Recession In The United States

Recessions are generally believed to be caused by a widespread drop in spending. Beginning in the United States in December 2007 the industrialized world has been undergoing a recession, a pronounced deceleration of economic activity. The financial crisis has been linked to reckless and unsustainable lending practices resulting from the deregulation and securitization of real estate mortgages in the United States. Whatever the cause, there is one question that has been getting the least amount of attention; what effects does the economy have on our health as a society? The World Health Organization has defined health as being "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. So,
With unemployment affecting ten percent of the U.S. population and employers cutting wages in every industry, focus shifts from proper nutrition towards an affordable meal. Take Whole Foods for example, in 2009 profits decreased by 4.0% versus a 9.3% increase in the prior year. Being the world’s leader in natural and organic foods they pride themselves carrying the healthiest and freshest products around, but it comes with a price. Their best selling items can be found in the self serve salad bar which runs from four to nine dollars. On the other hand those who opt for cheap rather than healthy may choose McDonald’s, whose total revenue increase by 17% in 2009. The top two most popular items on the McDonald’s menu, Big Mac and fries, each have 25-29 grams of fat; both items can also be purchased for less than $3.50 each and in some cases less than a dollar. For this reason it is easy to see that in a time of economical need nutritional value is not the deciding factor for lunch, or any meal for that matter. At this rate the cholesterol and
Holly Phillip of CBS reported at the beginning of the recession that citizens troubled by the economy were “irritable, fatigued, and turning to unhealthy ways to cope”. Stress is when the body responds to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined. “The brunt of the country's financial woes seems to take a greater toll on women than men. New data from the American Psychological Association show 84 percent of women are stressed out about the economy, compared with 75 percent of men”, says Dr. Phillips. Stress is the number one reason why people get back to drinking and smoking once they’ve quit; about 22% of men and 15% of women said the managed stress by drinking. But it is not only how we handle stress that is unhealthy but also stress in itself. Effects of stress include aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat. Though the way in which each individual manages and defuses stress varies some of the most common stress relievers are listening to music and relaxation techniques such as Yoga and meditation; these may be easier said than done when stress is incurred because of the loss of a