By Guest Commentary By Ann S. Petersen
There are many excellent programs to help the homeless here in Santa Monica. And there are many unselfish, devoted individuals working very hard to help the less fortunate — those people, who for any number of reasons, have lost their homes. Most shelters dealing with limited financial resources must rely on donations and food banks to feed their residents. This can present a problem when it comes to nutrition. Well-meaning people donate canned food and pasta, breads, pastries, cookies and candy. Some people give fresh vegetables and fruit, or prepare much-appreciated, wholesome meals with plenty of protein for shelter residents. However, these kinds of foods are not available often enough.
It’s true that a sizable percentage of the more noticeable homeless individuals struggle with mental illness and/or substance abuse. The mental illness can be subtle (apathy, mild depression, irritability, distractibility) or it can be obvious. The connection between mental illness and severe malnutrition is rarely made. Most alcoholics and drug abusers likely suffered from malnutrition and the resulting imbalances even before becoming addicted.
In fact, as a resident of a shelter myself, I have fairly recently sighted at least four cases of a skin disease called “dermatitis herpetiformis,” which is a subset of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an extreme form of gluten intolerance. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut and everything derived from them. With celiac disease, the intestines produce a mucosal secretion in reaction to ingested gluten.
Over time this destroys the intestinal villi by flattening them, thereby hindering their ability to absorb nutrients. This can also cause holes in the intestines, which allows larger particles of food into the bloodstream. Then commonly ingested foods begin to cause inflammation reactions, including inflammation of the brain.
There are several studies in medical literature that link celiac disease and holes in the intestines to schizophrenia. I know of at least two individuals whose schizophrenic symptoms completely resolved after beginning a gluten-free diet. So you can see how a vicious cycle of worsening mental health can begin once a person is homeless, unable to hold a job and is dependent on shelter food or free food for s u s t e n a n c e. There seems to be no escape from pasta, bread, cookies, pastries, donuts and cereal. Sometimes it’s a choice between those foods or no food at all.
Lots of refined carbohydrates with a very small amount of protein (often processed with nitrates and other preservatives) causes serious fluctuations in blood sugar. Throw coffee into the mix and you’ve set the stage for temper tantrums and bickering over virtually nothing.
According to Dr. Donald Rudin, author of “The Omega-3 Phenomenon,” the intake of omega-3 fatty acids has declined by 80 percent over the past 75 years. We’ve eaten too many fast foods, refined grains, sugars, partially hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids, and not enough fish and whole grains. A deficiency of omega-3 leads to many physical and emotional problems. Mental symptoms include irritability, depression, attention deficit, mood swings, lethargy, learning problems and aggressiveness.
Imagine yourself with these emotional problems as a homeless person, without the resources to allow you to choose differently. “Well, beggars can’t be choosers” you might say. Beggars, who cannot make informed and beneficial food choices, will remain mentally compromised beggars. Don’t say “Let them eat cake” and then turn around and judge them for behavior that is caused by nutritionally starved brains. If you were foolish enough to put sugar in your car’s gas tank and it sputtered to a stop, you wouldn’t blame your car for becoming useless, would you?
If we truly want to help the homeless help themselves, we must begin by feeding them quality, unprocessed and additive-free fresh food that includes a variety of fruit, vegetables, lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds, brown rice and whole grains — including u n c o m m o n ones like quinoa, millet and b u c k w h e a t groats for the gluten-intolerant. A healthy sack lunch could be filled with carrot and celery sticks, hummus, nuts and seeds, some cheese, fresh fruit and bottled water. Some churches have homeless ministries that give out lunches that usually consist of sandwiches with lunch meat, chips, cookies, colas or artificially colored and flavored drinks. We are not doing the homeless any favors by giving them this kind of food. The same can be said for gift certificates to fast food joints. A growling stomach would momentarily be grateful. But over time, those misguided acts of mercy would take their toll. They already have.
An article in the New York Times (Oct. 7, 2003) entitled, “A Pregnant Mother’s Diet May Turn the Genes Around,” talked about how through studying some rats with genetically caused obesity, scientists have been able to pinpoint some biological mechanisms called “methyl groups” that can actually disable that faulty gene’s expression in the rat’s offspring. Do you know what caused those mechanisms to swing into action? Nutrition!
The “methylation” process also might be activated within our own bodies, given the availability of the necessary nutrients. Correctly targeted supplementation makes a huge difference in combating genetically based illness.
Recently, I read another article entitled “Miracle at a Wisconsin High School.” It was about an experiment at Central Alternative High School in Appleton, Wisc. Since 1997, a company called “Natural Ovens” has provided old-fashioned cooked meals made from basic, unprocessed foods for lunch. Gone were burgers, fries and pizza. Soda and candy vending machines were removed. Fresh fruit, salads and good water were brought in. This high school used to have the same problems that most inner city schools have today. But now grades are up and the rates for suicide, drug abuse, violence, students expelled and truancy have plummeted to zero and have remained there every year since that program was put into place. One student said that once her problem with concentration was resolved, she found it easier to get along with others. Teachers have reported that teaching has once again become a joy.
Imagine applying these principles to homeless shelters and the distribution of free food. Perhaps then there would be no need to implement a law limiting free resources for those who can’t climb out of dependence on the shelter system. Imagine interpersonal problems falling away and the wealth of human potential re-awakened! What a beautiful thing it would be to see marginalized and maligned people raised up on eagles’ wings — their own wings! (Ann Petersen lives and works in Santa Monica).
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 10, 2003. Read the original PDF.