Your health matters. Period. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? What are we without our health? It is the single most important thing in our life, yet in our society it is the least thought about or nurtured. I am sure everyone is familiar with the phrase "you are what you eat", but what does that mean to the majority? To many - it is meaningless, something that they don't worry about, they smile, they nod their head, and they move on to the next Super Size Value Meal or smoke break. That mentality has become such a way of life in our society...not only is it sad, but it is an epidemic, an epidemic that I won't spend another minute of my life contributing to...
How many times have you heard things like...
"Smoking kills you"
"Most accidents happen within 10 miles of your home. Wear a seatbelt."
"Children under 12 are safest riding in the back seat of a car. An airbag can be deadly."
"Eating processed nutritionless food causes heart disease, diabetes, and other preventable diseases."
"Alcohol kills brain cells that will not ever grow back."
"1 hour of exercise will add 2 hours to your life."
These are scientifically proven statements that are plastered into our lives through media, education, the medical profession, and other outlets every day yet...to so many of us they are meaningless. Sure they may get acknowledged, a nod of agreement in conversation here and there, but do we care enough to make a change? to prevent the preventable? to make healthier choices? safer choices? Sadly, most of the time, the answer is no.
How many people will openly admit that they know smoking is the worst thing for them and will probably kill them someday all the while lighting another cig and continuing to poison themselves because even the truth isn't enough to make them want to stop? How many people have you seen pile kids in an SUV, with some riding in the "trunk" area because there isn't enough room in the vehicle, putting them in a dangerous situation all for the sake of not taking 2 cars or better yet children riding without seatbelts, car seats, or in the front seat of a car without the ability to disable the airbag? In the event of an accident, which in the United States happens every 60 seconds, would it be worth it? People know the statistics. They know seatbelts save lives, yet how many hop in their cars and still do not put them on?
Heart disease is the #1 killer in America, number 1, and it is completely preventable. How? Nutrition. Kicking unhealthy habits. Knowing this and having the power to prevent it still doesn't stop millions of Americans from chowing down on processed, high fat, high cholesterol, high calorie fast foods, fried foods, sugar, soda, and all other modern conveniences that are full of flavor and zippo nutrition.
We are on a fast track to preventable disease - HOV lane me to an early death and I'll take the big mac to go.
It isn't the lack of education that fosters poor choices that impact our health and the health of our children and families, it is the lack of motivation. Even when people know the facts, risks, statistics...they still lack the most significant element - willingness to change. There are excuses for everything - I used to be guilty of a good amount of them.
- Organic healthy food is too expensive
- I don't have time to cook, life is just so hectic
- I don't have time to exercise
- Oh, these days everything gives you cancer..you just can't pay attention to all that nonsense
- I have a bad knee, a bad heart, bad ankles, bad back, bad allergies...that prevents me from doing "those" things
- I'll just start a diet tomorrow, or next week, or next month - it's not a big deal
The list goes on and on...the truth is that we will give our time, commitment, and money to things that we place the most value and importance on. This is true in anything in life, not just your health. Those that don't have money for things like vacations, "organic" or healthy foods, walking shoes, cookware, etc...yet somehow they manage to find the funds for that pack of cigarettes, the new flat screen tv, surround sound system, the $600 iPhone...you know the "important" things. It is important to them which makes them important. We will always find time or money for what is most important to us - the key is putting the right things first...and more often then not, the right things are usually the hardest things to muck through.
Today Lara and I watched the documentary "Food Matters" on NetFlix. No matter how much I learn everyday...I can still be surprised by how much more there is to learn and how much "growing" I can do. Less than 6% of doctors are trained in nutrition. Nutrition - the single most important thing that can naturally heal our body, prevent and reverse disease, improve quality of life...6%...After all, there isn't much profit in people being healthy, the money is made off pills, medications, drugs...There is so much information out there that most people don't get exposed to, information that can help them become healthier, live longer...
Like anything else in life, no one can make you change. It has to come from you. You won't be successful doing something for someone else - you have to do it for yourself, because it is something you want. It is important to you. You place high value on it. I challenge you to educate yourself on your health and habits, even if you think you know all there is to know about it...reach outside your comfort zone, learn about something even if you think it is fluff or nonsense. Find what makes sense for you, in your life, and then be brave and take action to ignite change in your life. Take small steps...one at a time...after all it takes alot of little steps to make it all the way up a tall staircase. Whether we take them one at a time, or several at a time, we still will eventually get to the top :)
Cheers,
M E
How many times have you heard things like...
