Humanity on the Verge of Extinction

This heading may not be as absurd as it sounds. The problem is obesity. In 2001, The Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic Canada estimated 2,000 British Columbia residents die prematurely each year from obesity-related illness, such as diabetes and heart problems, losing 8,000 potential years of life annually.

In my nursing experience, I see both in hospital and community settings the growing number of clients from various age groups that are over-weight. They report numerous health symptoms and suffer life-threatening diagnoses that are linked with their weight.

According to Statistics Canada (2004), an estimated 500,000 children and 5.5 million adults are obese. The obesity rates among children and adults have more than doubled during the past 25 years.

I believe that obesity is a health problem that urgently needs to be addressed. Failure to do so could take away years of life that could be shared with loved ones.

Obesity is not an impossible problem to solve. It is recognized as the second leading preventable cause of death after cigarette smoking.

In order to address obesity, we must look at the lifestyle and diet choices we have.

In my personal experience, children in my family often ask for fries and burgers. They are not just asking for any kind, they want the ones that come with a toy, famously known as the “Kid’s Combo”. We too prefer fast food meals more often that we should. It is much faster to have and, with ketchup on the side, it’s great for the taste buds. However, fast food is rich in trans fats, cholesterol and calories. Food experts believe that these are not suitable for the human body, which can lead to the deterioration of arteries and organs.

Fast food advertisements are everywhere in TV commercials, billboards, newspapers, magazines and radio. Attention-grabber posters in various sizes and eye-catching colours are all around us. Where are the huge billboards with green leafy vegetables? The only time we can see healthy foods being advertised are in diet ads or in small print stating, "As part of a healthy balanced diet and active lifestyle."

We can do better! In nursing I learned about strategies to promote a healthy and long life such as the 3 P’s: Prefer, Promote, and Practice.

Prefer. The Canada Food Guide suggests dark greens and orange vegetables, meat alternatives such as beans and tofu, fresh fruit and grain products. This menu might look a tad bland but you could experiment with different recipes and you’ll get the hang of it. You should drink plenty of water to wash things down.

Promote. The major excuse we use to avoid healthy eating habits is the lack of time. Who packs healthy lunches these days? Time is a luxury we cannot afford; however, we believe planning is the solution. Time is best used when planning meals. You could try to prepare meals in advance and store them in the freezer. Instead of lying on the couch on the weekend, you can walk to the nearest grocery store and buy fresh fruits and vegetables. If fresh foods are not an option due to financial constraints, you could pay more attention to nutrition labels, and opt for a healthier choice. It might not be the freshest, but it is better than running to the nearest fast food outlet.

Practice. It is important to combine a healthy diet with an active lifestyle. Instead of spending so much time using technology, you should be more active as a person. You could walk to the bank and pay your bills instead of paying them online. Rather than spending your evenings watching TV, you can try different recreational activities that you always wanted to do, such as signing up for a dance class or joining a sport’s team.

Optimal health should be what we strive for and healthy eating is the first step.

Clearly, obesity can cause premature death but there is a way to fight it and live longer. Following a healthy diet and an active lifestyle can be tough but practice makes it better—better for our health and life expectancy. Keep that in mind.

Stop asking, "Do I look fat in this dress?"... do something about it!

I am. I'm 30 lbs overweight for my height. I love to eat and I love deep fried but I had enough of gaining weight, inactive life, and huffing and puffing after climbing few flights of stairs. Join me and be challenged. Let's do it not for the fitted dress but to live longer and enjoyable life.

Everyone has their healthy slim self inside them, raving to get out...

Get over It, Move on, & Be Mighty

Well-mentioned characters or the “big men” in the Bible such as Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter have at least once made bad choices in their lives.

• When Abraham should have stayed in the land and trusted the Lord, he fled to Egypt because of the drought. And this was by no means the last of Abraham’s failures.


• Moses, in trying to help his people, ran ahead of the Lord and killed the Egyptian. Later, against the command of God, he struck the rock in his anger.


• When David should have been out in the field of battle, he stayed home and committed adultery with Bathsheba and then plotted the murder of her husband.


• Peter, in spite of his self-confidence and his great boast, denied the Lord, as did the rest of the disciples who fled before the evening our Lord’s arrest was over.
  (J. H Keathley)

“Stand Up! What are you doing in your face?”—Joshua 7:10

These characters are well trained and disciplined by their love of God; however, they were not perfect. Only God is perfect. Though they failed not just once but many times and in some significantly, they recovered magnificently, which is why their names and life are worth mentioning in the Bible. They use their failures as tools for personal and spiritual growth. They did not have any pity party!

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." –1 John 1:9

“The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile” (Psalms 94:11). Nevertheless, He is forgives and gives second chances... even more chances. Apostle Peter denied Jesus three times, but Jesus, who knew Peter’s nature strength and infirmity chose him to be the leader of the disciples. Peter was Jesus’ successor in heading the apostles and disciples. More importantly, he redeemed his integrity by successfully leading the spreading the Good News across the continent.

“I will never leave you, nor forsake you” –Hebrews 13:5

These men became SOMEONE not because of their failure but how they faced their failures and became mighty. They saw their failures as a situation of opportunities. I’m sure they were unexplainably dismayed after being rebuked and stripped off of their integrity, like any normal person. Fortunately, God does not give up on anyone. With God’s hand at work, these men got over it, moved on, and became might men. They all left precious legacies that the generation after them benefited. They all set an example that many follows. They were normal people that became extraordinary.

“The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything." --Theodore Roosevelt

November 3, 2008