Not long ago was Valentines Day and spur of the moment, my husband and I decided to go out for dinner barring any long waits at a local Mexican restaurant. (We had already celebrated Valentines together on a family camping trip and hadn’t expected to have the time to go out for dinner.) As we were munching on some very delicious chips and salsa, we surveyed the crowd looking at the general appearance of health with our fellow diners. 30%-40% were severely obese and a good 40-50% were obese. I by no means consider myself to be as fit as I should be but we do regularly exercise (4-6 times a week) and are cognizant of what we are eating and when. We were quite frankly shocked at the status quo of our fellow food compatriots.
What would happen to these people if they were confronted with an emergency situation? Looming food shortages, supply chain issues and medicine shortages because of our reliance on China for drug manufacturing – all bring me to a pause of the health status of those around me. My goal is not to fat shame anyone but to bring awareness that part of being able to protect your family and yourself is to be physically healthy. Physical and emotional health often go hand in hand – the statistics are very interesting regarding the number of obese people also on antidepressants. Life expectancy in the US is lower now than it was just a few years ago and those numbers were going down even before a certain recent mandated injection.
As a society, where do we go from here? Our food isn’t allowed in certain parts of Europe because of all the GMO’s and chemicals added, farmers are being targeted in the name of climate change, prescription medication is the first go-to instead of diet and exercise, processed food makes up the majority of the grocery store, fast food is basically the only food choice for those on the go. We as a society have to demand better. Change starts with us and our families. We have to choose to buy at the farmers markets for the freshest produce and take the time to cook from scratch more often than not. We have to prioritize our health; mental, spiritual and physical. Go to worship, read your Bible and get outside to the gym. Our local YMCA has free pilates and barre classes and many other classes with a membership along with access to a full gym. They open early and they stay open late with childcare options. What we prioritize will actually happen. I don’t work out because my husband does (although it helps for sure); I work out because I want to be healthy for my future, for my current mental state and for my family. I want to be alive and healthy a long time to grow old with my husband and to be able to watch my children grow up and start families of their own. And honestly, I don’t want to become a burden for my family when I am old because I made poor health choices when I had options to be healthier.
I too was caught in the hamster wheel of doctor visits, medication for a chronic illness , surgeries and hospitalizations – at one point I was so sick doctors told me I’d never be able to have kids because of the medications I needed to be on to stay alive. This was no way to live – the doctors of course said to eat right and exercise but never took the time to go over what that meant in practical, real-life terms. I didn’t realize how much difference it made to eat organic nonGMO meat, fruits and vegetables verses normal stuff found at Walmart/ Kroger or Winn-Dixie. Walking/running in sunshine for Vitamin D with cardio benefits, weight lifting and regular classes at the Y have been crucial in not just staying fit physically but emotionally and mentally. I am more productive on days I work out verses days I do not exercise. Time spent with God in the Bible and at church in fellowship are always good uses of time and for whatever reason, that time spent with Him seems to be multiplied back in time for other necessities. And I hope as we try to be healthy in all areas of our lives, our children see this and try to start emulating it. They eat what we cook, work out with us and of course go to church when we do. It certainly helps that we have the privilege of homeschooling and can make the time to do these activities together.
I train with my pistol not because I’m hoping to get in an altercation but in case I’m forced to protect my loved ones from someone thrusting their evil on us. If I’m sick and overweight, I cannot effectively move quickly and with force. We are about to start a 7 week women’s only self-defense class that involves punching and grappling and I can’t do that effectively if I’m worried about daily health concerns. As we were sitting at the dinner table people watching on Valentine’s Day, we were saddened at the health state that we saw. In a perfect world, everyone would be healthy, in jobs they love, happy marriages without a worry about safety. But the sad reality is that life just isn’t always like this and we have to make a conscious decision to be healthy, eat right, exercise regularly and train at the gun range even when we don’t feel like it. Do it for you. Do it for your family. It’s never too late to start making positive changes in your life.
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