Strange title for this week’s post. Healthy Deviant.
But really, it’s why I got into the business of writing this blog and my first book.
I saw the need to be a healthy deviant from the evolving norms of health in my country, and anywhere we had influence – especially about food.
That’s just about everywhere!
As we look around, we can see different norms in the population than what our parents saw.
Quoting from Pilar Gerasimo’s book, The Healthy Deviant: The Rule Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World, the ‘norm’ today looks like this:
50% of U.S. adults are diagnosed with a chronic illness
68% are overweight or obese
70% are taking at least one prescription drug (for folks over 60, the average is FIVE)
80% are mentally or emotionally ‘not flourishing’
97.3% are not maintaining healthy habits (decent nutrition, adequate exercise, not smoking, healthy body composition)
It takes concerted effort to not become part of this norm.
The options that surround us hardly inspire health. Interspersed between endless commercials pedaling drugs with the promise to solve the ills of all the ‘normal’ chronic diseases are:
ads for double-dosed perfumed laundry products that will smell ‘so good’ longer,
ads for fast food dripping with cheese-like substances and deep fried accoutrements
and over-sized portions of restaurant fare that would clock in with calories exceeding what is needed in a day
What to do?
Resist!
Yes, we might join a picket line somewhere; but the resistance that we’re talking about happens with every choice we make.
Where is your food sourced?
Is it highly processed – coming from a box with many ingredients?
Are you making choices in restaurants which include fresh vegetables and salads?
Are you sharing your over-sized portion or taking half of your portion home with you?
Are you choosing unscented versions of your laundry products?
Are you moving regularly throughout the day?
Are you exercising?
Are you wearing sunscreen and shading your face with a hat?
The list goes on.
Quote of the day from Jiddu Krishnamurti:
“It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to that sick society.”
In healthy deviance –
Deidre
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