves and their families. An improvement in the economy does not mean that these people will earn enough money or even get a job. By making it harder for people to obtain government support through food stamps, the tougher controls will cause many needy citizens to suffer from hunger. However, advocates of tighter controls assert that these measures will not lock out the truly needy. Instead, they will ensure that citizens who can provide for themselves do not burden the government by relying on food stamps.
Conclusion
This paper has argued that the State should tighten the conditions for receiving food stamps as the economy improves. It began by highlighting the importance of these social welfare benefits to low-income citizens. The paper then showed that as the economy improves, people do not need the government support as much, and the state should tighten conditions to limit the number of food stamp recipients.
Laura Esquivel was born and raised in Mexico and may have written this novel with the hope of portraying to her readers some Spanish background and history. As well, she may have used her novel to show her talent and creativity which she could not portray in her previous screenplay. She is a young author and is working on a current novel. Like Water for Chocolate is the kind of book anyone would appreciate.
It is full of suspense, emotion, and tradition. Some parts of the novel are very far-fetched but this unique style of writing is all part of this fantasy. Like Water for Chocolate is definitely worthwhile to read. It will leave you with a sense of knowledge of all the hardships that Mexican women once went through and a better understanding of the pain love can possess.
In Like Water for Chocolate, love, food, and magic are all joined together. Love is expressed through food. The food is magical and causes others to feel happy love, sad love, as well as sexual love. Being able to feel the emotions and pain of the main character is an incredible sense that can be achieved in Like Water for Chocolate. This novel will be hard to put down; the subtle climaxes leave you hanging until the very end. Just as Tita poured love into her food, Laura Esquivel has poured love into her novel. After reading this book, a sense of understanding can be grasped of the author as well as the main character.
Tita was practically raised in the kitchen and she communicates her love for Pedro through the dishes she prepares, and he, in turn, shows his affectionate gratitude. Titas quest to be with Pedro is shared only with Nacha, the main cook and helper on the ranch. Nacha understands Titas pain and consoles with her. Nacha dies from the sorrow of the loss of her love and throughout the story appears as a kindly ghost. Pedro and Rosaura move away from the ranch leaving Tita alone. She then discovers her love for a local doctor, John Brown, who cares for her deeply. Tita realizes her love for John could never compare to her suppressed feelings for Pedro. As the story progresses, many tragedies occur, but Tita and Pedro still have an undying love for each other.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marquez is a novel focused on the life of the Buendia family. There are many themes in this novel but one that stands out throughout the novel with constant debates is the theme of the contrast between the Buendia men and the Buendia women. As the family moves through different generations there is a constant repetition of this theme which follows through till the end, showing how Marquez has a strong opinion of this theme which he reveals with the ending of the novel.
The theme of the Buendia men and women is also tied with biblical references such as that of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were the first humans on earth who were expelled from the garden of Eden just like Jose Arcadio Buendia and Ursula who were also exiled to some extent for the reason that they were relatives and were married. Another similarity between these two themes is how Ursula and Jose Arcadio Buendia after moving started a new life somewhere else later known as Macondo which refers to Adam and Eve being parents to everyone mainly to Christianity, Jewish and Islamic religions. The sense of Ursula being the backbone of the family is clarified when she gets old and useless because the Buendia family decays with her, and when she finally dies it marks the beginning of the end of the family and Macondo.
The Buendia men have most of the traits of Jose Arcadio Buendia, which are strong, smart, adventurous, having leadership skills but amongst these, there is also solitude. Solitude becomes the ending downfall for all the Buendia men. The typical Buendia men are the simplest to predict their traits for the reason that there are two characters; Aureliano or Jose Arcadio, the outgoing or the solitary type but at the end, this really doesnt matter because at the end they become the same fall into solitude and die away slowly without people really realizing.
Circularity stands out when talking about the Buendia men because there is a constant repetition of how the personality traits evolve. An example of this would be the names of the decedents; if they have the same name with slight variation they will take the personality traits of that person who mainly is either Jose Arcadio or Aureliano.
