It is day four of the challenge, and this afternoon I felt like my body was taken over by aliens bent on sabotage. How could a few tins make such an incredible difference in four days? My box included some fruits and vegetables and still my body feels out of balance.
Tonight, I walked into Westdale to the bank, but only after I rushed in to eat a few spoonfuls of my tuna with rice and onions. I made a big pot this morning for both breakfast and dinner. For the dinner entrée, I threw in a few chopped carrots. After the second time today, it was less than exciting. Then, I remembered that there were apples in my bag! How could I forget! Duh! The sweetness of the apple was a welcome respite to the blandness of the white rice and tuna, and the plain peanut butter sandwich that was the lunch du jour. My energy increased enough to stretch out on my bed and do some work on the computer.
As I reviewed the notes from the morning reflection session with about 35 McMaster students who had also taken the challenge, I was reminded of the physical and emotional impact of this experience on students who had tests and presentations. One student came by the office this afternoon and said, “I need to stop or I won’t be able to write a paper tonight.” Poor nutrition has an impact on performance. I found my own ability to do a simple task like completing the bank deposit form taxing at the end of the day. It’s dead simple. I’ve done it hundreds of times, but today, I couldn’t seem to count all the change from an event and organize it on the form. Fortunately, the teller was very patient.
When I walked home, I saw a mother walking with a child that looked to be about a year old. I found myself thinking, if she were on social assistance and had eaten poorly, how far could she safely walk with her child?
Almost everything has taken on new meaning. When I made the black beans on Monday and opened my jar of cumin and noticed that I only had about a teaspoon. If I were on social assistance, would I have used the whole teaspoon in the beans, or would I have rationed it?
As I began the week, I was a bit worried about my health, because of having a virus in September that seemed difficult to shake off. My husband was sick as well, so I was vigilant about hand washing and taking vitamins. If I were not fortunate enough to have vitamins in my cabinet, would I have managed to stay healthy this week? What does a person on social assistance do when they are sick and have to choose between going to the doctor or getting to a food bank during the hours they are open?
A student taking the challenge rightly noted that we have only experienced one stress – the stress of a nutritionally poor diet. Individuals on social assistance often have the stress of unstable or inadequate housing, and having to choose between the hydro bill or the phone bill. As tired as I feel after only four days, I can begin to glimpse how overwhelmed a person would become when faced with so many difficult choices and so few resources.
In our reflection with students on campus, we were clear that food banks are not the problem. Food banks offer a valuable safety net for hundreds of people. But, food banks should be for emergencies, not the mainstay of thousands of people in Hamilton. When I think about the complexity of the problem, I think that reform in government is only part of the solution. Why are corporations allowed to mass-market foods with a level of sodium that is unsafe for prolonged consumption? Might they bear the same warning labels that are mandatory for cigarettes?
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