People are dying left and right from diseases that have been linked to poor eating habits – everyone is eating too much of everything canned – social negligence, emotional spoof, and lack of exercise. The Ministry of Health has gone out in full force to make the public aware of what needs to be done.It has embarked on a course of “preventive measures” – much of which has fallen on deaf ears.
I firmly believe that the Ministry of Health has done a tremendous job in informing the public of best practices to ensure a healthier life.I am sure that everyone, including you, must have heard of the activities that the Ministry of Health has promoted.Most of us, however, have chosen to do “let see what happens if….” I, on the other hand, often wait until something hurts – and I am hurting now.
I can’t say what you should or should not do to live longer – or for that matter live a healthy life.For one, based on information I have heard and read about, I am definitely not healthy and it would be hypocrisy if I attempt to make any recommendations on how you could be healthy.Further, I do not know you that well; and if you are a hazard to the wellbeing of others, I might as well suggest that you move somewhere else – someone is planning to make sick as of now.
On the other hand, I can tell you of what others have been desperately trying to do to live longer and how such activities have affected their lives.I do hope that we both learn from them.
Every morning and evening – on my way to and from work – I get to witness an entourage of people walking or running right along the main roads of Koror.Most of them dressed appropriately in brand name fashion – walking or running ads for corporate conglomerates such as Nike and Sketchers.They look good and fit – iPods, cell phones, and all.Some of them do make the morning and evening traffic slow down to about a step-by-step pace.
As I pass by some of them, I sense that I am not prepared to do what they do.I can’t run or walk such distances in flip-flops and cut off jeans can cause unbelievably irritating, painful, and embarrassing blisters.In addition, I am allergic to exhaust fumes and probably would collapse in less than a minute of the onset of the morning or evening slow rush hour traffic.I need too breathe unpolluted air.
Further still, all of my time is preoccupied with things I consider of value.Within a day, I need at least 8 hours for sleep, about 3 hours for meals/meal preparations, 8 hours for paid work, an hour for personal reflection, 2 hours for “quality time” with my children, and about 2 hours for socializing with friends.I can’t afford to be seen running or walking in the streets of Koror – I just do not have the time.
Most of my friends and people I know have unhealthy vices.Many of them are overweight – literally out of shape.They tend to over eat.Some of them are on the verge of becoming alcoholics.But as far as I am concerned, none of it matters at all.I figure that everyone will have to die someday. I hurt because people have become so obsessed with living longer that they have forgotten to live happy.I think most of our effort to be healthy has to start with being happy with oneself first.Are you happy?
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