Tag: stress management

Is Not Consuming Poisons in Our Food a Luxury?

The Perception of Healthy Eating as a Privilege in the U.S. Healthcare Landscape

Today in the US, access to nutritious food is often perceived as a privilege rather than a basic necessity. There is a combination of systemic issues in the food and healthcare industries, social inequality, and perhaps a narrow public understanding of just what good health consists of. These issues have contributed to driving up the cost of nutritious food, creating significant obstacles to maintaining a healthy balanced diet. Ironically, as US healthcare costs continue to rise dramatically, the consumption of unhealthy foods contributes to chronic health conditions creating a vicious circle of events that push individuals further into the healthcare system and consequently perpetuating the cycle of preventable diseases. These are factors that in the US, have shaped the perception that eating healthfully is a luxury and how this perception stems from economic, cultural, and educational factors that influence food choices, physical health, and overall well-being.

Economic Constraints: Why Healthy Food Costs More

A simple reason for the perception of healthy eating as a luxury is the cost disparity between purchasing of nutritious and non-nutritious foods. Organic, fresh, and minimally processed foods are typically more expensive due to significant factors such as agricultural practices, supply chain logistics, and governmental subsidies (Ver Ploeg et al., 2015). Organic farming methods are more labor-intensive and produce lower crop yields compared to of conventional farming, which relies more heavily on use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers (Hughner et al., 2007). This added labor cost, along with a limited supply, increases the cost of organic food, making it less accessible to individuals with lower incomes (Ver Ploeg et al., 2015). Conversely, crops like soy, corn, and wheat, which are often genetically modified and treated with chemicals, are heavily subsidized by the U.S. government, making processed foods derived from these crops less expensive for consumers. This economic landscape perpetuates a cycle where affordable, nutritionally poor food is more accessible, while healthier options remain financially out of reach.

Processed Foods: The Price of Convenience

Aside from cost, processed foods that are loaded with sweeteners, artificial preservatives, and flavor enhancers are designed for maximum taste appeal, convenience, and shelf stability. These foods are quite often high in sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats, all of which contribute to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (Monteiro et al., 2018). Low-income neighborhoods, where grocery stores lack fresh produce, frequently rely on this calorie-dense but nutritionally lacking products. The convenience and affordability of these foods cloud the fact that they are contributors to poor health when consumed long-term. The perception that eating healthy is a privilege, reflects not only the cost of food but also the accessibility and desire for unhealthful options that fit into the American fast-paced, budget-conscious lifestyles (Ver Ploeg et al., 2015).

Education and Health Literacy: The Hidden Barrier

A major factor adding to this issue is a lack of health education and literacy among the general population. Understanding the impact of nutrition on long-term health is not prioritized in many US schools, and misinformation about what constitutes “healthy” is extensive (Nestle, 2013). Marketing campaigns often mislead consumers into thinking that “sugar-free” or “low-fat” foods are healthy. In reality, these foods often contain harmful additives like high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame, which both have been linked to various health risks (Swithers, 2015). Also, public knowledge of the role of whole foods, hydration, and balanced macronutrient intake is often dismal, leading some to make choices that encourage immediate taste satisfaction over long-term health benefits (Nestle, 2013). As a result, the cultural perception of healthful food as a luxury is partly fueled by a lack of nutritional knowledge, leading individuals to turn to less expensive, popular foods over healthier, less well-understood options.

The Institutional Influence: Schools and Healthcare

Schools and the healthcare system also shape public perception and access to healthy food. School meal programs, specifically those in lower-income areas, often offer highly processed foods due to budget constraints and limited resources for fresh ingredients (Gaines et al., 2014). This reinforces the idea that nutrient-dense foods are exceptional rather than essential. Just as the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes treatment over prevention, schools rarely encourage dietary education as part of comprehensive healthcare (Schroeder, 2007). While medical professionals widely recognize the link between diet and chronic disease, the system rarely encourages preventive approaches, including education relative to nutrition and lifestyle changes (Schroeder, 2007). This gap leaves many young Americans, especially those without access to nutritional education, without a clear understanding of how a healthy diet influences long-term health.

