Living Below the Line - Day 4

Nicole here! So, I'm still alive!

The past few days have found me tired, lead-limbed, and low-energy. I find myself not wanting to lift heavy objects or bend over to retrieve things. I'm soooo tired. It may be the caffeine withdrawal more than the lack of nutrition.

 

This is me, except I don't get a delicious cup of cartoon coffee

This week has certainly made me think. As I near the end of my journey, I have come to a few conclusions:

1) Not eating is totally unhealthy. Not only do I empathize with those in poverty who are unable to access adequate amounts of healthy food, I also wince at the thought of those that do this to themselves as a result of an eating disorder. It is not a fun way to live. 

Anorexia is a serious disease. A few people this week asked me if they thought I would lose weight this week. I remember asking the same thing of d'Arcy from the Global Poverty Project. I realize I was wrong. Not eating actually causes your body to slow your metabolism in order to conserve energy. Starving your body of nutrients causes it to literally eat itself if you do it long enough. You're not losing weight; you're dying a slow, painful death. Harsh words I know, but remember, I am very hangry right now.

Please click here for some information on anorexia and here for some healthy eating tips. If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease, help is never too far away. Contact your Berkeley College Counseling office or click here to find a treatment center near you.

2) You don't need 5 days to feel the impact of this challenge. By day 2, I was utterly miserable. It's enough to scare you; the toll is so severe on your energy level, your emotions, and your interactions with others. Avoiding dates with friends because you can't drink or eat dinner with them, watching people around you eat when you can't, and having people offer you food that you can't accept all take their toll on you, emotionally as well as physically.

3) Not being able to accept donated food is kind of cruel. I do believe that you need to feel physical hunger to understand what this challenge is about - empathizing with those in extreme poverty. However, I think it's also important to know that, especially in NYC there are plenty of resources for those who can't afford to buy food. See my previous blog post for local organizations that are making a difference every single day! I also mentioned that so many people have offered to give me some of their food. I think that has been the most profound aspect of this challenge for me - the limitless generosity of the beautiful people in my life. 

4) You don't have to eat junk to eat cheaply. It's a common theme in our country that the poorest of our fellow Americans eat the worst food. Either due to access or lack of education about nutrition, people would rather go to McDonald's than the produce aisle. I've learned that for $1.69, I can buy a pound of dry beans, which when soaked and cooked, basically doubles in size. 

That's a lotta beans.

This really hit home for me. I'm always going for the convenient in-the-box dish or buying pre-made foods to save time. As I prepare to enter marriage this year, and hopefully motherhood in a few years, I am starting to learn how to cook affordable, nutritious meals for my family. I don't want them to go right for the instant, powdered food. It's not just about me anymore and I want my children-to-be to adopt healthy eating habits for a lifetime. 

My wholesome all-American Family if I was born a really long time ago.

In conclusion, I wish we could all empathize with our fellow human beings in crises without having to go through this arbitrary process of starving ourselves in an unhealthy way in order to prove a point. Being hungry is awful. We should all do something to help others to avoid this painful state of being, whether we can relate to it or not. 

That being said, whether what I am doing this week will help anyone else, besides yours truly, is completely up to you, dear reader. 

Click here now to go to the Berkeley Cares Live Below the Line Team Page and donate to UNICEF. Help fight world hunger today!

  Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College.