Food, Balance and Obesity

Food, Balance and Obesity

Do you ever wonder how so many people in this nation have become so overweight? It seems like, in perhaps the last five years or so, we’ve just blown up. One would think that it would be people with the most resources that are fat – you know, gluttony. It’s actually the poor people, mainly, and the many individuals who commute, have desk jobs, families. It really boggles my mind sometimes when I really think about how much time I spend sitting in a day. At least two hours in my automobile, around nine hours at work. I have to sit to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, so that’s another couple of hours. So, even when I get around to it, that hour a day of exercise does very little toward advancing my fitness level. At least not the level of fitness I would like to achieve. For instance, if I had to run for my life right now, I’d like to have a shot at it. I’m afraid, though, at this point, I could make it a couple of blocks, and then collapse.
Then there’s the diet factor. Doctors say that consumption of dairy products such as yogurt can help aid weight loss. I tried loading up on the yogurt, and you know what? I just can’t eat it like I could when I was a kid. Lactose Intolerance is real, alive and well. I’m sure yogurt is great for you, but who wants to run around feeling yucky all the time? Milk is out of the question too (it’s funny though how ice cream doesn’t seem to affect me at all).
I’m fighting the good fight. At this point, my battle with the bulge has become more psychological, where I notice that I eat poorly when I feel added stress in my daily life. I am increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables and do my best to ignore those pesticide warnings. I don’t understand how we went wrong with the food we eat now, either. I love tuna, but you know what? I’m afraid to touch the stuff. I don’t want to find out that I get enough protein in my diet but I suffer from mercury poisoning. I’ve reintroduced small amounts of beef into my diet, but what else am I getting with it? I probably sound more than a little paranoid, but I can’t help but wonder about the quality of food available.
Many of our food and diet woes point to one essential issue, and that is the issue of balance. Most of us, in an effort to just make ends meet, don’t lead balanced lives. Realistically, I don’t expect to have it all. I am working full-time, growing in a writing career, and more frequently than not, I haven’t placed my physical fitness at the top of my list. I can take responsibility for that much, and I’m making changes to re-establish my physical fitness. Most, if not all of us are doing the best we can in our own lives, but as I write this and reflect on my daily life, I know that achieving a balanced life will be my ultimate goal. Obesity and being over-weight in general (all other health factors being equal) can be a sign that something in one’s life is out of balance. Lack of funds, lack of love, lack of motivation, lack of anything essential to our mental, spiritual, or emotional well-being is often the culprit.
Well, I have ranted enough for one day. I hope this writing inspires someone to release the remote control, get off the couch and go for a walk.

Compassion and Indifference

Compassion and Indifference

As I was waiting in line at the post office today, I considered the best way to Send Flowers to a friend of mine for a promotion well deserved. After paying for postage, though, I quickly forgot about the flowers and returned home to watch today’s Oprah show.
Nothing on the show surprised me, really. Viewers received a very graphic display of what happens to one’s body after you’ve been left to die by the roadside. Oprah’s team interviewed people walking the streets, stunned and dazed, talking of horrific days in the Superdome. The full impact had yet to hit them, and I could see how well a state of shock can serve to protect a human being’s emotions before total reality sets in.
In various social settings over the past few days, I have listened to varying reactions to the hurricane tragedy. The feeling of anger and helplessness was most common, but there were a few who seemed indifferent. Alright, they were extremely indifferent and actually very insensitive to the plight of those caught in the devastation. One pledged ten dollars to the Red Cross (the cost of gas had drained her wallet), the other insisted that the leaders of this country were doing the best they could in this situation and just didn’t understand the anger directed toward them.
I’ll be painfully honest. I know the devastation and pain of losing loved ones. I know what it’s like to have to live without electricity. I know what it’s like to be in direct danger of losing my home. I know what it’s like to be broke and not have food in the refrigerator or cupboards. I know what it’s like to have to get around in extreme heat without a car. I know what it’s like to be far from home, trying to make it.
I’ve had those experiences in isolated cases and I could never imagine what it would be like to suffer these things simultaneously. And still, what I have experienced is nothing compared to what many will emerge to tell in the days and years to come.
The insensitivity of some and the excuses from those we hope to be able to turn to in grave times of trouble such as these are beyond comprehension. How can a person in this country not care about the extent to which their fellow Americans are suffering? Perhaps he doesn’t truly view the people caught in the floods and hurricane as real Americans? How can a leader make excuses for dragging her feet when her fellow human being, a natural disaster survivor, is being further victimized by uncontrolled criminals? How does one authority figure decide that the little babies that have nothing to drink and must sleep alongside feces and corpses can wait for days on end for help? If you decide saving another’s life isn’t worth more than ten dollars, how much more important will someone decide your life is in your time of need?
Thankfully, the relief efforts are finally underway in a manner appropriate for the situation. Many people, many citizens have stepped up and offered whatever they had to these survivors. Thank goodness for compassion and generosity. True leaders have emerged to give their time and dedicate their lives to the survivors. I believe that the survivors will emerge stronger than ever. I hope, however idealistic the sentiment may be, that we all learn to treat each other better and place higher value on compassion. There’s a strong possibility that some deal with the suffering of others by downplaying it, or doing nothing at all. It’s likely that others just don’t care, because they feel that the problem doesn’t affect them. Whatever the case, this country has a lot of work to do and a lot of hearts to mend.


Chandra Adams
Author
Shades of Retribution
www.AdrolitePress.com
www.ChandraAdams.com