Fed is best...always

Especially during these times.

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On to today’s newsletter…

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Photo by Tamas Pap on Unsplash

Does anyone else have days, weeks, months, where they can’t even? What do I mean by “can’t even”? I mean, when you have reached your capacity mentally with all that’s going on in the world, and maybe your personal life, that you can’t possibly fit another thing to think about, including food, in your head? You just can’t even think anymore. I know I’m not the only one here.

This past week has been rough. Actually, this whole year, starting January 20th, has been rough. There seems to be an onslaught of non-stop attacks on the American people from its own administration, which is odd considering most governments try their best to take care of their citizens. I have always said that everything is political, including policies regarding food, nutrition, and health. In a perfect world, these policies would be bipartisan, but unfortunately, these are not the times we are in.

So why am I discussing this week in particular? I mean, it has been a nonstop of horrors happening, but there is something unsettling about a $250 million ballroom being built while people are about to lose their access to food. It reeks of “let them eat cake,” but cake isn’t even an option for many. For those of you unaware, the East Wing of the White House is currently being torn down in order to make room for a bigger ballroom. Apparently, the current one, which holds 200 people, was not large enough, so one that will hold 999 people is now under construction. It almost seems too ridiculous to be true.

You don’t normally take on a huge construction and demolition project if you are planning on living there for only 3 more years. Just saying. You also don’t normally take on a $250 million project when there is a government shutdown, causing many federal workers to not receive paychecks and programs that provide supplements for those who need it, such as SNAP, to not receive their funds. I think this would make sense to most people. I would think that a government wanting to take care of its citizens would consider all of this.

Starting November 1st, if there is still a shutdown, millions of people will lose their access to food. I have seen many people upset about this, rightfully so. I mean, you have to be a horrible person to not have any sympathy for those struggling. And yes, I do realize that many people do not have sympathy, and I am indeed calling them horrible. I have written quite a few times about our individualistic society and how this mindset is harming us as a whole.

Read about it here:

Have you tried working harder?

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What even is SNAP? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food. SNAP helps low-income working people, senior citizens, the disabled, and others feed their families. It’s unfathomable that some people have an issue with this. In 2024, SNAP served an average of 41.7 million participants per month, and in New York alone, about 3 million people rely on SNAP for their food access. So it kind of is a big deal that it's in jeopardy.

Losing access to food means losing access to nutrition. It means an increase in food insecurity, which was already on the rise. It also means a gateway to malnourishment and eating disorders (no, not all eating disorders are due to the desire to be thin). It means less ability to work, learn, and engage, because all of these things are incredibly difficult to do on a hungry stomach and a malnourished brain.

Although the average adult human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms (3.08 pounds), which is only 2 percent of total body weight, it demands 20 percent of our resting metabolic rate (RMR)—the total amount of energy our bodies expend in one very lazy day of no activity. RMR varies from person to person depending on age, gender, size and health. If we assume an average resting metabolic rate of 1,300 calories, then the brain consumes 260 of those calories just to keep things in order.

Now imagine a malnourished brain trying to function. Exactly.

Needless to say, I am worried. I am worried about my fellow humans who are feeling the impact of this administration and its decisions. We are all being impacted, of course, but some more so than others. Unprecedented times are becoming so regular that they are becoming quite precedented. All of this stress and worry is also doing a number on our nervous systems.

I will say this — fed is best applies to all of us, not just babies. There are many times when our appetite is affected, and we are overwhelmed with any and all decisions regarding food. The mental load that is required to feed ourselves daily can feel like a burden sometimes.

So what should you do for the days and weeks when you can’t even? The below offers some general advice. Remember, I’m a dietitian but not your personal dietitian, so this