The Buendia women mainly have the descending traits of Ursula which qualify as; strong character, hardworking, loving, and morally correct. All the Buendia women descent from either Ursula or Remedios which is seen again through the repetition of the names in reference to the pattern of the characteristic traits. Petra Cotes even though she is not a Buendia woman she can still very closely refer to them mainly to Ursula seen by how when the father dies it is up to her to bring in the money for the family by keeping the family business alive (lottery), she also shows her loving trait by providing for Aureliano Segundos death which all refers very closely to Ursula. The ending of the novel concludes the comparison between men and women by how as Ursula dies who is portrayed as the main Buendia woman the whole family and town fall apart.
Works Cited
Gabriel Garcia Marquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Harper Perennial Modern Classics (2006).
Laura Esquivel: Like Water for Chocolate: Black Swan; New Ed edition (1993).
Food is one of the main sources of energy for the human body. However, bacteria that can be found in food can cause serious health problems. Acquiring knowledge of these threats to the body is critical. This information includes information on disease signs and symptoms, kitchen practices in a foodborne disease, how to collect patient specimens and pitfalls that may arise. Thus, this paper will explore these aspects of the salmonella bacterium, which can negatively affect the human body.
Many people often hear about a food-borne illness pathogen such as Salmonella but have little knowledge about it. For example, the FDA identifies it as a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis ( Salmonella (salmonellosis, n.d., para. 1). The main route of transmission can be through hands or kitchen utensils that are poorly treated and cleaned.
Among the symptoms, diarrhea that can be bloody, fever, and stomach cramps are included ( Salmonella and food, n.d., para. 3). Salmonella-induced illness can be diagnosed by testing a sample of stool or blood that is collected from patients and handled with care and attention. This is because one of the pitfalls in this process may be improper storage of the collected specimens, leading to confusion. In addition, improper collection of material for research is also possible. When investigating a foodborne illness outbreak, the main areas should be individual hygiene measures, how kitchen tools are washed, and cooking and appliance procedures. Furthermore, this also includes methods of storing various foods, their preparation, and the way food is handled.
In conclusion, Salmonella poses a particular danger to the human body. This is due to the fact that it can be easily spread by improper hygiene and not following the rules of food storage and preparation. Moreover, this disease can be transmitted through insufficiently cleaned kitchen utensils. When collecting the necessary materials for the analysis of the disease, the specimens collected must be handled responsibly to prevent possible incorrect conclusions of research.
Food deserts are regions where there are no grocery stores within easy driving distance, restricting or eliminating residents access to affordable, healthful food options, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. For instance, 2.3 million people live more than one mile distant from a supermarket and do not own a car, according to a report by the US Department of Agricultures Economic Research Service (Wetherill et al., 2019). The presence of food deserts in schools interferes with academic success. Low nutrition prevents students from developing properly and from being ready to work hard and efficiently in school, which results in poor academic achievement.
Sustainable Development Goal
Ten percent of the approximately 65,000 census areas in the United States are classified as food deserts by the Locator (Wetherill et al., 2019). In these census areas, 13.5 million people have limited access to healthy food sources (Castañón et al., 2020). Areas with smaller populations, higher rates of abandoned or deserted homes, and residents with lower levels of education, lower incomes, and higher rates of unemployment are more likely to have food deserts. According to Wetherill et al. (2019), Black communities have been shown to have fewer supermarkets than white communities hence food deserts are an unfair reality. A food pantry inside or close to a school is referred to as a school food pantry. They collaborate with neighborhood organizations, food banks, and school administrations. Families in need of extra assistance paying for groceries are helped by school pantries. They do not just apply to students who get free or reduced-price meals but also to district residents.
Many people associate going to school with book bags, notes, and bus rides. However, this also means that approximately 30 million kids who depend on daily free and reduced-price school lunches will be receiving the nourishment they require (Wetherill et al., 2019). Kids feel better, perform better in school, and behave better when they have access to healthy meals every day. Based on the global nature and increased malnutrition among citizens, the organization adopted the 2030 sustainable development goal aimed at reducing hunger to zero (Widener, 2018). This organization will therefore work to ensure a constant and sufficient supply of nutritious food. The gaps that arise after the school is out of the day will be filled when our team in collaboration with other partners introduces food pantries in school that cater to children and families who live in food deserts after the school day has ended.
