Your own personal health care program. Part 1
With all this talk recently about the health care bill, we have lost sight of the most important part of health care, the program that you have for yourself. Most of you are probably scratching your heads thinking, what health care program? That’s because we don’t think of ourselves as having any responsibility for our health. That’s what the doctor is for.
So by abdicating all responsibility to the doctor we get a free pass and don’t have to think at all about our health. This is the reason we have such a problem with preventable diseases. We go through life living our day to day existence, get up go to work, pick up a fast food breakfast, eat a fast food lunch, come home eat a high fat dinner, watch TV, snack on chips or ice cream, sleep, repeat. I know that some of you do other things you have clubs and organizations that you are involved with but what is usually present, food. Whenever we get together there is food and not healthy food, we have cakes, donuts, cookies, bagels, chips and dips loaded with fat.
On top of this we sit at desks all day or in our cars, we rarely walk or get even a minimal amount of exercise. Then we wonder why there is an epidemic of preventable diseases. the answer is simple, blame fast food restaurants, TV commercials, my parents for not teaching me how to eat or better yet, the schools, they didn’t teach proper nutrition. It’s got to be someones fault!
Who do we blame?
Figuring out who to blame is the answer to all our problems, it may not help me to get healthy but it gives me a reason why I don’t have to try. This is the sad fact of our society, we all know how we take care of our health is wrong but rather than take responsibility we call it a disease or a mental illness so it becomes out of our control. This isn’t to say that there aren’t some people with a legitimate physical or mental problem that contributes to a eating disorder or inability to exercise but that is the exception not the norm.
Love you just the way you are.
A new trend that I see happening is for overweight people to say to each other that you are beautiful just the way you are. While I am not in favor of ridiculing overweight people, obesity is not beautiful, it causes illness, shortens life and reduces quality of life. If you can’t run, play, bike, swim or even pick up your children they are missing out on an important part of their development. By the way if your job keeps you from doing the same thing you are hurting your children just as much.
What to do?
First off you have to admit you have a problem. You need to lose weight, quit smoking, drinking to much, using drugs, etc. Now none of us do anything without a reason and knowing that it is the right thing to do doesn’t cut it. You need to be truly motivated before you will change your life style. So whats it going to take? well if your married, have kids or anyone that might miss you if you die, that’s a good motivator. You need to find a motivation that is compelling enough to make you change. Once you do you need to write it down and put it where you you will see it several times a day as a constant reminder. That would be places like your bathroom mirror, dresser mirror, car on the refrigerator. You also need to get those people in your life that are affected to make a commitment to keep you to your goals. Without accountability you will give up, you need someone to answer to who will be tough and keep you honest.
This is not going to be a how to diet, what to eat or what ecercises to do lession. I am going to give you the big picture of what you need to do the specifics are up to you, your doctor, trainer, nutritionist or whoever else you consult with that can make you a tailor made plan for overall health. I am concerned that you find the motivation to keep on the plan and see it through till you achieve your goals.
My next entry will deal with changing your mind so you can change your health situation.