With all this talk about the Coronavirus, and all the risks to the vulnerable population, why aren't we banning junk food and soda pop?
We are severely impacting our economy because of this concerning virus, yet the very real things that are threatening more people, and compromising their health, is okay with the government.
The dietary habits of America are appalling. They have decreased the general health of the population greatly. We have mitigated that with expensive medications and treatments. But wouldn't it be better if we did things to prevent these problems?
Yet, the state is taking drastic measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. This is a question worth asking.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
1 hour ago, toomuchbaloney said:
Consequences are uneven and fickle, though. Poor people eat crap and have poor access to healthcare or free time recreation. The stress of poverty increases the cardiovascular diseases and those of despair.
The fallacy of this statement is that it costs far more to eat a diet of fast junk food than it does to buy and make fresh food at home. Access to healthcare is a problem we still have over 2 million uninsured American's and that's 10 years post ACA. The act did nothing to make health care more accessible or affordable. As for exercise everybody has feet and can walk we don't need fancy equipment or gyms to exercise.....
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
23 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:
The fallacy of this statement is that it costs far more to eat a diet of fast junk food than it does to buy and make fresh food at home. Access to healthcare is a problem we still have over 2 million uninsured American's and that's 10 years post ACA. The act did nothing to make health care more accessible or affordable. As for exercise everybody has feet and can walk we don't need fancy equipment or gyms to exercise.....
Yes it does. But the working poor often eat convenience oriented food products, and they are largely inexpensive and convenient.
The ACA did allow millions of Americans to access health insurance independently from employment. The ACA wasn't really the answer to the problem, IMV, but it did improve some things...preexisting condition exclusion for instance. Looking forward, do you think that the call for Medicare for all will gain momentum with this pandemic experience?
Yeah, I'm an enormous advocate for whole body exercise in nature or ADLs when possible. While I did belong to a gym when I was younger and existing in an urban setting, I prefer to stay fit and active with wood chopping, hiking, and the like and encourage that when interacting with others. It's a more sustainable lifestyle I think.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
12 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:
Yes it does. But the working poor often eat convenience oriented food products, and they are largely inexpensive and convenient.
The ACA did allow millions of Americans to access health insurance independently from employment. The ACA wasn't really the answer to the problem, IMV, but it did improve some things...preexisting condition exclusion for instance. Looking forward, do you think that the call for Medicare for all will gain momentum with this pandemic experience?
Yeah, I'm an enormous advocate for whole body exercise in nature or ADLs when possible. While I did belong to a gym when I was younger and existing in an urban setting, I prefer to stay fit and active with wood chopping, hiking, and the like and encourage that when interacting with others. It's a more sustainable lifestyle I think.
If Medicare for all is anything like to Medicare we have now then no I hope it does not gain traction. Medicare reimbursement for Physician's and hospitals continue to go down while the cost of that care continues to rise. This results in people getting a lower quality of care. You know this is true. In order for a person with Medicare to get access to rehab they have to have an illness that qualifies them for that. They are booted from the hospital to Skilled nursing for 60 days where they will likely get a wound or pneumonia. The minute they stop making progress in rehab they are cut off from rehab and shipped home.
As for the working poor. A person makes a choice to eat convenience foods and they are not cheap. I can make hamburgers with sides for my family of 4 for around $12.00 that's $3.00 a piece with quality meat and veggies. The same meal at McDonald's would cost me around $27.00. That's over $6.00 apiece. When we are not eating meat I can feed my family for about $90.00 a week or around $4.00 a meal.
With a fast food meal averaging $10.00 in California there's no way to say it's cheaper. I do walk, chop wood garden etc... also ride a bike to work.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
33 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:
If Medicare for all is anything like to Medicare we have now then no I hope it does not gain traction. Medicare reimbursement for Physician's and hospitals continue to go down while the cost of that care continues to rise. This results in people getting a lower quality of care. You know this is true. In order for a person with Medicare to get access to rehab they have to have an illness that qualifies them for that. They are booted from the hospital to Skilled nursing for 60 days where they will likely get a wound or pneumonia. The minute they stop making progress in rehab they are cut off from rehab and shipped home.
As for the working poor. A person makes a choice to eat convenience foods and they are not cheap. I can make hamburgers with sides for my family of 4 for around $12.00 that's $3.00 a piece with quality meat and veggies. The same meal at McDonald's would cost me around $27.00. That's over $6.00 apiece. When we are not eating meat I can feed my family for about $90.00 a week or around $4.00 a meal.
With a fast food meal averaging $10.00 in California there's no way to say it's cheaper. I do walk, chop wood garden etc... also ride a bike to work.
I didn't say fast food was cheaper than anything. Convenience foods are not the same as eating at McDonalds. Lots of working poor live in food deserts and may not have the same shopping options or choices.
Yes, lots of us eat nutritious meals very inexpensively. Lots of people find that more difficult.