Logic model
Figure 1. A graphical representation of a logical model displaying inputs, activities, outputs and impact of the project
Stakeholders
Stakeholders refer to individuals, groups, or organizations that will participate and be impacted by the execution of the school food pantry project. They have a personal stake in its success because it will benefit them financially or professionally and may have a significant impact on how it is completed. They are also those groups or individuals without whose support the organization would not be able to function (Wetherill et al., 2019). Our organization will bring together various stakeholders with the goal of managing their requirements, interests, and points of view. This will contribute to the positive feedback that will ensure the success of the organization in achieving its objectives. The organization will bring together stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, employees, communities, managers, and shareholders to ensure that all win over time. Therefore, stakeholders are crucial to the successful execution of the food security strategy because they may provide financial support and strategic input.
Stakeholder engagement is a common thread through every stage of the process. Interaction with stakeholders can be divided to three types of engagement. These are consultation which is a two-way process where an organization includes the stakeholders in the decision-making and planning process. Stakeholders will provide information, opinions, and ideas that will directly affect the direction of the project. Informing stakeholders of decisions, progress, and status of the project. This is more of a one-way communication where an organization keeps stakeholders informed of project status and progress. Participation involves direct contribution and involvement in the project (Widener, 2018). In the food pantry development project, the local community will play an active part in the project. Community participation is the best means of ensuring local ownership and the long-term sustainability of the outcomes.
High-ranking government officials, influential figures in the food sector, neighborhood associations, and religious institutions are examples of stakeholders. These participants can aid in determining which opportunities and needs are most pressing. The creation of an organizational strategy, as well as a resource and development plan, can benefit from the input of this group. It is necessary to first distinguish between the two tiers of stakeholders (Allcott et al., 2019). Stakeholder participation, with a higher level of commitment that lessens their resistance to the project, and buy-in, stakeholder involvement, in which stakeholders need to be kept informed and consulted. A parallel track of continuous negotiations is necessary since stakeholder involvement is a process of consultation, communication, and exchange.
Implementation
The implementation of the development of food pantries in schools in the United States is a collaborative effort between our organization and other interested partners. These parties come together to help children and families with little or no access to healthy food. To best implement this initiative our team will collaborate with partners such as food banks, hospitals, community partners, and school administrators in the planning process. The goal of this initiative is to directly serve the residents and the school-going children by providing them with easily accessible healthy food.
The first step in this process is to determine who, in the early stages of execution, the food pantry is supposed to serve. This process will take approximately two months to determine the rightful beneficiaries (Allcott et al., 2019). Rather than requiring students to qualify for the services of the food pantry as many community pantries or local services would, the school food pantry will willingly serve any student without asking for information about their financial situation. This decision was made to emphasize inclusivity, but also not restrict students who may have complex situations regarding their financial stability from getting the extra support that they need.
Additionally, it is the hope of our team and the partners that making the pantry accessible to all students will help in reducing any negative connotations about students who use the services that the pantry offers. One of the key goals of our team is to create an atmosphere of acceptance and trust for students and community residents who need to use the food pantry. This, however, will be done through intentional marketing about what food insecurity is and by outlining whom the food pantry serves.
The organization will require immense funding for it to achieve its objectives and remain operational and helpful to the targeted parties. Most of the funding will be done by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and faith organizations. USDA is an organization that buys food from farmers and delivers it to food banks so they can distribute it to the local community. With 2.5 billion meals provided by USDA programs in 2020, they are among the most dependable food sources for food banks (Castañón et al., 2020). Secondly, humanitarian help has historically been provided by faith-based organizations, many of which have an emphasis on reducing hunger and promoting food security.
This organization will get sponsorship from the Bread for the World organization which is an American, non-partisan, and Christian movement. Its primary goal is to advocate for policy change by involving people and organizations in yearly campaigns that have a particular focus on issues relating to food and agriculture. Policy drafting will be done, posted and later communicated to the involved stakeholders. The entire drafting process will take one month while communication to the decision makers and board of management will be done within six months. The establishment and stocking of the food pantry will also be done within six months after approval of the policy by the stakeholders and management board.