Bottled Water vs. Sugary Beverages: A Reflection of Misplaced Priorities

The fact that bottled water costs more than soda and soft drinks reflects the prioritization of profit over public health. Soda and other sugary beverages are relatively cheap due to subsidies for their ingredients and widespread production. Bottled water prices remain high due to packaging and branding processes. This pricing paradox encourages consumers, particularly those with limited resources to choose soda over water. The strategic marketing of sugary drinks as less-expensive alternatives further contributes to poor dietary habits and supports the idea that basic, healthy choices are a privilege for the exclusive or elitist.

Breaking the Cycle: A Call for Systemic Change

Recognizing and addressing the perception of having a healthy diet, being a privilege requires systemic changes across multiple sectors. Lawmakers must evaluate agricultural subsidies to level the playing field between nutrient-dense foods and heavily processed products (Miller et al., 2016). Schools should encourage nutritional education and pursue methods to improve food quality within budgetary limits, especially in low-income areas (Gaines et al., 2014). Additionally, healthcare providers should encourage preventive care practices that focus on dietary education, empowering patients to make more informed food choices. With these changes, healthy eating can become more accessible and implemented.

In conclusion, the view of healthy eating as a luxury reflects societal inequities within the American food and healthcare systems. By reducing economic and informational barriers to nutritious food, American society can cultivate a culture where healthy choices are more available to everyone, making better health and well-being, not a privilege but a shared right.

References

Gaines, A. B., Lonis-Shumate, S. R., & Gropper, S. S. (2011). Evaluation of Alabama public school wellness policies and state school mandates. Journal of School Health, 81(5), 281-287. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00588.x

Hughner, R. S., McDonagh, P., Prothero, A., Shultz, C. J., & Stanton, J. (2007). Who are organic food consumers? A compilation and review of why people purchase organic food. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6(2-3), 94-110. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.210

Monteiro, C. A., Cannon, G., Levy, R. B., Moubarac, J.-C., Jaime, P., Martins, A. P., … & Swinburn, B. (2018). Ultra-processed foods: What they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition, 21(1), 6-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003762

NESTLE, M. (2013). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (1st ed.). University of California Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt7zw29z

Schroeder, S. A. (2007). We can do better—improving the health of the American people. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(12), 1221-1228. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa073350

Swithers, S. E. (2015). Artificial sweeteners are not the answer to childhood obesity. Appetite, 93, 85-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.03.027

Ver Ploeg, M., Mancino, L., Todd, J. E., Clay, D. M., & Scharadin, B. (2015). Where do Americans usually shop for food and how do they travel to get there? Initial findings from the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide range of topics related to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

Health and Wellness Issues Have Worsened in Recent Decades

People in the US are experiencing many mental and physical diseases, ailments, and chronic conditions that were not nearly as prominent in years past. Many diseases and issues previously experienced by adults, are now seen in children. Some experts believe there is a definite link between our food, lack of physical activity, chemicals, other lifestyle choices, and the state of poor health in the US.

https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults/

Mental Health Conditions

General Prevalence:

  • Approximately 60 million adults (23.08%) in the U.S. experienced a mental illness in the past year, and nearly 13 million adults (5.04%) reported serious thoughts of suicide ​NAMI​Mental Health America.
  • Among youth aged 12-17, one in five experienced at least one major depressive episode, with over 56% not receiving any treatment ​Mental Health America.

Specific Disorders:

  • Anxiety Disorders: Affect 19.1% of U.S. adults ​NAMI.
  • Major Depressive Disorder: Approximately 8.3% of adults experience a major depressive episode ​NAMI.
  • Bipolar Disorder: Affects about 2.8% of the population ​NAMI.
  • Substance Use Disorders:
  • Over 45 million adults (17.82%) and 2.3 million youth (8.95%) are experiencing substance use disorders Mental Health America.

Barriers to Treatment:

  • The ratio of people to mental health providers is concerning, with around 340 individuals for every provider in many areas ​Mental Health America.

