I did not put becoming American in quotations because it is a saying, but also because there is a movie that will boggle your mind as it did mine. These following clips that I will present soon represents a "Latino Paradox" that shows research that proves immigrants' health in the United States steadily worsens the longer they stay in the states. The proceeding clips will reiterate that immigrants are healthier when they first arrive in America than most people already living in the states.
This clip states that Latinos have the lowest rates of death, heart problems, and all the major killers. They even found this to be true within the poorest of Latinos. The remarkable data they collected showed that these people's health was even better than the richest people in America. They also found out that Latinos have lower rates of psychological illnesses with their stressful living conditions than those of the higher classes. The solution to this great anomaly could most likely be due toward strong family ties and traditions. Close family and social networks help shield these families from all the American negatives. This shield can only hold up for so long though because in the next couple clips they will talk about the degrading health conditions Latinos go through the longer they live in America.
The next clip talks about the relationship between wealth and health and how it does not affect Latino immigrants when they first arrive in America. As years go by, the correlation between wealth and health tighten and tighten and becomes more of a factor in their lives. So basically they are saying that people come to this country with healthier ways of life and the longer they are here, the unhealthier they become.
I believe that the answer to this vast change in health and wealth with Latinos and most immigrants is the sense of independence and freedom that American values install within out minds. So future generations that grow up in America tend to be more independent and distance from their families which slowly lead toward social isolation. With social isolation come greater chances of diabetes, greater tress, and other health problems. Social isolation can also create greater psychological problems because they no longer have that social network to fall back on and receive the help that is needed.
So what is the ultimate answer to this problem? No one can really say...or if they do then they should really share and make the world a lot better for the majority of the world's population. The last video said some things that really caught my attention: more than 20% of Latino households are poor, they struggle with discrimination, lower paying jobs, bad schools, bad housing, environment giving cues that they are not valuable and have little prospect for a better future. All of these things could easily bring any one's morale to an all time low. Although before they were leading healthy lives and had high hopes and aspirations about living the dream lives in America. As time went on it seems that those dreams have been diminished and out of reach. Maybe it is that hope, that determination, that dream that was keeping the Latino so healthy. Maybe it was something else. Whatever it is hopefully we will figure it out someday and teach those ways to our future generations so they can go lead healthier and happier lives than most people are these days.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Are Your Connections Reliable?
As mentioned in my earlier blogs, social capital is a sociological concept that refers to the collections a person has within or between social networks. This can be very important for people no matter where you fall on the socioeconomic gradient because social networks can provide lots of intangibles that can help influence one's life. Examples:
Social capital also refers to the resources that is available within your social networks combined with those people's willingness to help. This means that other's physical donations, charities, and help can be very beneficial to those in need. No matter what condition you are in, there is always room to help others in greater need. Some people are lucky enough to find these resources and others just need to be guided toward
- When looking for a job, you are always required to put down references that will put in a good word about you and basically talk you up. Those people are part of your social capital. Also, if you know the right people in high enough places they could get you a job starting at a pretty decent position right away. In this scenario, starting off with a good salary increases your chances of staying away from the dollar menu and dining at better restaurants. Unfortunately the majority of the population do not know or have these types of capital so they have to go out and fight for what they get. There are people that are competing and scrapping for everything little thing they can to just help them and their families survive in today's society. According to CNN, in 2009 the poverty level was at 14.3% which meant that "43.6 million Americans in need is the highest number in 51 years of record-keeping" (CNN.com). "They also defined the poverty threshold level as less than $21,954 for a family of four in 2009 and $10,956 for an individual." How is a family of four suppose to live without making huge sacrifices on only around $22 thousand a year? These families need roofs over their heads, so a good portion of that money will most likely go towards housing/rent. Everyday electric, phone, water, and other bills take up some of that income. Children need clothing to stay warm, so some money goes there. Transportation, whether it be car or bus needs money everyday. Food for the family is essential to survive. There are lots of expenses that are a must in order to survive, but there are things within these products are sometimes just not up to par. For instance, the quality of the homes they stay in, clothes they wear, and food they eat may not be the best that is offered.
- Another reason why knowing the right people could lead you to better and healthier lifestyles is because of the way they lead their lives. If you have not noticed, people that tend to hang out the most and click well with each other usually have things in common with each other. It could be that they go to the same school, take the same classes, work at the same places, eat the same foods, drink at specific places, play the same sports, work out at the same gym, there are plenty of similarities and reasons why people get along with each other. The reason for this section is to recognize that people that take part in the same activities usually like to stay in the same groups. I like to put it as outdoor people vs. indoor people. There are those that like to do a majority of their activities outdoors and others like to do a majority of their activities indoors. I realize that there are lots that like to do both, but I am just generalizing right now and making things black or white. People that are more outdoorsy tend to receive more physical exercise because of the activities they enjoy doing. They could be playing sports, riding bikes, skateboarding, jogging, hiking, rafting, swimming, or just enjoying the fresh air on nice walks. However, there are also those that like to be indoors and take more pleasure staying inside playing games, watching TV/movies, surfing the net, napping, or doing whatever. Doing these activities do not really require much physical movement which equates to less exercise and probably less healthy lifestyles. Both of these lifestyles are linked to certain types of foods as well. Usually those that are more outdoorsy eat fruits and vegetables and other foods that will help energize their bodies so they can keep going when they get tired. The foods associated with those that stay inside all the time are usually snack/junk foods like chips, candy, soda, and other not so healthy choices. Now I am not saying that being one type of person is guaranteed to lead healthier lifestyles than the other, but from my personal experiences this is just what I have witnessed. In my opinion, finding a good balance between the two worlds is ideal. All I am saying is that no matter what activities you like to participate in, it could be anything, these people and social networks usually gravitate toward each other because people like to surround themselves with others that enjoy the same things. These are just a couple links that I found that help support my claim that leading outdoor lifestyles can be a healthier choice than staying indoors. One also mentions that starting at a younger age will transcend later in their lives and help them keep up those physical activities.
