I think it was in an old Reader's Digest issue from maybe a year ago that I read about a 50-something year old woman, whose doctor declared her healthier than her 30-something year old son. Of course she would be, I scoffed, life was simpler then. But now I'm wondering if that is all there is to it.
Was the daily routine of life really simpler back then, or are we just not as mindful as we believe we are about our health nowadays?
You'd supposed that, with the wealth of information at our fingertips in this day and age, we'd be more alert and aware about keeping healthy and making better choices. Unfortunately, modern technology hasn't necessarily made knowing and doing equally easy.
Was the daily routine of life really simpler back then, or are we just not as mindful as we believe we are about our health nowadays?
You'd supposed that, with the wealth of information at our fingertips in this day and age, we'd be more alert and aware about keeping healthy and making better choices. Unfortunately, modern technology hasn't necessarily made knowing and doing equally easy.
After years of trying to convince my husband to go for a check-up, Jazz finally took me seriously about 4 months ago and got a full rundown of all his vitals. The doc probably took one look at him and knew there was trouble, and blood tests revealed that she was spot on. Jazz's uric acid levels were really high, so was his blood pressure. Not only that; his blood sugar and sodium levels were just a few points away from entering the critical zone. Seeing solid proof of what I'd been worried about was a hard pill to swallow. More so for him; Jazz regarded the discovery as a slap back to the truth of how fragile we are.
To his credit, Jazz had really tried very hard the last 4 months to change his lifestyle, manage his time better, try to get more exercise, eat healthy food, and all that. But being a habitually inconsistent creature for decades, he'd slip back to taking the "easier" options in a heartbeat.
Right after Jazz's check-up, we drew up a grocery list of food items especially for him. Armed with that list, I went into the supermarket and an hour later, I almost fainted when I saw the bill. It was over PHP7,000. And to think, the meal plan was good for only 2 weeks. Our regular grocery list (which also had a lot of good stuff in it) usually amounted to PHP5,000, but that would include food for everybody already, not just 1 person. What did I learn? Healthy food is absurdly expensive.
I'm not gonna say I won't go for the easier options every now and then as well. I just know that it's less likely that I would because I try harder to find healthier options and stay on a balanced diet. In fact, my body's gotten so used to the good stuff that it turns against me if I don't eat healthy. For instance, since I stopped drinking soda around 15 years ago, a mere ounce of any soda flavor would make me barf, literally hurt my throat as I swallow it, and then I would feel a slight rumble in my tummy. Yes, that stuff is toxic.
And yet, even as I try to be healthy, I've noticed that my body has declared war against certain foods that I thought were OK. Like milk and seafood. I became lactose-intolerant when I was around 19 years old. That was easy for me to deal with because I never really liked the taste of milk and, besides, I like soy milk better. Plus, I can still eat cheese *happy sigh* So all is well in my world.
And yet, the upside to this is: I'm fully aware of what is happening in my body. Sure, applying what I learn about keeping healthy is not easy, not cheap, and it's definitely challenging. But I'd rather stay on the rough road, because I want to be like that middle-aged lady who's in a better shape than a younger guy who's supposed to know better.
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