On August 19th, USDA officials slapped down Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s proposal, which would not allow New York City’s food stamp recipients from obtaining sugary drinks with them. This immediate action put a stop to one of Mr. Bloomberg’s best ideas to reduce obesity in the Big Apple, and the U.S. as a whole. Food stamp use has been on the rise across the U.S. in recent years, as more Americans feel the impact of inflationary pressure and unemployment. The small purchasing power of food stamp benefits often drives recipients to purchase toxic, animal derived, low nutrient foods instead of fruits and vegetables. Mayor Bloomberg and New York City’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, understandably upset by the USDA’s decision, and derided it as a disservice to the obese and the poor. Dr. Farley went on to say that it “ really calls into question how serious the U.S.D.A. is about addressing the nation’s most serious nutritional problem.”

In recent months, the USDA has come under increased scrutiny for it’s policies and programs, many of which are seemingly in conflict with modern nutrition. For instance, the agency’s new MyPlate scheme still includes toxic meat and dairy as a linchpin of dietary balance, disregarding mountains of research, and what is becoming accepted medical fact. Cynics have pointed out that the USDA also dispenses roughly $ 20 billion per year in subsidies, much of which flows directly back into government via some of the most powerful lobbying groups in the world. Critics say the USDA is simply protecting entrenched interests like animal derivatives and feed stocks from massive market retaliation against toxic, cancerous products. It is widely accepted in the medical community that obesity (and many other medical concerns) are associated with consumption of sugary drinks with high fructose corn syrup, and that obesity rates are higher among the poor. It was with this knowledge that Mayor Bloomberg proposed his simple idea: limit food stamps benefits to drinks which are not known to cause obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease for two years. Then track food stamp recipients affected to determine is this has a positive affect on their weight.

Bloomberg, along with city and state officials, proposed the idea in October in decrease New York City’s 57 percent adult obesity rate. However, a USDA official said the program would have been “too large and complex” to carry out, because of the difficulties inherent in figuring out which drinks were too sweet to be purchased. The USDA has technical control over the program because they control SNAP benefits as part of the New Deal. In the past, the FDA has rejected proposals which would make drinks high in sugar easier to identify via labeling. It appears as though increased consumption of healthy, natural, plant based foods and the promotion of a medically sound vegan diet are not on the list of priorities for the U.S. government.

With the changing of the seasons comes one thing more than 35 million Americans are painfully aware of: seasonal allergies. “Seasonal allergies” is something of a misnomer, since they can begin in early spring and continue until late November depending on the region. Many Americans turn to medications, such as antihistamines or folk remedies, like honey, but recent studies suggest that a vegan diet can also have a drastic impact on the affects of seasonal allergies. Allergies occur when the mucous membranes that line the nasal passages become inflamed because of triggers like pollen, dust, or other irritants. The body reacts to this foreign matter violently, releasing histamines and other chemicals, which can cause discomfort.Though antihistamines can help, they are not ideal, and often lead to other discomfort, which only aggravates the problem.

For over 25 years, researchers have intensely studied vegan’s diet and it’s apparent effect on allergies. Researchers have noticed that vegans are less likely to need treatment for reactions for a variety of reasons. During an allergic reaction, leukotrienes are released along with histamines. The production of leukotrienes, which are fatty molecules in the immune system, are heavily influenced by arachidonic acid levels, which is exclusively found in animal products. Healthy vegans also consume vastly more fruits and vegetables than typical Americans, often in their natural, unprocessed form. These raw, unprocessed foods contain a variety of nutrients have been shown to have an effect on allergies and the overall immune system, like antioxidants and vitamin C. For example quercetin- a flavonoid that is found in many fruits and vegetables- has been shown to control the release of both histamine and leukotriene naturally. Whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, which vegans also consume in larger amounts than typical Americans, can have a positive impact on allergies because of the presence of Vitamin E. Vitamin E prohibits the immune system from reacting disproportionately to irritants like pollen and grass seed.

Inflammation in the body and obesity are also closely linked, so veganism is also a natural solution for allergies related to weight gain. The low fat, high fiber diet associated with veganism is also linked to a strengthened immune system. Also, much of the rich, spicy cuisine of India and Asia is vegan, and eating foods like these can thin mucous which decreases the inflammation. However, there are vegan foods, like sweets, which will not help allergies. For ragweed or other weed pollen allergy sufferers eating melon, banana, cucumber, or sunflower seeds, may cause a reaction, since they are of the same family. Those who adopt a vegan diet for allergy season should feel the effects on their symptoms within a week.

College students are notorious for their eating habits, which are typically a function more of convenience and economics than nutritional value. This put many college students in the unfortunate position of eating junk food to survive, all while trying to learn, work and socialize, a high-stress, unhealthy situation which leads many students to gain weight. The phenomena has come to be known as “the freshman 15”, and a new study confirms that most college students are not getting enough fruits and vegetables. In fact, the recent study, released online in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, suggests that many students may not even be getting one serving of fruits and veggies per day.

The research is based on a survey of 582 college students, many of them freshmen, which gathered data on their habits. As for the servings of vital fruits and vegetables, male students ate roughly five servings per week, and females consumed only four per week. In the larger picture, women ate better than men -they skipped fewer meals, checked labels, ate less fast food, and ate in the dining halls more frequently. However, women consumed less fiber than their male counterparts. Both sexes consumed more than 30% of their calories from fat, which presents a significant health risk. Even after taking the meals students skipped into account, researchers found that most students were not even getting one serving of fruits and veggies per day. The study puts the onus of the unhealthy habits on the poor nutritional education children receive, and the generally low quality of school lunches.

This situation is entirely avoidable through veganism, and many universities are starting to act accordingly. In fact, most universities strive offer vegan food and some have undertaken entirely vegan dining halls. However, many college students still insist on fast food heavy, toxic diets which result in weight gain, lack of focus, and can lead to serious negative health conditions. It appears this is only avoidable through raising children on a diet of mostly fruits and vegetables, and teaching them healthy eating habits to ensure good health for the rest of their lives.

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