Consequences
Each month, food banks face the monumental task of serving millions of pounds of fresh produce, meat, dairy, and shelf-stable food to hungry families. While doing this, food banks are faced with various challenges which put the entire program at risk of failure before they even implement it. Firstly, food banks specifically our organization, may face the challenge of correct data collection (Castañón et al., 2020). It is more difficult to track and gather follow-up data from families who move around a lot or are otherwise less stable, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of a program. It can be challenging for food banks to explain impacts to funders, neighborhood stakeholders, and other potential participants without post-program data on participants. Ingeniously utilizing social media, our organization has been able to stay in touch with program participants who constantly move, enabling us to approach participants and keep track of the statistics.
Our organization may also face a challenge in a partnership due to its critical and complex nature. Our organization may need to develop a framework for collaborating with partners on data-sharing agreements and privacy to implement programs that offer wraparound services in collaboration with other agencies and organizations. Building enduring collaborations involves several different steps, including agreements on data-sharing and privacy. These collaborations may involve parties who have invested in joint programming, who exchange participant data, or who have banded together as program development thinking partners (Wetherill et al., 2019). The organization may also face a challenge as people with greater needs may face barriers to engaging in the programs. Getting needy people to participate in new programs might be challenging if they move around a lot or are preoccupied with other problems such as sickness. They do not have much time to devote to program needs under these circumstances.
Conclusion
Food deserts are an alarming issue of concern, especially for school-going children. This is because a lack of healthy food affects children both physically and mentally. Firstly, childhood obesity is a result of food deserts. These youngsters are compelled to eat what is available, leading them to lead unhealthy lives due to the abundance of fast food and the absence of nutritious food in these places. By becoming obese, they create a gateway for more mental and physical health issues including high blood pressure and cholesterol. Academic achievement is also hampered by food deserts. Poor nutrition results in students not developing properly and being unprepared to perform well and efficiently in school, which lowers academic achievement. Last but not least, type-2 diabetes is more likely to strike youngsters who live in food deserts. Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
School food pantries offer a lot more than just food. They help children overcome obstacles to their academic and social success, motivate parents to become more involved in their childrens education and development, and strengthen ties among students, parents, teachers, administrators, and members of the community. Our organization aims at providing intervention that will help counter the challenges associated with food deserts in schools and the community. By offering additional assistance to help individuals deal with their current challenges, our food bank organization will enable people to escape poverty and prevent them from using food banks in the future This may involve providing benefits counseling, mental health help, or debt advice. These interventions will be important in promoting overall food security and in the improvement of the nutritional status of the targeted parties. This will in turn result in improvement in the quality of life among the students and the community as a whole.
The problem of food safety is on the world agenda today due to multiple cases of existing infections and contaminations. This is why this problem is one of the greatest environmental concerns that should be treated by nurses much more carefully. According to Food Safety and Inspection Service (2011), recent threats are specifically associated with spread of Listeria contamination of imported food products. This sort of contamination refers to the products that have been imported from other countries or regions. The presented issue constitutes a serious danger not only to the identified community but to safety of people in the country and outside it. Lack of food safety control, specifically inappropriate inspection of imported goods and failure to monitor the process of production, can lead to pandemic and decrease in the quality of the manufactured goods.
Part of the reasons for existing cases of infection spread is connected with the populations lack of awareness of the norms for processing and consuming food products (Redmond and Griffith, 2004). In particular, consumers perception of control, risk, and responsibility to food preparation in domestic conditions play a crucial role contributing to the problem of microbial contamination. In addition, the government also fails to pay sufficient attention and introduce corresponding measures for reducing the risk of infection (Redmond and Griffith, 2004). Importantly, due to the fact that the environmental issues under consideration present serious health costs and risk to the community, nurses face a dilemma concerning the medications distribution and introducing information about the actual hazards of the microbial contamination of the imported goods.
