Aloha, yesterday's blog post generated a lot of comments, so many that I want to address a few with a second one. And of course, I forgot the most obvious action points for changing your lifestyle to save your life, which are very simple, people need to:
- Act responsibly. I mean, how ridiculous is it to not stop smoking cigarettes even though you know it is going to kill you, or to continue with a fat laden and otherwise unhealthy diet when you already have heart problems, or you don't change your diet, don't get exercise, and remain grossly overweight, while looking forward to the day when you start dialysis, after being diagnosed with pre-diabetes. None of this makes any sense. Hey, life is hard, change is hard, but so what? Take responsibility for your life and make the changes you have to make. Get on with it.
One of the comments to yesterday's post from ziggywellness was: "A few years back when my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic I quickly took all of her advice. I increased exercise, I upped my fiber, I cut out tons of saturated fats and I lost close to 20 pounds. I remember the reaction she had on my next visit, it was nothing short of total shock." This is the kind of attitude that is needed! - Stop being so self centered. Ok, fine, you don't want to change your activities because you like them so much and can't give them up. But, how about you stop being so self absorbed in your own happiness and start thinking about others, e.g. your immediate family members, your other relatives and friends, co-workers etc. Dying prematurely or becoming afflicted with a preventable disease has a big impact on them (gross understatement). It also imposes cost burdens on society as a whole.
Maybe people could consider the idea, and this may be a bit radical, but you know, you aren't the only person in the world and what you want is not the most important thing in the world. There are a whole bunch of other people in the world (as in billions) and your actions impact them. Giving up your self-centeredness and acting with concern for others, rather than focusing on the fulfillment of your own desires and what you like to do and so on, will paradoxically actually make you happier.
So in short, take responsibility, stop being so self-centered, and take action. Change your lifestyle, live longer, don't get preventable disease, be happier.
What are you giving up? What have you got to lose? Cigarettes aren't that great are they? I mean sucking smoke into your lungs is it really something to die for? Eating meat, is that such a great thing, the taste of other's blood, is that something to get heart attacks and cancer for?
Mark Fergusson