I rarely quote someone, but this kind of stuck with me as I am reading the heaviest and thickest book in my collection “Staying Healthy with Nutrition – The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutrition”. The author, Elson M. Haas M.D., in her introductory chapter says:
“…A healthy diet most obviously involves common sense. The body sends us messages to change the diet to attune to its real needs; the internal biofeedback system is superb when we corporate with it rather than override it. Yet many of us follow our desires and taste buds, eating the richer, sweeter, or saltier foods that industry promotes and packaged / processed nutrition provides.
It may not seem to matter a great deal in the short term that we follow our passions / addictions rather than our common sense. But this does affect how we feel and function now, and it does make a difference over the long term, both in our health and in our economy…
…So, love yourself and care for your body with good food and exercise. It is the only body you have, and if you treat it right, give it what it needs, in return it will care for you for life…”
When I read it I almost get emotional – because it is so true for most of us out there. I know with my own struggles to become a healthy person. A person others can look up to as well as come to for questions and concerns… that the statement is so true… If we treat our bodies with love and care – it will give us what it can. Our body is an amazing thing but it will not function unless we give it what it needs… It is all up to each and every one of us – the responsibility is all our own… not others. It is not politics, it is not religion, it is not marketing, it is not status – it is just us and our bodies… and what we do with that amazing responsibility.
Candie Ink 