What Ails Us?

"Overweight and obesity are associated with heart disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological disorders, such as depression",according to the Surgeon General. The numbers are staggering when it comes to the economic cost of obesity(BMI-25) which was $117 billion as of 2000, affecting 61% of the population and traversing all genders, races and age groups, with the most dramatic rise in teens over the last 20 years. I think it's hard to conceive of the enormity of the problem, when you hear so often in the mainstream media about anorexia and bulimia,it's shocking to realize that so many are affected by obesity in this great nation,while many other nations are facing hunger or starvation.None of these are good problems to have,but it seems to me that $117 billion would go a long way toward solving any of them!nnOverweight and obesity is a very serious and it has made me think about what possibly could be at the root of the problem. It did occur to me that the problem seems to have escalated in direct correlation with rise in consumption of fast food by an entire generation,related to the rise in women working outside of the home and having no time to prepare nutritious meals.....however, I don't mean to over simplify. There are many factors that contribute to the problem, some we can control and others, we can't.nnLet's focus on what we can control and take a pro-active approach to try and manage our nutrition and that of the people for whom we have responsibility.Teach our children not only to make healthier food choices, but respect for food as a valuable commodity that should not be wasted, overindulged in but definitely a source of enjoyment. Teach them the satisfaction of preparing and sharing meals, shopping,proper storage of foods,inventory pantry supplies and keep a list of what needs to be replaced.These are great jobs for youngsters and can help the working parents out tremendously. nnWe need to get back to basics and save money too! Eat for health and wellness.Don't cut everything out, just cut down. Keep track of what you eat. Spend more calories in the middle of the day, and eat light in the evening. Don't keep salty,sugary sweet,oily,starchy snacks that are easy to grab in your home. You'll slow down if you have to wait until a meal is actually cooked before you pig out! But it will make your home smell good and be more fulfilling in the end. We need to cure what ails us in this country and we can do it.I think we are "collectively depressed" and take comfort from food, but ultimately we pay for that in terms of our health and we pass bad habits onto our children.Let's get back on the highway to health.