Physical Health Conditions

  1. Chronic Conditions:
    • Obesity: Over 42% of U.S. adults are classified as obese​ National Institute of Mental Health. This condition is linked to various other health issues, including diabetes and heart disease.
    • Cardiovascular Diseases: Conditions like hypertension and heart disease remain prevalent, contributing to high morbidity and mortality rates ​National Institute of Mental Health.
  2. Diabetes:
  3. Respiratory Conditions:
  4. Musculoskeletal Disorders:

In recent years, the prevalence of mental health issues among children and adolescents in the U.S. has become increasingly concerning. Here’s an overview of the current landscape based on recent statistics:

  1. Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions:
    • Approximately 1 in 5 children (19%) aged 3-17 years has a diagnosed mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder ​CDC​NAMI.
    • Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, are particularly prominent, with anxiety disorders affecting 9.4% and major depressive episodes affecting 7.8% of this age group​Pediatrics​American Psychological Association.
    • Developmental Disorders: Conditions such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder are becoming more commonly diagnosed. Approximately 9.4% of children aged 2-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, while around 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism​ HHS.gov​ CDC.
  2. Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors:
    • In 2023, 29% of high school students reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 14% reported seriously considering suicide​ CDC​Pediatrics.
    • Among LGBTQ+ youth, rates of suicidal ideation are alarmingly high, with 20% having attempted suicide ​CDC​American Psychological Association.
  3. Impact of Socioeconomic Factors:
    • Factors such as food insecurity, housing instability, and exposure to community violence contribute significantly to mental health challenges ​Pediatrics​American Psychological Association. Structural racism also plays a critical role, particularly affecting Indigenous and Black children, who face higher rates of mental health issues and trauma ​Pediatrics.
  4. Access to Treatment:
    • Despite the high prevalence of mental health conditions, many children lack access to necessary care. For instance, 50.6% of youth aged 6-17 with mental health disorders received treatment​NAMI. There are significant disparities based on socioeconomic status and race​ Pediatrics​American Psychological Association.
  5. Improvements and Challenges:
    • Some improvements have been noted recently, such as a decrease in persistent sadness among students overall, but increases in experiences of bullying and school safety concerns have been observed ​CDC. The ongoing challenges underscore the need for more comprehensive support systems in schools and communities ​Pediatrics​NAMI.

Physical Ailments

  1. Obesity: Childhood obesity is a significant concern, affecting approximately 19.7% of children aged 2 to 19 years as of 2020. This prevalence is higher among Hispanic (26.2%) and Black (24.8%) children compared to their White (16.6%) and Asian (9.0%) counterparts​ CDC. The annual medical costs related to obesity for U.S. children is estimated to be $1.3 billion CDC.
  2. Asthma: Approximately 7.5% of children in the U.S. have asthma, making it one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases. Asthma rates have been shown to vary with socioeconomic status, with children from lower-income families more likely to be affected​ CDC.
  3. Allergies: Allergic conditions, including food allergies and allergic rhinitis (hay fever), are prevalent among children. It’s estimated that 8% of children have food allergies, with increases seen in recent years​ CDC.
  4. Diabetes: The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes (both Type 1 and Type 2) among children is around 1.5%. There has been a notable increase in Type 2 diabetes, attributed to rising obesity rates​ CDC.
  5. Sleep Disorders: Conditions such as sleep apnea affect an estimated 2% to 5% of children, often linked to obesity and resulting in various physical and mental health issues​ CDC.
  6. Vision and Hearing Impairments: Around 5% of children have some form of visual impairment, while 1.4% experience hearing loss​ CDC.
  7. Injuries: Unintentional injuries remain a leading cause of morbidity among children, with thousands of emergency department visits annually related to accidents​ CDC.

Conclusion

The combined rise in mental health issues and chronic physical conditions points to a pressing health crisis in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and social isolation, which further complicate access to care and treatment​

Mental Health America. It’s crucial for healthcare systems and policymakers to address these issues, focusing on improving access to mental health resources and integrating physical health strategies to support overall well-being.