With regard to the presented issues, close cooperation should be immediately established between the nurse professionals and the government to diminish the risk of infection and increase the quality of the food delivered. A nurse-led program, therefore, will consist in distributing information among the members of the community, which will be a kind of preventive measure. Keeping the population informed will decrease the risk of the contamination spread and provide a solid ground for developing a more safe environment (Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2011). In addition, the fruitful cooperation between nurses and local private and public organizations will contribute to broadening the communitys awareness of the actual threats and consequences of the presented problem.
The preventive measure, however, is not enough for introducing an effective contamination decrease policy because many people have already faced this dilemma. In such situations, the nurse program should seek to define the costs and budgeting for distributing medication among the population as well as the corresponding information on taking this medication. Specifically, there should strict prescription regulations to prevent serious problems linked to environmental issues (Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2011).
On whole, the main purpose of the initiated program should be oriented on much more common environmental issues as well for the population to be more conscious about the actual problems connected with improper food preparations as well as the products that require special treatment, such as meat, fish, and other exotic products. The community should also realize the urge for introducing the budgeting of food safety-related programs to build a healthy environment.
References
Food Safety and Inspection Service (2011). New Jersey Firm Recalls Imported Ham Products Due to Potential Listeria Contamination. Web.
Manderscheid, R. (2009). Aiming for a healthier population by 2020: Moving our fields towards prevention, early intervention, and population health. Behavioral Healthcare, 29(1), 51-52.
Redmond, E. C., and Griffith, C. (2004). Consumer Perceptions of Food Safety Risk, Control, and Responsibility. Appetite. 43(3), 309-313.
The formation of a well-conceived and balanced nutrition routine is essential to ones knowledgeable approach to life and health awareness. Developed eating habits are different and unique, as they are adapted to the individuals work schedule and timing. In todays world, our lifestyle and diet have dramatically changed due to hectic routines, increased shift work, and outside-home meals that resulted in irregular eating and sleeping patterns.
Therefore, time and nutrition are inherently connected, as they directly interact throughout the day of an individual and are interdependent. With that said, it is important to examine the relationship between time and nutrition, involving chrono-nutrition and night shift eating, as well as the health outcomes of metabolic and public health.
Nutritional health is fundamental to human wellbeing over the life cycle. According to Leech, Worsley, Timperio, and McNaughton (2015), a poor diet contributes to poor health that serves as a risk factor for the emergence of non-communicable diseases, including causes of death on a global scale (p. 1). Hence, they studied the variety of meal patterns and their influence on energy balance and weight status.
The study concluded that within a number of male and female participants of the United States, an increased amount of the consumed energy intake after 17.00 hours is linked with the increased daily alcohol intake. However, there was a decrease in carbohydrate consumption. Moreover, current evidence states that the breakfast skipping habit might be destructive to ones diet quality, although the nutritional frequency and meal timing requires further examination.
Changes caused by living in the urban environment also influence sleep, and dietary patterns as the population of large cities keep rising. The urbanization process implies multiple dietary and lifestyle factors that affect health, such as shift work, sleep, stress, physical activity, age, income, pollution, social jetlag (Pot, 2017, p. 190). The particular impact of timing was studied in terms of the chrono-nutrition issue. Pot (2017) classifies three critical aspects of time, including irregularity, frequency, and clock time, as the actual time of intake. Altogether, they might affect circadian rhythms and be critical to metabolic health.
Urbanization changes sleep, which is a crucial modulator of metabolic functioning, including energy metabolism, glucose regulation, and appetite with common obesity outcomes (Pot, 2017, p.192). By examining the relationship between sleep duration and nutritional intake, the study concludes that normal sleep (seven to eight hours) leads to higher consumption of vitamin C, fiber, and iron. Furthermore, the increased levels of serum total carotenoids, selenium, and urinary nitrogen were noted in contrast to short (less than six hours) and long nights (more than nine hours).
The significance of the chrono-nutrition can be traced while considering certain aspects. First, changes in circadian rhythms might affect food metabolisms, such as digestion, food absorption, and energy metabolism through the major clock genes. Secondly, the food and beverage intake timing impact the output of the clock system; for instance, breakfast skipping enhances obesity risk as compared to eating regularly.
