Editor's note: After more than a year of a full-blown recession, it's safe to say this difficult economy, and the troubles that follow, have affected us all. We sought out advice from local people who are experiencing the ripple effects of the economic downturn. They are doctors, counselors and spiritual leaders; most of all they are your neighbors and they're feeling the pinch, too. Here they share some of what they've encountered professionally and their advice for making it through tough times.
This series will continue every day in CNY through Saturday.
Karen Ertel
Registered Dietician
Karen Ertel is a dietician at Syracuse Community Health Center. She says she has seen many clients affected by the economy."Cheap starchy food in large quantities can be the kind of thing that some people have to buy to stretch their budget. And you tend to eat more of those, so it's easy to gain weight on those -- simple starches like potatoes, rice, pasta and white bread," Ertel says.
Advice in Tough Times
The South Salina branch of the health center, located on the outskirts of downtown, serves a mostly urban demographic. Although Ertel's treatment of people with cardiovascular and weight problems is nothing new, she has recently seen a surge of people who cannot afford to buy food, much less healthy food.
"With a lot more people out of work, we are seeing more people who need to get a referral to a food pantry to have enough food for their family," Ertel says. "I know the food pantries are doing a lot more business than they were before the recession."
Aside from giving food pantry referrals, Ertel gives her patients advice about how to maintain nutrition while on a budget. Here, she details the health risks of skipping regular, balanced meals and offers money-saving solutions to stay healthy and solvent at the same time.
Ertel's Advice:
"A lot of foods are under-utilized, like dried beans, legume-type beans. They're pretty much the cheapest thing you can eat. They're loaded with protein and fiber and iron. Even the canned, cooked beans -- not the pork-and-beans type stuff but the plain, canned, cooked beans -- have a little salt added, but they're still cheaper than meat. I know families who eat mostly meat and cut out the vegetables and fruit because they feel those are expensive. But meat is really pretty expensive. The beans will substitute for the meat, protein and iron-wise, and they lower your cholesterol, too."
"Another problem is all those fast-food dollar menus and other bargains look pretty good...but you're getting a lot of calories from the bad fats -- overloaded, really, from calories from the bad fats, and you're not getting much in the way of vitamins and calcium and antioxidants. It's easy to gain weight on fast food just because it is so loaded with fat. So those can look like a good deal, but they're a poor deal, really, in long term health."
"Bottled water is a waste of money if you don't have a lot of money. (Most) tap water has fluoride in it, which none of the other drinks do. Nothing bottled does. Fluoride is good for your bones and teeth, so it's a bargain -- you're already paying for it."
"You can get some pretty good deals at the local farmers market, especially this time of year. ...It also helps the economy by making sure that the farmers have somewhere to sell their produce. The frozen and the canned (fruits and vegetables) are also a good deal. You can buy a lot on sale, and there are lots of nutrients in the canned and the frozen (kinds), contrary to popular belief. They're a lot better than not having them. And buying fruits and vegetables in season is always cheaper."
"I think when people go into the supermarket, we don't want to spend too much time there. I know I don't. We tend to just run around and buy the same thing. Writing a list is really helpful for that -- thinking about what you want for the week and trying to get at least a week's worth. By writing it down, it's a little easier."
"Getting a more balanced diet and making sure to eat at least three times a day is important. Meal timing is really important for diabetes or for weight loss. Sometimes people want to skip a meal to lose weight, even when they don't have to skip for economic reasons, and that tends to make your body burn calories slower, so that doesn't work. If you're trying to make your blood sugars be nice and even, not too high and not too low, eating no more than four or five hours apart is usually what's recommended. It's helpful when trying to lose weight, too."
Source
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