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide range of topics related to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal affection disorder (SAD) is defined as a subtype of depression, where an individual experiences chronic major depression that follows a seasonal pattern. SAD most often occurs during the winter months. The exact cause of SAD is unknown but is thought to probably manifest from hormone and neurotransmitter dysfunction affecting the nervous and psychic-emotional systems of the human body (Piotrowski, 2022).

Theories of What Causes SAD

Research points towards the winter form of SAD, involving the hormone melatonin, which is a substance secreted by the brain’s pineal gland. Melatonin affects mood and energy levels as well as helps to regulate sleep-wake cycles. Studies reflect too much, or prolonger secretion of melatonin may promote SAD (Ettinger, 2018).

Melatonin as well as serotonin systems are influenced by the earth’s daily dark-light cycle also known as photoperiodism. SAD can thereby be related to seasonal disturbances in the earth’s dark-light cycle and its relative effect on individuals (Ettinger, 2018).

Key Symptoms of SAD

  • Seasonal patterns of experiencing of a depressed mood that may include feelings of sadness, emptiness, or tearfulness
  • A lack of interest or pleasure in most activities for most of the day
  • Significant loss or gain of bodyweight
  • Insomnia (inability to sleep) or hypersomnia (excessive sleep)
  • Psychomotor agitation or psychomotor retardation
  • Loss of energy (fatigue)
  • Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
  • Diminished ability to think or concentrate
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide ideation (Piotrowski, 2022)

Who Suffers From SAD?

  • Research shows that people living in northern climates are more likely to be affected by SAD than people living at other latitudes.
  • Most persons who will experience this problem will be in their twenties and thirties.
  • Individuals typically experience depression as the amount of daylight decreases with the advancing of the winter season.
  • Women are two to four times more likely than men to develop SAD.
  • Rates for newly diagnosed with SAD tend to decrease during the fifties and decrease dramatically after age sixty-five (Piotrowski, 2022).
  • SAD affects 0.5 to 3 percent of individuals in the general population. It affects 10-20% of people with major depressive disorder and about 25% of those with bipolar disorder (Seasonal Affective Disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics, n.d.)

Treatment Options

Phototherapy or light therapy is the dominant treatment for those affected by this disorder. Exposure to light can be difficult for some people as each may have unique circumstances in relation to their environment, schedules and careers which may help to limit access to light (Piotrowski, 2022).

Phototherapy involves sitting in front of a specific type of therapeutic light source for anywhere from thirty to ninety minutes. This treatment is usually done in the morning each day. Serotoninergic antidepressant medication is sometimes used along with phototherapy (Piotrowski, 2022).

Cognitive behavioral therapy is another type of treatment where thought patterns are modified to manage SAD. There are also light visors having a light source built into the brim that can help those with this disorder (Piotrowski, 2022).

References:

Biard,G. (2008), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10095047

Ettinger, R. H. (2018). Psychology: The Science of Behavior (6th ed.). BVT Publishing.

Francis, G. (2019), http://www.PacificProDigital.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81371623

Piotrowski, N. A. . P. D., & Prerost, F. J. . P. D. (2022). Seasonal affective disorder. Magill’s Medical Guide (Online Edition).

Seasonal affective disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics. (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/seasonal-affective-disorder/

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group, might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide spectrum of topics relative to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing more of my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through building a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

Perspectives on Managing Stress

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), the German author of Faust and other literary works, once wrote:

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

We need to have our priorities in proper order for our own individual goals and responsibilities. It is easy to become caught up in trivial issues that have no real impact on the more important issues that may actually affect our health and well-being. My understanding of stress is an excess of focused attention to a particular issue that may become a detriment to one’s health and well-being of their mind, body, or spiritual awareness. This extra attention can make its way into our thoughts through our senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. As our sensory organs receive potential negative input, and relay signals to the brain, our nervous system will make adjustments to the various organ systems and chemistry of the blood throughout our bodies. Stress hormones affect the organs and overall health of the individual leading us back to a potential vicious circle of our health affecting our thoughts and emotions and causing more stress back throughout the body.

