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Can you guess what the biggest, baddest disease of all that causes loss of health and fitness? Could it be cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or strokes? Those are big and bad but not the biggest and the baddest of all. The name of this disease is the “yeah, but” disease. The yeah what disease? You know, the “yeah, but” disease. Whether you know it or not, you, like all of us, are very familiar with this disease. Allow me to explain. You want to make changes in your diet, your health, and your lifestyle. You have the best of intentions. But when you are not mindful and hesitate too long to start on your journey to a whole new you, the “yeah, but” disease may attack and stop you dead in your tracks. And beware—this disease presents itself in many different disguises. You think to yourself: I’d like to eat more fruit and vegetables. I’d like to eat less meat and dairy products. I’d like to eat less junk. I’d like to exercise more. I’d like to make healthier choices. And one form of the “yeah, but” disease rears its ugly head. You say to yourself, “I certainly would make these changes… ‘Yeah, but’ I feel fine, so why should I bother?” Just because you feel fine, doesn’t mean that you are fine on the inside. Many diseases and conditions, like cancer, stroke, heart attack, and diabetes, silently lurk and grow for years while giving you no warning at all with pain and symptoms.
‘Yeah,
but’ I have good genes, so why should I bother?” ‘Yeah, but’ I have bad genes, so why should I bother?” Just because your mother and/or father died prematurely from some disease doesn’t mean that you are doomed to get it also. In fact, gerontologists, old age experts, tell us that longevity is determined by about 5% genetics, 95% lifestyle choices. You and your daily choices, not your genes, determine how long you will live and how well you will live. ‘Yeah, but’ I already eat variety, balanced, and in moderation, so why should I bother?” Most people judge variety, balanced, and moderation by the standard of the “Four Food Groups” that they were raised with, not on the healthier four food groups. And because we are a country of excess, especially when it comes to food, very few Americans have a clear idea what moderation, or balanced, really means. ‘Yeah, but’ I don’t eat much meat.” Many people convince themselves that they don’t eat much meat, but typically they think that if they only have red meat once a day or just a couple of times a week, then that is “not much” meat. Or instead of eating beef, they load up on chicken and fish because they have the misconception that they are better for them. Meat is meat is meat is meat and the bottom line is you probably eat way too much of it. ‘Yeah, but’ it won’t kill me.” Such a familiar cry. No, one breakfast of eggs, bacon, brown-colored white bread and butter will not kill you. Two cups of coffee a day will not kill you. One doughnut in the morning will not kill you. One piece of pizza (and who eats just one piece) will not kill you. One ham and cheese on rye will not kill you. One piece of chocolate will not kill you. One glass of wine will not kill you. One dinner of fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy will not kill you. One bowl of ice cream will not kill you. One cookie will not kill you. One Big Mac will not kill you. One can of pop will not kill you. One bag of chips will not kill you. One of anything will not kill you. The problem is these are the foods that typically fill the stomachs of most Americans, every day, every meal. When you stack up so many of these “ones” day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, these “ones” will very likely do just that—kill you. ‘Yeah, but’ my husband has to have his meat, or my wife does the cooking.” No matter who does the cooking, or the eating, with a little imagination and no extra bother, there is always a way to eat around the “bad-for-you” foods and fill up on the “good-for-you” foods. For example: if meat, potatoes, vegetables, and salad are served for dinner, just eat the salad, the vegetables, and the potatoes (nix the butter and/or sour cream). Simple. ‘Yeah, but’ I don’t like broccoli.” Oh, well. What does it matter if you don’t like something? You can choose to eat it anyway, just because it nourishes you, or you can choose to substitute another good food for it. In our modern world, there is an abundance of healthy food choices. ‘Yeah, but’ I like chocolate.” If you are truly committed to your health and your future of high energy, inner joy, activity, and purpose, it is no sacrifice at all to live without those foods that will ultimately rob you of these gifts. The ultimate sacrifice lies in the permanent loss of health, not in the loss of a favorite food. Let’s not cater to our spoiled taste buds. Let’s be aware and make better choices. ‘Yeah, but’ I am a vegetarian.” Just because you are a vegetarian or a vegan, doesn’t mean that you eat healthfully. You can eat only Twinkies all day and call yourself a vegetarian. It is not important what you call yourself. It is important that you fill up on nutrient-dense, calorie-low plant foods. ‘Yeah, but’ it takes too much time to eat correctly, or it takes too much time to exercise.” Eating correctly does not take your time, it gives you time—when it counts, at the end of your life. Exercising does not take your time, it gives you time—when it counts, at the end of your life. Not only that—eating correctly and exercising enhances every moment of your life. Time now gives you quality of living and time later. Besides, typically the better you eat, the less time it takes to shop, prepare, and eat. How long does it take to stick an apple into your mouth, bite down, and chew? Or shop for and make a life-giving green vegetable salad and chow down? ‘Yeah, but’ it’s too radical”—my favorite “yeah, but” of all. It’s fascinating what we in this culture perceive as too radical. We think it is too radical to eat fruits and vegetables. We think it is too radical to exercise one hour every day. We think it is too radical to eat whole grains and beans.
If eating fruits and
vegetables is too radical, then what would you call cutting off a
breast, a testicle, or a limb? What would you call getting burned by
radiation or poisoned by chemotherapy? What would you call getting
totally paralyzed on one side by a stroke? And what would you call
getting your chest buzzed open by a saw, ripping apart your rib cage,
and patching up some artery in your heart? And you think that eating
fruits and vegetables is too radical?
It’s time to be wary
and ward off the biggest and baddest disease of all so that you can live
a life with hope, fitness, health, mobility, activity, purpose, and
inner joy. E-mail Dr. Leslie at Dr.Leslie@DrLeslieVanRomer.com |
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