Tag / obesity epidemic

by tessbrennan

Obesity and Preventable Death

Really?  You can do that? Don’t we all die?

YES, we do, ALL, die, however, our time here on earth doesn’t have to be riddled with pain and suffering.  Simple changes, made over time, can significantly decrease our chances of suffering from obesity (which can be crippling) which in turn decreases our chances of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

I recently received an email from Public Health Corps with some very valuable information, so I thought I would share it with you in regard to this important topic.

Nowhere is immune to this epidemic:

We already know the health risks associated with obesity, don’t we?

  • High Blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Abnormal triglycerides and cholesterols
  • Metabolic syndrom
  • Cancer
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Reproductive problems…
  • See more at this link.

The list is surprisingly long, however, there is something that can be done. I know, I’ve done it, I have friends who have done it, and with work, commitment, and teamwork, you can do it too!

What is this epidemic costing us? How much of our tax dollars are going toward obesity related issues?

Obesity Epidemic Costs World $2 Trillion a Year, Study Says

Obesity Epidemic Costs World $2 Trillion a Year, Study Says

Here are the Resources I promised you in the title and photo!

YOU ARE CAPABLE of making the change for the better. Whether you do it alone, with a coach, or with a group of friends, YOU CAN DO THIS!

I am here to be a resource. Simply contact me via email or on Facebook at The Healthy Grease Monkey. I have many resources and tools for all budgets and needs.

May your 2015 be the healthiest year for you yet! One Change Counts! Make it today!

by tessbrennan

Perpetuating an Obese Society (Rant)

I’ve been bothered a great deal recently by the perpetual encouragement of poor eating habits we are teaching our kids.

It started at Sunday school, when as a 3 yr old my darling daughter was rewarded for memorizing her bible verse with a couple of skittles. Not a big deal, right? Or is it?

Eating is necessary for life, right. WRONG! Nutrition is essential for life and eating doesn’t necessarily provide nutrition in our day and age.

Fast forward to Kindergarten… Again with the skittles, and now we add:

  • store bought junk food for birthdays (approximately 15 days of the school year)
  • again with the skittles for answering a question correctly
  • junk food for making certain benchmarks throughout the school year
  • a principle’s party complete with empty calorie foods
  • one field day with junk food as a treat
  • popsicles for reaching classroom benchmarks. (artificially flavored water with sugar)

With an obesity rate of 1 out of 3 students and adult obesity rapidly rising, shouldn’t we be able to find healthier ways to celebrate the little victories.

Obesity Trends

Then when the kids get home and have had an unusually bad day, many parents suggest they talk it out over Tostito pizza rolls or a bowl of ice cream.

Don’t get me wrong, I really don’t want to be a party pooper, but I really feel we are failing out kids through our constant reward/consoling system of using food.

Add to this the fact that many schools don’t have time to offer physical education on a regular basis, the fact that elementary recess time is a thing of the past, and our children must "be in their seats" for so many hours a day… No wonder we have kids who are squirmy, over excitable, and overweight.

What if… Instead of offering junk food to the kids who have excelled, we instead offer the opportunity to play a game, have time on the playground, time to mingle and talk to each other in an open atmosphere? Or we offered stickers, tickets to events sponsored by local businesses, or enter them into special raffles.

Tickets-Feel_Good_Fast

What if birthday parties consisted of fruit salad with homemade whipped cream instead of store bought nautical crackers or cupcakes and ice cream.

Watermelon_-_Feel_Good_Fast

What if we taught our kids solid coping mechanisms and healthful celebration habits?

When I was a child, we had PE three times a week and recess twice a day. We had time to run and throw balls and hool-a- hoop. We had crab races, played dodge ball and kickball.

A special treat at school, during my youth, was an all school assembly where we got to watch Looney Toons cartoons and sit next to our friends.  We didn’t have to have popcorn covered in artificial flavors, Kool-aid, or Popsicles. We just watched a movie and enjoyed laughing at the silliness.

In a world of advertising where our kids are bombarded with adds about why "quick" processed foods are "the way to go" shouldn’t we be cognizant of the habits we are instilling?

new habits not deprived

In a world where the bottom line is so important in the classroom, why not skip the expensive,"cheap" empty calories and instead provide our kids with some stimulation and free time.  🙂

For information on healthier options for snack time, recipes, or classes, please feel free to contact me.

by tessbrennan

Challenges in Weight Maintenance and Weight Loss

With the epidemic of obesity in our nation and our world, there are many, many obstacles that seem to stand in the way. Instead of just picking a few out of the air, I’d like to focus specifically on the issues facing our readers. For the next few posts, I’d like to focus on what our fans find difficult in maintaining or regaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.

1 of 2 Americans are overweight

Head on over to our Facebook page and tell us what your biggest challenge, obstacle, or hang-ups are in attaining a healthy weight or maintaining your healthy weight.

Click on the link below to visit our Facebook page and to give us your challenges.

 

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I strive to be a resource for others, if you would like to have more information on a particular topic related to health, wellness, weight loss, or natural ways to attain more energy, just contact me.