Malnutrition

 

When you look at an overweight person, you might not think about malnutrition as a diagnosis, but I was thinking about it when I discovered that a coworker is anemic. How can she be anemic if she is overweight? I do believe that being overweight can be a symptom of malnutrition.   I have many physical challenges, primarily because of a bad car accident and two bad falls, but I also have many broken bones, heart problems, a low functioning thyroid, a hernia close to my heart, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and a low immune system. Still, while a married woman may have the luxury of being sick, a single woman does not. If I don't work, I don't receive a paycheck. It's as simple as that.   When I take a hard look at my own diet, it makes sense that my body is lacking in good nutrition. I am always on the run, full of stress from the everyday challenges of my work and my everyday life. Although I usually try to eat healthy, I overeat, but I still don't consume all of the foods that you are supposed to eat in a day. To pay my bills, I often cut back on  my grocery bill. To get to more urgent things, I usually eat whatever is fast or handy. Sometimes, I look at foods that I would like to buy, like fresh strawberries, but they seem too expensive, so I pass them by. I say they are expensive, because for the price, they don't keep. That is why I buy frozen strawberries instead. If I go out to eat, they rarely add vegetables on my plate. I wonder how many Americans qualify french fries as a vegetable.        Experts say that when you get older, there are physiological changes in the sense of taste, poor appetite (often associated with loneliness, social isolation, depression, or medications), physical factors such as absent or ill-fitting dentures, limited ability to procure or prepare food because of musculoskeletal disorders or other disease conditions, and chronic disease. I guess that means that I am not lonely, socially isolated, or depressed. I guess that means that I am not classified as "older." =.)   My mother is thin, because of her dentures. She is embarrassed to eat in front of others and she has to eat foods that are soft. My greatest fear is to have to wear dentures some day. I don't understand why some people don't have their teeth, when all you have to do is drink milk and brush your teeth at least two times a day. Although my teeth are cracked from my car accident, people don't usually notice. I value my smile. I am happy that at 53, I still have all of my own teeth and that I have never had a cavity.   During the Thanksgiving holidays, I visited my Angel and her cherubs. It's funny how a simple gesture like dividing food can bring back so many memories. It brought to mind when my children were little and the hardships of a single parent, trying to feed my children on my small income. I remember praying to God for the food in the  pan to stretch enough to provide my children with the nutrition that they needed. I remember having to go hungry so that my children would have something toeat.     An empty nest has put more food into my mouth. Buying groceries for one is just as expensive if you want  the variety of the food pyramid. Sometimes, I look at the grocery store and I am at a loss. How can a single person buy nutritious food for one without it being so expensive? Will the day ever come when I walk by the strawberries without looking at the price?     Winivere