"Smoking kills you"
"Most accidents happen within 10 miles of your home. Wear a seatbelt."
"Children under 12 are safest riding in the back seat of a car. An airbag can be deadly."
"Eating processed nutritionless food causes heart disease, diabetes, and other preventable diseases."
"Alcohol kills brain cells that will not ever grow back."
"1 hour of exercise will add 2 hours to your life."
These are scientifically proven statements that are plastered into our lives through media, education, the medical profession, and other outlets every day yet...to so many of us they are meaningless. Sure they may get acknowledged, a nod of agreement in conversation here and there, but do we care enough to make a change? to prevent the preventable? to make healthier choices? safer choices? Sadly, most of the time, the answer is no.
How many people will openly admit that they know smoking is the worst thing for them and will probably kill them someday all the while lighting another cig and continuing to poison themselves because even the truth isn't enough to make them want to stop? How many people have you seen pile kids in an SUV, with some riding in the "trunk" area because there isn't enough room in the vehicle, putting them in a dangerous situation all for the sake of not taking 2 cars or better yet children riding without seatbelts, car seats, or in the front seat of a car without the ability to disable the airbag? In the event of an accident, which in the United States happens every 60 seconds, would it be worth it? People know the statistics. They know seatbelts save lives, yet how many hop in their cars and still do not put them on?
Heart disease is the #1 killer in America, number 1, and it is completely preventable. How? Nutrition. Kicking unhealthy habits. Knowing this and having the power to prevent it still doesn't stop millions of Americans from chowing down on processed, high fat, high cholesterol, high calorie fast foods, fried foods, sugar, soda, and all other modern conveniences that are full of flavor and zippo nutrition.
We are on a fast track to preventable disease - HOV lane me to an early death and I'll take the big mac to go.
It isn't the lack of education that fosters poor choices that impact our health and the health of our children and families, it is the lack of motivation. Even when people know the facts, risks, statistics...they still lack the most significant element - willingness to change. There are excuses for everything - I used to be guilty of a good amount of them.
- Organic healthy food is too expensive
- I don't have time to cook, life is just so hectic
- I don't have time to exercise
- Oh, these days everything gives you cancer..you just can't pay attention to all that nonsense
- I have a bad knee, a bad heart, bad ankles, bad back, bad allergies...that prevents me from doing "those" things
- I'll just start a diet tomorrow, or next week, or next month - it's not a big deal
The list goes on and on...the truth is that we will give our time, commitment, and money to things that we place the most value and importance on. This is true in anything in life, not just your health. Those that don't have money for things like vacations, "organic" or healthy foods, walking shoes, cookware, etc...yet somehow they manage to find the funds for that pack of cigarettes, the new flat screen tv, surround sound system, the $600 iPhone...you know the "important" things. It is important to them which makes them important. We will always find time or money for what is most important to us - the key is putting the right things first...and more often then not, the right things are usually the hardest things to muck through.
Today Lara and I watched the documentary "Food Matters" on NetFlix. No matter how much I learn everyday...I can still be surprised by how much more there is to learn and how much "growing" I can do. Less than 6% of doctors are trained in nutrition. Nutrition - the single most important thing that can naturally heal our body, prevent and reverse disease, improve quality of life...6%...After all, there isn't much profit in people being healthy, the money is made off pills, medications, drugs...There is so much information out there that most people don't get exposed to, information that can help them become healthier, live longer...
Like anything else in life, no one can make you change. It has to come from you. You won't be successful doing something for someone else - you have to do it for yourself, because it is something you want. It is important to you. You place high value on it. I challenge you to educate yourself on your health and habits, even if you think you know all there is to know about it...reach outside your comfort zone, learn about something even if you think it is fluff or nonsense. Find what makes sense for you, in your life, and then be brave and take action to ignite change in your life. Take small steps...one at a time...after all it takes alot of little steps to make it all the way up a tall staircase. Whether we take them one at a time, or several at a time, we still will eventually get to the top :)
Cheers,
M E
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