Some stress is actually needed for us to be able to manage the ups and downs we encounter in daily life. I have come to understand that everyone manages stress with their own unique skill set of coping mechanisms and available resources. What is quite stressful for one person may be a minor inconvenience for others. Similarly, when someone experiences some type of traumatic event, they may later experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whereas another individual with different coping skills may come to experience post-traumatic growth (PTG). PTG is the term for what may happen when a person who struggles psychologically from trauma and adversity, may come to experience positive, transformative changes in their behavior and mindset (Collier, 2016). Either way, I think that most people try not to be stressed or traumatized, but when they do experience either, there is a wide variety of self-regulation skills that one can access. I have been introduced to various theories such as self-efficacy theory (SET) and self-determination theory (SDT) where individuals can be active participants in how they manage their own thoughts, emotions, and relative actions (Simons-Morton & Lodyga, 2021).

I think everyone has stress on some level in their daily lives. However, I have been fortunate to figure out at an early age that the most important things in my life is my mind, body and spiritual awareness. Once I learned that this is a universal truth that is hard to debate, I realized that everything is connected to the balance and well-being of our physical body, our mental understanding, and an awareness of a higher power along with a sense of purpose or life direction. With the prior being said, I still do experience the daily mundane stresses of tasks, work-related circumstances, interactions with people, studying for this course and a host of other issues many others deal with also. However, I realize that I am the one controlling my thoughts, emotions, and actions, and consequently, I determine how much or how little stress I allow to manifest in my life.

I am currently managing my stress by monitoring my diet and appropriate nutrition, exercising consistently by practicing of sitting, standing, and moving meditation methods like tai chi, qigong, and other martial arts, as well as some resistance/weight training, and cardiovascular exercises, while trying to get about 7-8 hours of sleep. I have studied and practiced many sleep methods/behaviors and their relationship with exercise, meditation, and other mind/body practices. What we do or don’t do during our waking hours can determine the quality of our sleep at night. Conversely, how well we sleep, and duration can affect the quality of our waking hours also. Practicing stress relieving exercises and behaviors during the day such as yoga, mindful breathing, meditation, tai chi, (A Prescription for Tai Chi? A UCLA Researcher Works to Position This Ancient Mind-body Practice Into Mainstream Medicine Nationwide. – Document – Gale General OneFile, 2024) and many other physical exercise methods, can help the mind and body to better process information and rejuvenate during the sleep stages. Mental output and activity often become stressful when we try to work, manage family duties, solve finances, and manage hundreds of other daily tasks. A good night’s rest is most often earned by what we eat, what we think, and what types of physical activity/exercise we practice throughout the day. This is what I have learned and experienced from my own anecdotal experiences.

References:

Collier, L. (2016). Growth after trauma. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma

Simons-Morton, Bruce; Lodyga, Marc. (2021) Behavior Theory in Public Health Practice and Research. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Kindle Edition. 

A Prescription for Tai Chi? A UCLA researcher works to position this ancient mind-body practice into mainstream medicine nationwide. (2024, March). Healthy Years, 21(3), 1+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A783577598/ITOF?u=vol_vsc&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=07847cf8

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide range of topics related to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

Evolutionary Psychology in Modern Life: Health, Behavior, and Society

The evolution of human behavior has affected diseases and medical conditions or morbidities such as psychiatric and psychological conditions. Some of these conditions have become acceptable as consequences of not only genetics but effects from the environment such as climate, culture, nutrition, healthcare, etc. Herein lies the discussion of nature versus nurture. A major component in human evolution is the social environment and our ability to adjust or modify it to suit our needs. This ability to make changes allows for the potential mismatch between evolved phenotypes and the current surroundings that we exist and live within, possibly leading to psychological disorders (Gluckman et al., 2016).