Furthermore, there is some evidence that nutrients, such as glucose, ethanol, caffeine, thiamine, and retinoic acid, postpone circadian rhythms (Pot, 2017, p.194). Another aspect implies the relevance of sleep as the determinant of ones internal body clock. As such, the decreased hours of sleep are connected with increased food consumption, low-quality diet, and overweight, in addition to higher risks of chronic diseases, including CVD, diabetes, and hypertension.
Food timing demonstrated a close correlation with weight regulation, as well as metabolic status. Sofer, Stark, and Madar (2015) provide time-related dietary approaches based on the studies in animal models and clinical studies to address abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome issues. The study represented the timing of food consumption as the new tactic to face these problems, with the correct restricted meal timing and macronutrient distribution being of the utmost importance. Concerning the simulated night work routine, the meals intake during this period might have negative health outcomes.
As described by Grant et al. (2017), this implies impaired glucose metabolism caused by the inappropriate timing of meals, as well as the beneficial impact of food withholding at night. There were no changes reported concerning the glucose or insulin levels in five days of circadian misalignment with eight hours of daytime sleep (11.00 19.00). The increased glucose response to a meal, regardless of increased insulin secretion during the nighttime food intake might be connected with decreased insulin sensitivity. Therefore, the impairments in glucose tolerance were reported only by the group consuming food at night. Furthermore, the study suggests that the benefits of night-time food restraining might continue after the resumption of the night-time hours of sleep.
To conclude, the interaction between the nutrition policy and the aspects of food timing is not an easy concept to discuss because of the lack of new studies and researches. However, several studies were examined for a better comprehension of such an issue concerning the time impact on health, such as poor diet quality, non-communicable diseases, obesity, and impairments in glucose tolerance. Thus, time serves as the risk factor for metabolic and public health, especially for night workers with irregular sleeping routines. The current studies are fundamental for the emergence of innovative and time-related methods of nutrition targeting.
References
Grant, C., Coates, A., Dorrian, J., Kennaway, D., Wittert, G., & Heilbronn, L. & Banks, S. (2017). Timing of food intake during simulated night shift impacts glucose metabolism: A controlled study. Chronobiology International, 34(8), 1003-1013. Web.
Leech, R., Worsley, A., Timperio, A., & McNaughton, S. (2015). Understanding meal patterns: Definitions, methodology and impact on nutrient intake and diet quality. Nutrition Research Reviews, 28(1), 1-21. Web.
Pot, G. (2017). Sleep and dietary habits in the urban environment: The role of chrono-nutrition. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(3), 189-198. Web.
Sofer, S., Stark, A., & Madar, Z. (2015). Nutrition targeting by food timing: Time-related dietary approaches to combat obesity and metabolic syndrome. Advances in Nutrition, 6(2), 214-223. Web.
The article Chinese Restaurant Food educates the general public about the hidden dangers and harm of eating too much Chinese food. Hurley and Liebman (2009) explain that the notion of Chinese food being healthy could be contrary to the fact. While Chinese cooking does actually deserve credit for keeping a lid on saturated and trans fat with no cheese and plenty of vegetables and healthy seafood, the fact that Chinese food is loaded with salt is cause for alarm (Hurley and Liebman, 2009). In the article, the authors also educate the reader that contrary to popular belief, Chinese cooking may not entirely be free of fat since dishes that are required to be deep-fried in oil contain loads of calories. The article also informs readers that Chinese food may not be as healthy as apparent due to the high sodium content and the huge number of calories that may be present in the popular deep-fried dishes.
I do not think that the article is convincing enough to make the restaurant industry change. However, I do feel that the article will prove extremely beneficial in educating the general public about the ingredients present in their favorite Chinese food. The article explores the myth that Chinese food is healthy and is devoid of any harmful ingredients. One of the most harmful ingredients, monosodium glutamate is found in abundance in Chinese cooking and can prove to be potentially harmful to health. Had the article provided some scientific facts and data to back its claims of the possible dangers of MSG to human health, the restaurant industry would then have taken notice and possibly made some changes in the use of ingredients that could be harmful to the human body.
