On Being Healthy

On Friday, I wanted to leave work badly, but NOT because I was feeling extremely exhausted. The conversation in our office was negativity to it's extreme. My boss spoke of her eleven year old daughter having high blood pressure. A co-worker spoke of his bad back. Another always talks about her daughter's asthma or how her mother is going to die young. I have spoken up on many occasion as to how they can cure their maladies; Exercise and diet. However, when I address the importance of these two things, I am met with more negativity. My goal is to let it bypass me because I know it works.

I believe whole-heartedly that these two things will allow for healthy life and longevity. It disheartens me when a mother or father doesn't see much hope for his or her daughter's health. I think of the obstacles they will face when they are older and having to challenge illness that could be avoided if a healthy lifestyle is instilled in them from an early age.

I know people that don't exercise and say that it's because of a bad back or because they're knees are out of whack. Then I look at their lifestyles of excess smoking, excess drinking, drugs sometimes, unhealthy eating patterns. And then? I look at their kids, and think... you have no choice in this matter and for that I feel saddened. I would think that all parents would want a healthy child. I know these people love their children more than anything, but I don't understand why love doesn't take health into consideration. I don't have children and I am only an outside witness, but I hope I can make healthier decisions for my children if I ever have them. I want children that like to play outside, that want to play sports, that want to eat their green beans. I know, I know, I even hated green beans, but that's because I was raised on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheetos. I think my parents did require us to eat vegetables, but my palette has always savored sweet and salty. It is a constant battle for me to maintain a healthy diet. I don't fault my parents at all for this because they were young and I was the first, so I was spoiled. I don't ever want to discourage my children from pursuing healthy activities.

I remember my sister Alexandra LOVING broccoli. Eating vegetables in our family when she was little became a natural regime and the awful taste was rewarded with praise. When I saw her eating these and not spitting it out, I decided to join in. To this day though, I don't necessarily like vegetables, but I am dedicated to eating them. I have taken these lessons learned as a child and tried to apply them to my diet now. I try, and often with great difficulty, to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle. But I think of the reward, not just praise from my parents, but my health. I want to live a life that is rich and free of avoidable diseases.

I pray for good health for everyone. I want my friend's children and their grandchildren to know them into their adult and senior lives. My life has been blessed because I know my parents and my grandparents. I want this for all people. I understand that sometimes life throws us unwanted diseases, such as cancer, but I think the vast majority of illness can be prevented.

This is the thirty-first year of my life. I have planned on remaining healthy and have dedicated the last three months to maintaining a positive attitude regarding my health. I have taken preventative measures in keeping illness at bay. I hope everyone in my life can do the same because I want to grow old with all of them.

The end.