In a study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, it was found that Americans have higher rates of disease and chronic injury compared to other developed, advanced countries. The panel found that the U.S. is leading 15 other affluent countries in diabetes, infant mortality, obesity, drug related deaths and chronic lung disease.
As Americans, why do we refuse to take responsibility for our own health? We are smart enough not to put our finances in the hands of others. We balance our checkbooks and pay our own bills. However, when it comes to our health and well-being, we don’t give it a second thought until something goes wrong.
Obesity continues to rise because we don’t exercise often enough and eat too much processed and junk foods loaded with sugar. So, we search for a quick weight loss diet or miracle pill that will have us losing weight in no time. Once we stop taking the pills or go off the diet the weight comes back.
We live in a fast paced world and want instant gratification in every area of our lives. We are too tired to cook healthy meals at home so we pick up fast food at the drive thru for our entire family because it is quick and cheap.
And, when we have had enough of being tired, rundown and overweight, we would rather spend hundreds of dollars per month to have someone else take responsibility for our well-being and tell us how to eat healthily and lose weight.
At night we prefer to sit in front of the T.V. and snack mindlessly instead of educating ourselves on the benefits of eating organic foods, exercising regularly, or meditating to relax us after a long stressful day. Being under constant stress can cause us to pick up other bad habits such as smoking and recreational drugs because it’s easier to pick up a cigarette or pop a pill than a hand weight.
Why, in a so-called “rich” nation are we leading the pack in unhealthy lifestyles? We have all of the information at our fingertips. Are we too busy? Are we too consumed with chasing the imaginative American Dream? What is it we are chasing? And if we get there, what then? At what cost to our bodies and our children is it worth it to ignore the major health concerns we have going on right now?
We can save ourselves thousands of dollars in medical bills by simply researching, reading and following a healthy active lifestyle. Be your own health advocate. Nobody can do it for you. Don’t put it off while you chase your “dream.” By being healthy now and enjoying the moment a little more, we might learn a little more about that dream.
– The Alternative Daily