The article is short and crisp and provides recipes of popular Chinese foods and the number of calories each of them contains. I do believe that the issues raised by the CSPI are justified because people have a right to know and be educated about what they are eating and how it would impact their health. Statistics confirm the steady rise in the rates of obesity with 34 percent of Americans being obese (Jacobson, 2009). Obesity is an epidemic that needs to be tackled jointly by citizens and government bodies and the efforts by the CSPI is a responsible step towards tackling several health issues which the nation faces.
The restaurant industry should make a conscious effort to change and the CSPI should continue with its initiative of informing the general public of the perils and risks they face by eating the foods which are commonly served to them in restaurants and fast food joints.
The initiative taken by the CSPI is indeed worthwhile because health is a matter of serious concern and people need to realize that what they eat has a direct impact on their health. Obesity has also become a serious matter and the intake of foods and drinks will have a negative impact on the overall health of the nation. As such, organizations like the CSPI should be applauded for taking the initiative of informing the general public of the exact content of the food they eat so that they can make wise decisions and healthy choices about the food for which they pay to eat in restaurants.
References
Hurley Jayne & Liebman Bonnie (2009). Chinese Restaurant Food, Nutrition Action, Health Letter.
Michael F. Jacobson (2009). Soft Drinks: Time to Tax. Nutrition Action, Health Letter. Volume 36 Number 2
Every educational institution has a canteen that provides complete meals. In theory, everything is organized, and students should not feel any discomfort because they spend most of the day away from home, but things are quite different in practice. Statistically, about 60 percent of people suffer from stomach problems, which are a direct result of improper nutrition. Banning unhealthy items on menus is a controversial question which remained unresolved for a long time. Many people have argued that the sale of junk food is very profitable because especially children are very fond of eating snacks, which brings considerable profit. Others were against it because of the long-term well-being consequences. After complex debates, a federal law that fundamentally changed the menu toward healthy foods was passed. It is the proper decision as school is the best place to create lasting lifestyle changes. It should teach good habits, demonstrate behavior patterns, and create a healthy atmosphere, especially in the canteen.
According to the data from the survey, many American children eat half of their daily meals at school. For many kids, food at school is the only way they can eat on a strict schedule. However, one out of three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese. Over the past 30 years, the rate of obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adults. In 2012, the Healthy, Not Hungry Kids Act was passed, which provided healthy meals in schools, specifically less sugar, more fruits and vegetables, low-fat foods, and normally sized portions (Schwartz and Wootan 67). In addition to the fact that it has influenced the rate of obesity among children, another positive point was noticed an improvement in the performance of schoolchildren. It is notable to mention that since 2012, when the United States implemented improved school nutrition standards, children-especially those in low-income families-have been eating more healthy meals with a larger overall nutritional value.
Children cannot absorb the information properly or concentrate in class if there is a nutritional deficiency. A kid whose diet is not balanced can suffer from poor memory and reduced critical thinking skills (Schwartz and Wootan 69). At the same time, eating healthy foods leads to better academic performance and improves memory and concentration. This fact is confirmed by recent research, which has identified a list of thinking foods that affect remembering and learning. While providing healthy foods in schools will help improve academic performance, the habit of eating nutritious and wholesome meals should also be developed in every home (Schwartz and Wootan 71). According to investigations, students who go to schools with healthy eating programs are more disciplined, develop better, and think more clearly, objectively, and rationally. One example is a school in Wisconsin where children eat fruits, vegetables, grains, and other healthy foods five times a day. The establishment has also eliminated products that are artificially colored or flavored. It is a proven fact that their student results are much higher than at other institutions in the region.
Consequently, legislation aimed at replacing familiar foods on school menus with healthy alternatives has positive consequences. A healthy diet is not only the basis for good habits but also the reason for better learning achievements. Children who eat a balanced diet think, remember, and analyze better than their peers who prefer junk foods. At the same time, youth obesity rates are decreasing, which improves the well-being of the nation.
Work Cited
Schwartz, Colin, and Margo G. Wootan. How A Public Health Goal Became A National Law: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Of 2010. Nutrition today, vol. 54, no. 2, 2019, pp. 67-77.