Social capital also refers to the resources that is available within your social networks combined with those people's willingness to help. This means that other's physical donations, charities, and help can be very beneficial to those in need. No matter what condition you are in, there is always room to help others in greater need. Some people are lucky enough to find these resources and others just need to be guided toward
Thursday, April 14, 2011
What else can Lead to Balding Besides Aging?
Everyone experiences this feeling no matter if you are black or white, tall or short, big or small, rich or poor. Feeling stressed is a pretty common feeling that everybody goes through in their daily lives. People can stress over just about anything: work, not working, school, exams, homework, parents, children, weather, games, girls, boys, money, no money, etc. Stress is something people can not fully escape from, no matter how many spa treatments or vacations they take everyone will have to face some kind of stress sooner or later. With that being said, stress affects all people no matter what their SES status is. Of course, people in different statuses go through different stressors but that is the reason for this blog and I will also mention the physical and psychological stresses that people all along the SES gradient experience.
First off, the wealthy are those that people would assume go through the least amount of stress but that is not always the case. Their lives can be filled with as many burdens as anyone else's.
I just briefly touched upon some stressors that wealthier people could possible go through. I am sure there are many more but that would be a little excessive to just list them all out. So now it is time to look at the other side of things and talk about the opposite spectrum of the SES gradient.
First off, the wealthy are those that people would assume go through the least amount of stress but that is not always the case. Their lives can be filled with as many burdens as anyone else's.
- Occupation - people of higher socioeconomic status tend to bring their work home with them. This can cause stress around the clock because they could be worrying about whether or not people are running their business correctly and adequately, whether their stocks are going up or down, whether Johnson is doing better than you and will replace you, or worrying about your next business move. There are limitless possibilities that one could be stressed about over work, those are just some examples that I feel would bother a person of higher SES status.
- Family - just because a family has a lot of money does not mean that there is a lot of love within the household. Family problems are a huge issue that many do not like to mention because people feel like it is too personal to bring up to others. Some people of higher SES status worry so much about their careers and impressing others that they sometimes forget about the people that they share a home with. Losing the social capital that is your family could have huge psychological consequences behind the matter. The following are links to a couple readings that help support my previous statements:
- Neighborhoods - doesn't living in a nice big house in a secluded area sound nice? It may to some, but not so much to others. Living in a secluded area limits social interactions with others in your neighborhood. Especially now a days where some wealthy families have fenced off homes and their closest neighbors are miles away. Again, this limits one's social network and social support from others. Times especially get lonely when their significant other is always working so they can pay the large energy bills, gardeners that keep the lawn and tress well kept, cleaning people to maintain the inside of the house, and other expenses. This loneliness can cause psychological stress on everyone in the family.
I just briefly touched upon some stressors that wealthier people could possible go through. I am sure there are many more but that would be a little excessive to just list them all out. So now it is time to look at the other side of things and talk about the opposite spectrum of the SES gradient.
- Occupation - people on the lower side of the SES gradient are there for many reasons, but one of those reasons is because of their income levels. They do not receive the salaries that allow them to have/lead luxurious lives. Most of them do not even have the opportunities to live comfortably. A lot of occupations that these people have are low wage, long hours, low demand, low control jobs that can be very stressful for an individual. Low demand jobs are where people have to do things not many others would want to and low control means that they do not have much say about what they have to do. They either do the job and keep the job or don't have get fired, they do not really have many freedoms over any aspects of their jobs. These types of jobs are terrible for a person's mind and body. Psychologically, people with those jobs have to put up with a lot of crap and keep smiles on their faces for employers or customers so they are suppressing anger or feelings that are bubbling up. This raises cortisol levels in the brain which has awful affects to one's body. The following link goes more in depth about the psychological effects to one's well-being dealing with low-wage jobs:
- Family - I am sure that every parent would agree with me when I say that children can be a blessing one day and a demon child the next. I personally do not have any children, but I am sure that they can be over-whelming and handfuls at times. Well, along with most things, raising a family while being part of the lower SES gradient is not very easy. Parents are usually away for most of the day, working and just trying to put food on the table for their families. They do not have the money to hire nannies or babysitters ever time they have to work. So their children usually have to stay with other relatives, friends, day cares, or even at home by themselves sometimes. While they are away, parents could be worrying about what their children are learning from the other children or what kind of trouble they could be getting in. There are countless things that I know my parents worry about when I am not at home, so I can only imagine what other parents worry about when their children are not with them. They could be learning horrible habits from children like: smoking, drinking, other drug usage, stealing, vandalizing, and many other illegal activities.