Subjection to unfortunate and early social environments such as childhood neglect or abuse, has been linked to increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responses to stress where there is a greater risk of suffering from depression later in life, especially if exposed to other stressful occasions. Increased vulnerability to environmental stressors can be seen as an evolved trait, where stressful environments guide development toward outcomes that are adaptive to stressful conditions as mechanisms affecting physiological functions (Gluckman et al., 2016).

Higher risk-taking or immature behavior is thought to be connected to the lack of prefrontal cortex development, which has been known to affect judgment, planning, impulse control, and decision-making portions of the human brain. Usually, this part of the brain and consequential mental development is not fully mature until about 25 years of age. There is evidence of young males experiencing puberty at an earlier age, where they are biologically mature while simultaneously being psychologically immature (Gluckman et al., 2016). I think that this might be leading to them being much more prone to having suicidal tendencies than those experiencing puberty later. This example appears to demonstrate how a mismatch can affect other adolescent issues such as risky behaviors, drug use and abuse, rebelling, and depression at an early age (Gluckman et al., 2016).

Evolution and Medicine: A Holistic Approach

Evolutionary principles can be applied to medical practice and public health. By exploring an evolutionary perspective, the focus can be steered towards clinical medicine and public health. Evolutionary explanations can encourage differing perspectives of basic, clinical, and public health analysis. Evolutionary interpretations seem to seek the “why” a clinical problem has come about rather than the mechanistic approach of “how” some ailments surface.

Medical conditions might be better understood when a more encompassing or holistic approach looks at a patient’s social background including personal, family, and medical history, a patient’s lineage, human biological and cultural evolution, as well as the broader biological evolution. Examples in this chapter relayed how multiple components are responsible for influencing the risk of acquiring disease and illness. Influenza is often seen as a respiratory viral infection with various levels of severity. Influenza has a relationship with animals where there is a rapid evolution of viruses while we try to maintain effective vaccines. The genomic sequence and evolution of the influenza virus is constantly being evaluated in order to develop vaccines and/or other prophylactic public health strategies. These measures tap into evolutionary principles. Evolutionary science is the main uniting principle within all biology (Gluckman et al., 2016)

Evolutionary Psychology and Consumer Behavior

Author Gad Saad writes about how Darwinian concepts of evolution affect us as consumers in his article of “Applying Evolutionary Psychology in Understanding the Darwinian Roots of Consumption Phenomena”. Humans as a species as well as consumers, embrace various behaviors that are linked to many key Darwinian modules of evolution such as variation, selection, and adaptation. These concepts are found to be consistently reoccurring within expressions of popular culture such as in music, television, and movies. Some of our consumption rituals have roots in our Darwinian heritage, but where consumers are not necessarily consciously aware of the resulting cause or etiology of their behaviors. Most people do not think about our biological heritage when we our buying goods or services (Saad. 2006).

Many of Saad’s examples were relative to reproductive fitness and how specific aspects of selection such as hair color, eye color and height could affect courtship rituals such as dating and gift-giving. Other factors brought up were how females might be more concerned with their physical appearance and pursuing products or services (cosmetics and cosmetic surgery) that would hopefully attract males with more resources that would help perpetuate the success of future offspring. Males were thought to pursue products that allude to their material resources by displaying expensive vehicles (Saad, 2006). I find it interesting how some of these aspects might be viewed today as stereotyping or sexist, however, have some relevance in actual science and research.

Jealousy Through an Evolutionary Lens

“Sex Differences in Jealousy: Evolution, Physiology, and Psychology” an article written by Buss, Larsen, Westen, and Semmelroth, 1992 reports on a hypothesis where situations that initiate emotions of jealousy, may physiologically and psychologically be different for men and women. This issue might have evolved over time due to the different adaptive problems humans experience during mating rituals. Three studies were conducted with participants being undergraduate students, presumably from the University of Michigan and being mostly equally divided between male and female. The study asked questions of what would be more distressing regarding both sexual and emotional infidelity. The results of the studies support that jealousy was activated when questions of this context were discussed with the participants while being connected to a polygraph to monitor skin response, heart rate, and signal strength. The studies would find that these two types of infidelity would have differing results between men and women. Men were more distressed than women while thinking that their partner was having a sexual relationship with another partner, than if the relationship was emotional. Women appeared to be more disturbed by the emotional infidelity of their partner being committed or emotionally attached to a different partner (Buss et al., 1992).

