"The feeling of nothing in your stomach really is different than feeling hungry. Definitely headaches. People call it a hunger headache. Probably two days out of the week, I get a migraine. My brain starts to pulsate. You get them, you can feel them throbbing. It goes from the eyebrow to the back over here. A ball of pain in the front of my head. Like something is holding on to your brain, almost."
"I will feel so tired, as if I cannot move a limb in my body. It's like going into a power-save mode. I feel like my stomach's going to eat me. So it actually feels like it turns to a ball and it just keeps turning. I can't be relaxed. I can't be calm. Thanksgiving is on Thursday. What are we eating on Monday? I wanted to make some chicken soup, but I literally could not afford out of my income"
One in seven Americans lives with hunger, experiencing acute physical and emotional effects. Persistent hunger triggers migraines, throbbing head pain, exhaustion, and reduced ability to relax or function. Many people skip breakfast, lunch, or multiple meals each day and find SNAP benefits insufficient to cover essential groceries. Caregivers often prioritize children and forgo meals to feed them. Coping strategies include eating cheap, portable foods like peanut butter, drinking water to suppress hunger, chewing gum for flavor, and choosing between paying bills and buying food. Food shortages intensify stress and health risks, especially around holidays.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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