Is Health Really Wealth?
#19 December Challenge
Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” — Erich Fromm, 1900–1980, German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist.
In America, you have winners, and you have losers. It doesn’t matter how many people you hurt along the way. A win is a win. I’ve been a U.S. citizen all of my life, and what my blackness has taught me is that America doesn’t care about me. I don’t care what the statistics say. The history that they’re trying to erase in schools has happened. The healthcare industry is a business, and so is the weight management industry.
America has a track record of selling something to its people, and we, the people, fall for the nonsense every single time. Consumers are constantly chasing a dream they haven’t awakened from yet, and the longer people remain in a trance, the longer most Americans will stay at the bottom. The system is doing what it should, and the corporations are eating all this up.
Food, water, and shelter are necessities that any human can have, and as time passes, those things become expensive for most people. If America can’t even provide the basics for its citizens, I have no faith in health and wellness in this country.
Speaking of necessities, here is an article titled: Latest testing shows lead in Flint’s water, but levels remain below the federal threshold. My response to this is, what is the threshold? And why is it ok that lead is still in the water? America can’t handle a water crisis, let alone an obesity crisis.
I’ve shared my story regarding my weight and how I’ve suffered from a few disorders like body dysmorphia and starvation. It wasn’t that my family didn’t have food; it was my relationship with food and going through puberty that contributed to my weight loss and weight gain over the years.
Somehow, we’ve become a culture that is obsessed with quick fixes. December and January are the two months where you will see “How to shed 30 pounds in two days.” Ads or the classics, you can go from this *insert an obese body* to this *insert a woman with abs* just by buying another product. We all know of false advertisements, but we fall into this trap. Drink this. Eat this. Do these exercises.
Body transformations are a mindset; you will never be if your mind isn’t ready for the challenge. None of these products suggest that you speak with a nutritionist or attend therapy while also trying to lose weight. It’s all about “quick fixes” and unhealthy results, creating a cycle of yoyo dieting.
The wealthiest nation in the world and neighborhoods have food deserts. Every corner has a liquor store, but not a store in town has good vegetables and fruit. Let’s not start talking about how expensive being “healthy” is. One year, I decided to try a food prep company to deliver my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I chose the vegan package, and two weeks’ worth of meals cost me over $230, including juicing. Not everyone can afford those services. Why are grocery stores selling fruits and vegetables that aren’t in season? Why does an apple taste like a chemical?
Yes, these healthy options exist, but are they true to form, and are they causing my body more harm than good?
It’s so hard to pinpoint a problem concerning a healthy-looking America. It all goes back to money. After watching What the Health on Netflix, it confirmed what I’ve always thought: unhealthy people keep these corporations rich. The more we as a collective read a book and educate ourselves about the laws already in place, the more powerful we can become regarding what we put in our bodies.
Why aren’t these abandoned homes in the poorest neighborhoods not turned into community gardens? Why aren’t mom-and-pop produce stores in neighborhoods that can’t travel to the grocery stores?
How can we fix it?
To fix a problem, we must acknowledge that a problem exists. Using technology for good and not evil, we all have handheld computers called phones. A simple web search can give you endless information. Go to the library. You can apply for a library card and check out books on nutrition. Grow your food whether you live in an apartment or a small home. People have created ways to grow food with a limited amount of space.
Be bold and ask your doctor questions. Don’t always accept what “it” is. Force your doctors to explain it. Many of us are walking around being treated for a disease we don’t have. Ask your doctor to run extra labs and request an MRI of your lower back pain. Even if you have a great relationship with food, request to speak with a nutritionist or a dietician. Why else are you paying for medical insurance? Know what your food allergies are if you have any.
Our bodies are one big machine; using diesel instead of unleaded can cause more damage. All of this is to say that no matter what the statistics say, we control what we put in our mouths and how we move our bodies. The goal is never to “look” like anyone else. The goal is to create a balance and be proactive. Relying on the government will only lead you to your death bed.
Tagging Ruby Noir 😈