I think that it may gain traction. Millions of Americans have suddenly found themselves without health insurance and may begin to think differently about it.
I didn't say fast food was cheaper than anything. Convenience foods are not the same as eating at McDonalds. Lots of working poor live in food deserts and may not have the same shopping options or choices.
Yes, lots of us eat nutritious meals very inexpensively. Lots of people find that more difficult.
I think that it may gain traction. Millions of Americans have suddenly found themselves without health insurance and may begin to think differently about it.
The point has also been made that to make those meals that are $4 a person at home you need to have the money available to buy $5 of rice, $8 of chicken, etc.
But if I only have 5 dollars in my pocket for dinner tonight, I can't afford to go buy these things. However, I can go buy off the dollar menu at Mickey D's and get a $1 hamburger and a $1 drink.
And along the lines of food deserts, If I have to take the bus half an hour each way for food at the grocery store, and I'm working 2 jobs to keep a roof over my head. When do I have time to go buy all this stuff, AND cook it?
"In 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 23.5 million Americans live in "food deserts", meaning that they live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban or suburban areas and more than 10 miles from a supermarket in rural areas.
Food deserts tend to be inhabited by low-income residents with reduced mobility, this makes them a less attractive market for large supermarket chains. Food deserts lack suppliers of fresh foods, such as meats, fruits, and vegetables. Instead, the available foods are often processed and high in sugar and fats, which are known contributors to the United States' obesity epidemic."
(Diaz de Villegas, Carolina; Rodriguez, Kiara. "Medley Food Desert Project" (PDF). Florida International University Department of Biological Sciences.
Lee, Courtney Hall (2017-02-23). "Grocery Store Inequity". Sojourners. Retrieved 2017-11-17.)
The problem is that the government is already in debt and now is bailing everybody out. Who's going to bail out the government?
Nobody has any reserves. I posted on our community page that I was recommending that landlords check in with their tenants. I told everyone that I am temporarily lowering the rent on my 2 rentals. Both of the husband's fortunately are able to work from home, but the wives are temporarily laid off because their work is considered non-essential.
I guess we could ask the Hedge Fund Club and Inherited Wealth folks to cough up their first tax dollar since Bill Clinton was President (incidentally the last time we saw a national surplus instead of deficit) but then again, that would probably be socialism. OTOH, my father didn't leave me so much as a NOTE when he died, but somehow I'm in one of the highest tax brackets there is. Go Figure.
And I'm not "up to my ears in debt at all". Then again I learned my lesson in the last time so at the end of 2016 I moved into liquid and conservative investments. No regrets. We live simply in a small home, have a paid off economy car and cook our own predominantly vegetarian meals. I recommend getting used to this by the way.
All this noted, I fully agree there was no sense in the Govt throwing trillions of dollars out there with no meaningful oversight and spending the next 2.5 generations SS and Medicare on it, just to make it look like they were doing some. The annual deficit was ALREADY at almost 2 trillion dollars before they just spent another 4.5 trillion. Yes, yes, we're screwed.
In a system of socially supported healthcare that levies taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, we should also increasingly tax food production entities that help to grow a more costly population of healthcare recipients.
The point has also been made that to make those meals that are $4 a person at home you need to have the money available to buy $5 of rice, $8 of chicken, etc.
But if I only have 5 dollars in my pocket for dinner tonight, I can't afford to go buy these things. However, I can go buy off the dollar menu at Mickey D's and get a $1 hamburger and a $1 drink.
And along the lines of food deserts, If I have to take the bus half an hour each way for food at the grocery store, and I'm working 2 jobs to keep a roof over my head. When do I have time to go buy all this stuff, AND cook it?
"In 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 23.5 million Americans live in "food deserts", meaning that they live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban or suburban areas and more than 10 miles from a supermarket in rural areas.
Food deserts tend to be inhabited by low-income residents with reduced mobility, this makes them a less attractive market for large supermarket chains. Food deserts lack suppliers of fresh foods, such as meats, fruits, and vegetables. Instead, the available foods are often processed and high in sugar and fats, which are known contributors to the United States' obesity epidemic."
(Diaz de Villegas, Carolina; Rodriguez, Kiara. "Medley Food Desert Project" (PDF). Florida International University Department of Biological Sciences.
Lee, Courtney Hall (2017-02-23). "Grocery Store Inequity". Sojourners. Retrieved 2017-11-17.)
Baldwin, Florida, opens government-run grocery store to address food desert
The fallacy of this statement is that it costs far more to eat a diet of fast junk food than it does to buy and make fresh food at home. Access to healthcare is a problem we still have over 2 million uninsured American's and that's 10 years post ACA. The act did nothing to make health care more accessible or affordable. As for exercise everybody has feet and can walk we don't need fancy equipment or gyms to exercise.....
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Workitinurfava, BSN, RN
1,160 Posts
I never said it wasn't.