1 : enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit : well
2 : evincing health
3 : conducive to health
We have food production that well exceeds Our needs and that far exceeds our caloric requirements. The problem we have with food is that we can't live without it so are forced to be responsible and make good choices or suffer the consequences.
You can go without alcohol.
You can go without cigarettes.
You can go without marijuana.
You can go without any vice we've chosen but we can't do without food. Using food as a vice is a slippery slope. Sometimes you can use food to comfort yourself but why do you need to be comforted every day? If you need to be comforted every day then you should seek help from a professional.
Sometimes food is a reward. If food is your reward then you can use it but it can be a tightrope. I like to have wings and beer on the day I finish a marathon. It is difficult for me to justify the high fat food under many other circumstances. Don't reward yourself like that for every workout, you will become frustrated at lack of results and quit exercise altogether.
We all know how to stay healthy: exercise vigorously, eat more vegetables, eat less meat, don't over eat, don't eat much sugar. But just because we know how to eat properly does not mean we are doing it. Clearly, we're not doing it!
The majority of this country considers himself either Jewish or Christian. In both cases we are told treat the body as a Temple. You wouldn't treat a Temple this way. You wouldn't bring substandard food to your place of worship. Why would you feed yourself that way?
It seems as if there is a disconnect between what goes into our mouth and how that affects our body. We should be responsible for what goes in our mouths as well as what comes out. You cannot constantly deride someone for their weight or how they live and then not live up to your own standards.
I'm not against chocolate. I'm not against McDonald's. I'm not against fast food or even processed foods. I just feel that if you're connected to your body and you understand how your body feels after you eat these things you will choose wiser.
We choose any number of ways to disconnect ourselves from the way things are going around us. We act as if the food we eat is not making us sick. It is not normal to feel bad every day. If you are on medication for any "Co-morbid risk factors" (diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol ). We need to look at our lives as a whole. If you have high blood pressure but are otherwise healthy then maybe you need to do something to manage your stress or lower your salt intake. If you have high cholesterol but are otherwise healthy then maybe you need to exercise more and eat healthier. There are a few rare cases of those whose only risk factor for heart disease is that they are obese. These people should play the lottery. That's almost how rare it is! It is also quite rare to find an adult who is healthy with type II diabetes.
I don't claim to have the answers. If you pay attention to how your body feels when you eat then you will know if you are eating properly. If you get indigestion after you eat it is a sign that your body is rejecting something you have eaten. If you feel sluggish after you eat then you are probably eating something that is lacking in true nourishment.
I like ribs!
I like burgers!
I even like french fries and chocolate and wine and pizza and even like BACON!. I also like to cook. I really like to cook healthy food. My grandmother taught me to cook Southern when I was very young. Around the same time my father was pulling recipes from Runners World magazine. My father would run nearly every day and have a bowl of ice cream nearly every night. Back then runners still "carb loaded" before a race. My father taught me about exercise but he also taught me about dessert. I still run, even after more than 30 years but I had to teach myself that ice cream is only for 1 or 2 days per week.
We let ourselves get caught up in watching the news and being concerned about whether or not we are going to make it to our next paycheck. We worry about this politician or that politician. We worry about things and we have absolutely zero control over them. We busy ourselves and find excuses not to exercise. You could've found time for exercise in the time you spent on Facebook this week.
We find excuses why it's "hard" to find time for exercise. Just go. Move your body! Simply moving heavy things can challenge you physically. We were meant built to exercise all day long! Challenge yourself mentally to take responsibility for your own actions. Try new exercises just to see if you can do them! For your own healthy life!
There is a concern over big government and government run health care. Lets try some self care to show we are responsible enough for our own health. Big government does not try to control your health. Though some feel it should because you haven't done a good job of staying healthy on your own. It's not the governments job to take care of you. It's not the governments job to do anything about your health. But if you are not taking care of yourself and you're putting a drain on the economy by being unhealthy then someone has to step in.
If your family and friends are not going to tell you you're Fat then they're probably fat too. In our attempt to be nice and not tell someone they're overweight or not tell someone that their fat, then we've allowed ourselves to become a nation of sick people. Being sick is not normal, and there's not a pill for everything. Ask your doctor for about options for exercise. Check with your insurance company about what they pay for in the way of exercise intervention for being over weight or obese.
Demand of your leaders better health from them. Start in your home by being healthy there. If you are overweight or obese then begin to do something about it. Find the answers! Ask a fit friend to show you how to work out. Go online and find a new exercise. Sign up for and event to run a 5k or bike to raise money for something like Wounded Warriors, Fisher House or Team McGraw.
Begin to make daily exercise a part of your life. Don't watch so much television. Make vigorous movement part of your life just like taking pills to manage pain.
Community organizers, City Council members, preachers, rabbis, imams, Senator, Mayors - ALL civic leaders owe it to your communities to become more healthy. Begin a campaign of checking on the health of your constituents. Make the health of your community a priority and the financial needs of your community will be more easily managed.
This Memorial Day honor those who died for our freedom! Run your Memorial Day 5K. Play hoops with a veteran. Throw the baseball with a wounded veteran who wishes he could run a 5K.
Honor your freedom and treat it well.
Stay healthy for your country.
Create a healthier and stronger place to call the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Take control of your health today. Your country's future depends on it.
Andrew Nelson
P.S. Forward this to as many people as you care about. I hope this gets back to me many times.
Comment! Tell others! Pin it! Facebook it! Tweet it! Then go for a run!
