Health Builders
The majority of my childhood memories are marked by some sort of food "moment". As I'm sure is the same for many others. Let's face it, we have holidays devoted to the consumption of food. From Thanksgiving, to Halloween, and all of the days in between which are dedicated to a different kind of food (i.e., carbonated beverage with caffeine day, national peanut butter fudge day, etc.) Food plays a big role in the human life. Unfortunately for many of us, food plays an unhealthy role in our lives. We seek food for comfort or fulfillment in varying ways. We are taught to eat chicken noodle soup when we fall ill, or to seek ice cream on hot days, we learn that just one apple a day can keep the doctor away or that it is normal to need a coffee packed with sugar and creamers at the start of each day. So much of who we are revolves around food and the consumption of it.
As we grow older we become responsible for our own health- we no longer rely upon someone to perfectly portion our veggies, protein, and carbohydrates. If we fail to take responsibility we face inevitable issues and ailments. Recent studies estimate 25.8 million people or 8.5% of Americans are living with Diabetes at this very moment. 95% of which is said to be Type 2 Diabetes, a type which is caused by genetic and lifestyle factors. That is 24 million more people than the 1.7 million infected with AIDS, or the 1.6 million who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. That percentage should be astonishing to you. We are allowing ourselves and those around us to slowly decline into a state of unhealthfulness. A state so severe we will likely die because of it.
At some point we all must choose health. We must choose health for ourselves, for our loved ones, for future generations, and for the sake of appreciating life. We must become health builders. I use the term health building quite frequently to demonstrate that health is an unending spectrum. Rarely, if ever, do we reach a stopping point at which we declare ourselves healthy and incapable of improving upon our current condition. Rather, health is something to be built upon day after day. It is a goal you strive for knowing you may never fully grasp because the work will never be done- health can decline just as easily as it can be built. A few missed workouts turn into a month long hiatus and a couple of potato chips turn into a full bag eaten.
Ready for the challenge?
Where do you find yourself amidst your personal quest for healthfulness? What steps can you take daily to build your health? In what ways are you falling short and in what ways are you succeeding?
If you have any questions, please feel free to email Kevin Rindal, Seattle Chiropractor at DrRindal@InHealthSeattle.com.