Are you kidding me???????????????

Ever hear one of those lame news reports that makes you want to slap someone? You know I’m not usually a violent person, but everyone has their limits! LOL

Last night there was a dismal report, repeated several times, about Oklahoma’s low ranking on the “healthy states” list. In past years we have consistently ranked in the forties and the fear is that we will be #50 very soon. Sad but true. Obesity, smoking, and lack of exercise are apparently statewide problems. Lots of work ahead of us to correct the problems.

Here’s the “slap your face” part of the news report: the state needs to educate people about healthy habits!!! That’s a quote from some government authority! Excuse me? A person would have to live under a rock to not know that smoking is bad for you. And who hasn’t heard that fruits and vegetables are better than fat-laden cheeseburgers? Exercise is touted on everything from the evening news to the early morning infomercials.

Who doesn’t know what is good for their health?

Do you think people smoke because they imagine it improves their chances of running a marathon?

Do you think people who start the day with a 32-ounce Dr. Pepper don’t know it is a bad habit?

Do you think parents who send their children to school with a bag of doughnuts for breakfast think it is good for them?

Do you think people who eat fast food five days a week do it because they’ve never read the nutrition charts posted next to the cashier?

We’ve heard. We’ve read. We know. We just don’t care!

That’s truly what it comes down to…

 Knowledge is only power if you care enough to USE it.

Don’t tell me I’m harsh and cranky, because I’ve been there, done that. I drank a Coca Cola every day for fifteen years, until I cared enough about the effects to quit. We can call it motivation or willpower or whatever, but it comes down to caring more about health than whatever comfort or pleasure  we are getting from our bad habits.

My biggest fear with the government’s response to this problem is that money will be spent on programs and agendas and ad campaigns to tell people what they are already ignoring! And that money could be spent on other things.

Comments

[Megan]

So true. People don't care enough to change and no amount of lecturing in the world will have an effect. In today's world it would be a rare individual who didn't know that twinkies and kool aid are not a good breakfast choice, but there are still plenty of twinkies flying off the shelves.

I think it's all self medicating. Our bodies enjoy chemical reactions to our food, however subtle and unconscious those reactions are, we eat to celebrate, to sooth and to commiserate.

Knowing and doing don't seem to cross very often.

[Cheap Jerseys]

Thank you for sharing,You know, good article always make people feel happy

[wisewebwoman]

Came here via TGB and enjoying the read.
If the governments would stop subsidizing the fast food industry (corn particularly which is in everything) and focussed on local sustainable food these problems would be eliminated.
Cost is often the problem for the poor when it comes to choices of fresh veg or a KD.
XO
WWW

[Gabbygeezer]

Excellent post. I smoked for 50 years before finally giving it up. Every time I saw a TV "public service" ad about the evils of smoking, the scenes made me want to light up again! Wonder how many people were lured off the nonsmoking wagon by the undesired side effects of those ads?

[Wholesale Jerseys]

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