- Neighborhoods - I believe that neighborhoods are a very important aspect in peoples' lives that can easily be overlooked and unmentioned. Living in a poor neighborhood is an inequality within itself and could have numerous amounts of variables that can add stress to peoples' lives. Physically, a lot of older houses were made with lead based paint which can have negative effects on health. Pollution and other environmental hazards could create lots of stress and health defects as well. Exercise is a great stress reliever for lots of people but those living in poor neighborhoods usually do not have the option to go to safe places to exercise. Sometimes just going outside for them can be unsafe, which could lead to less outdoor activity and more unhealthy life decisions. Acecss to healthier foods can also be a problem for people living in poorer nighborhoods because they are usually surrounded with fast food restaurants or gas stations. Places where they can get a quick bite to eat for a cheap price rather than going to a grocery store and buying groceries. Even if they wanted to buy fresh produce, they would have to travel further because grocery stores are not very common in these types of neighborhoods or if there was one, the produce in it would not be as fresh or organic or healthy as say a Whole Foods, SunFlower Market, or any other farmer's market produce. The link that I have attached below talks about the effects poor neighborhoods have on people:
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Health Foods: Causing Dents in Wallets and in Society
This is a great example of a "super food" that usually only wealthy people can afford to buy. Although MonaVie is not very expensive, $30-$40 a bottle is still out of the price range of most individuals. Each bottle contains roughly around 25 servings and they say that you are suppose to have two each day for maximum benefits. So spending around $35 for a product that will only last around 12 - 13 days and will not fill you up does not seem as appealing as their alternative counterpart - fast food products. This next clip is from a documentary film that came out in 2009 called "Food, Inc.". This five minute clip shows a real family having trouble with choosing from cheap, calorie packed foods and fresh expensive produces and fruits. Going into this clip they will discuss subsidized foods which are specific foods that have partial financial support to help grow and sell their crops at lower prices and quality.
I included the following clip because as a college student, I have come to the same crossroad many of times. I have had to choose between cheap, quick fast food meals or going to the grocery store and buying somewhat healthy foods that I would have to prepare for myself. I can honestly say that I have surrendered and turned to fast food restaurants despite the lack of nutritional values. So when the video mentions that obesity is linked to personal responsibility, I believe that is partially true because there are always other factors and variables that can come into play. The video also mentions that obesity is also due to lack of education and income levels which is what I will write about in my next blog, so come
back next week if you are interested in that.
SES Gradiant
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| Fine Dining Food |
This blog will introduce the idea of the SES gradient and how that correlates with diet decisions. To begin, the SES gradient stands for socioeconomic status which can include and measure income, assets, occupational status, education, housing conditions, and other aspects that can be measured in life. A gradient is a scale where those with high socioeconomic statuses are at the top and with every step down comes poorer health. There are lots of studies that focus on this topic and support my previous claim about the SES gradient and how it correlates with health. There are many different variables that could affect a person's health, but I will touch upon:
- Stress
- There are many psychological stresses that could be a key factor to poor health and bad dietary choices. Things like crowding, crime, noise pollution, discrimination, and other hazards or stressors can have a huge affect on someone mentally and physically.
- Mentally, I feel like there are a lot of people that would be too drained by the end of the day to go buy and cook a nutritious meal for themselves and their families. Turning to quick, cheap meals is solution that is very easy and appealing to go with.
- Physically, stress can do lots of damage to your body. Human beings chemically produce a hormone called Cortisol which comes from the adrenal glands. The following link will explain more about the functions of Cortisol and how it can have negative effects to your body. http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm. To summarize, stress can have negative effects because it produces high levels of Cortisol which can effect mental functions, aging, cellular functions in tissue, high blood pressure, and many other health issues.
- Social capital
- This is a sociological concept that refers to the collections a person has within or between social networks. It also refers to the resources that is available within your social networks combined with those people's willingness to help.
- Neighborhoods
- Can play a huge role in mental and physical health. Living in lower class neighborhoods have more disadvantages than meets the eye. The dangers of actually going outside can put stress on parents and children, which in turn will trap them indoors so they can not receive the physical activity that is needed. Also most of these neighborhoods do not have grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables for people to purchase. Schools in these neighborhoods do not educate the kids well enough for them to go out and make the decisions that will keep them healthy.
- Cultures
- Lots of other non-American cultures tend to have more family orientated meals which surprisingly is a pretty big variable to a healthy life-style. The movie "Becoming American" brings some very interesting evidence to that statement.
- Nutritional values of foods served to children at schools.
- Children in schools are not receiving the nutritional meals they deserve. Most schools are filled with vending machines where children are getting their lunches and snacks from.
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| Fast Food |
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