Why do so many people take their health for granted? Why do so many abuse their bodies by smoking, drinking too much alcohol, taking too many drugs (prescription and over the counter), eating unhealthy foods, and not getting enough sleep? I think it’s a common misconception in today’s world to think that a “healthy state” just comes naturally with little effort. Add to that all the stress and environmental toxins our bodies are subjected to on a daily basis, and what you have is a recipe for disaster. Maybe in a controlled environment where you have to forage the land for your food as our ancestors once did, free from today’s many health hazards this would be true, but it’s just not the case. It takes a conscious effort on the part of each individual person to maintain a healthy diet, and a little common sense to avoid the many unhealthy temptations. Sure it’s easier to fill your shopping cart up with unhealthy foods, but is the time and money saved from checkout to the kitchen table worth it in the long run. If people spent the time and money they so effortlessly do on maintaining their material possessions (cars, boats, houses, etc.), and put it towards becoming healthy we wouldn't have nearly as many health related problems in this country.
Being healthy is a life choice, and it starts with a healthy diet. The benefits are endless, but the consequences of neglecting ourselves of this most primal need (proper nutrients) is often deadly. You wouldn't pour water in your gas tank (or use it in place of the engine oil) and expect to drive very far, yet you're doing it to yourself every time you consume unhealthy foods (heavily processed foods, refined sugars and flower, artificial additives, chemicals...), and Americans are consuming these foods at an unprecedented rate...and no one’s thinking twice about it. Only when something becomes a headline on the 6 o’clock news does it grab the public’s attention, but once the dust clears its right back to poor diet choices and a general lack of health concern.
It would take only one expensive bill from the mechanic for you to learn your lesson, yet a single American will spend thousands of dollars on doctors visits, medications, and major medical perseguers, all of which could potentially be avoided but instead are looked at as being "just part of life". Pharmaceutical companies would love for us to live forever, so long as we’re taking a handful of their “latest and greatest” pills that promise to solve all of our health problems. The truth is these medications (over the counter and prescription) simply suppress the symptoms, without ever curing the problem. I guess it’s a clever pitch though to a naive public; eat as poorly as you want, just take our drug once your body begins screaming for help (with all its aches and pains), and everything will be ok.
The sad thing is that with all our knowledge in the fields of science and medicine, we are far from the healthiest civilization on this planet. With all of todays "wonder drugs" and "modern medical miracles", our life expectancy for what we consider a "healthy person" is 40-50 years shy of some of the healthiest civilizations ever documented. It's not out of reach though, a healthy diet full of fresh organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and minimally processed foods, along with exercise, and you’re on your way to a long healthy life.
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