Evolutionary psychological concepts that may be relative to this issue of jealousy and infidelity, are that female commitment jealousy and male sexual jealousy will be greater in cultures where males invest heavily in the upbringing of their children. Also male sexual jealousy will decline as the age of the male’s partner increases due to the female reproductive fitness also declining (Buss et al., 1992). I think that these studies can be seen as limited or somewhat biased in that the participants were of a single age group (college age) and culture (American Midwest). Other age groups or persons from other parts of the country or the world might yield different results.

Art and Evolutionary Psychology

There is an increased curiosity in evolutionary psychology and how it affects our inherited nature within contemporary life, or so Richard Hickman’s 2016 “Reflections on Art Making and Evolutionary Psychology” states. This leads to the question of if all human beings possess an innate capacity and desire for making and appreciating art?  Does denial of this capacity lead one to an unrealized and unhealthy life? He goes onto remember that as a young art teacher, a colleague commented that “you can’t teach art; you’re either born with it or not.” Maybe having the ability to know, see or make art is highly subjective on defining what art actually is to one person and not to another. Does art reflect skill, expression, and organization or other universal signatures, for everyone defining what their version of art entails?

Hickman goes on to submit the concept of humans in years past, having to rely on their knowledge of plants and their relative health to ensure survival, in essence, a form of art in detecting fresh-looking plants over diseased or spoiled fruits and vegetables perhaps. He goes on to state individuals are not born as an artist or with specific art-related talents but rather that we are born with a potential for a sense of creativity to adapt our environment and accessories to our needs and desires (Hickman, 2016).

Conclusion

From an evolutionary perspective, I think that many artistic developments have come about due to evolutionary adaptation relative to our preferences and dislikes of foods, music, cinema, and other entertainment or traditions. As I have studied anatomy and physiology, I have come to understand that most functions and responses of the human body, basically come down to chemistry. As I have just seen the tip of the iceberg with this course’s topics, I think that almost everything in our bodies, our behaviors, and beliefs, all within our environment and the universe as a whole, comes down to evolution. I have been exposed to how evolution has affected many human health issues such as pregnancy, nutrition, disease, and heredity. I have also become more aware of how the behaviors of humans as well as other species are affected by evolution principles. Also, evolutionary environmental changes in climate, weather, and other geographical issues have come to play a part in how other interconnected components are all affected. In sum, evolutionary psychology offers a compelling framework for understanding human behavior, from health and disease to consumer choices and social dynamics. The studies and theories discussed in this essay demonstrate how evolutionary principles continue to shape modern life, influencing everything from public health strategies to interpersonal relationships. By exploring human behavior through an evolutionary lens, we gain a deeper appreciation for how our biology, culture, and environment are interconnected. As our understanding of evolutionary science continues to evolve, so too will our insights into the human condition.

References

Buss, D. M., Larsen, R. J., Westen, D., & Semmelroth, J. (1992). Sex Differences in Jealousy: Evolution, Physiology, and Psychology. Psychological Science, 3(4), 251–255. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40062797

Gluckman, Peter; Beedle, Alan; Buklijas, Tatjana; Low, Felicia; Hanson, Mark. (2016) Principles of Evolutionary Medicine (p. 261-284). OUP Oxford. Kindle Edition.

Gluckman, Peter; Beedle, Alan; Buklijas, Tatjana; Low, Felicia; Hanson, Mark. (2016) Principles of Evolutionary Medicine (pp. 324-325). OUP Oxford. Kindle Edition.

Richard Hickman. (2016). Reflections on Art Making and Evolutionary Psychology. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 50(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5406/jaesteduc.50.3.0001 Saad, G. (2006). Applying Evolutionary Psychology in Understanding the Darwinian Roots of Consumption Phenomena. Managerial and Decision Economics, 27(2/3), 189–201. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25151431

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