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By
Dr. Ben Lerner
The History of Wellness
1961: Weight Watchers holds its first meeting
1970: Cigarette ads are banned from TV and radio
1978: The Soloflex is introduced
1980: Going to the gym becomes popular
1985: President's Council on Physical Fitness opens
1986: Suzanne Somers does ThighMaster infomercials
1986: Bowflex is introduced
1987: Sheena Easton popularizes wash board abs
1988: Healthy Choice releases frozen dinner line
1990: Spandex becomes popular
1995: ESPN launches the Body By Jake television workout show
1997: Nordic Track unveils the Ellipse exercise machine
1998: Tae-Bo is popularized
1999-2004: Body for Life, Atkins, South Beach Diet, Dr. Phil
and various fitness and weight loss programs take the world by
storm
Today: Obesity numbers have soared in the last two decades, tripling
and even quadrupling for children and adults in the U.S. and abroad.
Diseases related to obesity now kill more people than smoking and
nearly every other kind of condition.
While wellness businesses and products have made incredible advances
over the last four decades, the actual wellness of the nation has
retreated almost as quickly in the opposite direction. As we study
other societies that continue to experience wellness who lack the
sophisticated tools we've created in the United States, it becomes
evident health and fitness are not created by stuff: They're
created by our culture.
In a culture in which every adult and most children have cell phones;
whose schools now have McDonald's and Pizza Hut vendors; who
can't imagine a non-stress week or an unrushed moment; who
demand fast service and instant relief; whose blood streams are
75 percent Starbucks; who have a pill for every ill and a potion
for every emotion; and where it's considered exercise if you
have to do long math or compete in an intense game of Nintendo hockey,
chances are the next company, book, supplement or exercise machine
won't suddenly produce an army of healthy people.
Norms Are Really "AbNorms"
Cultures or societies contain norms. It seems that when it comes
to health in America, however, what is a norm is always dangerously
wrong.
For example, my practice is located across the street from a McDonald's.
As much as we all know the dangers of that "food," the
norm in America remains the same regarding fast food because the
line there is always immense. In other words, norms are typically
"abnorms."
Therefore, if you want to become well, first you have to become
free. Free from the typical way our culture lives. But that also
means deliberately cut off from our access to what are really some
great health, nutrition and fitness technologies other cultures
do better. Imagine what we could do if we thought like other cultures,
while taking advantage of all the wonderful companies and products
we have here?
Moreover, what are some of the cultural abnorms in our lives that
prevent us from becoming healthier, happier and more well adjusted
people? The following are some abnorms worth rethinking.
Soft drinks: The ingestion
of soft drinks for kids, ages 6-17, has tripled over the course
of the last three decades. This is linked to the significant rise
in childhood obesity by adding a couple hundred calories/day from
sugar.
Television: TV is where you
receive the most misinformation about health issues, largely through
commercials. If you do not think you're prone to the effects
of commercials, see if you can answer these questions:
- What goes, "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz"?
- How do you spell relief?
- What's the nighttime "stuffy head fever so you can
rest" medicine?
- What fast food chain does it "your way?"
- What worldwide company encourages you to "Just do it"?
(Unless you're watching TV when you're on a bike at the
gym, you're not burning calories either.)
Medical over utilization: One
of the hardest pills for me to swallow is watching most everyone
swallowing pills. If you take a prescription or over-the-counter
medication every time you have sinus problems, allergies, a headache,
cold, the flu, an ache, pain or sleeping problem, you are constantly
poisoning and manipulating your organs, glands and tissues. There
is not a single piece of literature to support that this is anything
but harmful. It's only acceptable because it's a norm.
Refined and packaged foods:
With the motto "Quick, easy, tasty," it's easy to
get lured into an "abnorm" life of convenient foods. Nonetheless,
when something comes out of a package, can or machine, however,
it contains chemicals, hydrogenated oils and sugar-based preservatives
that cannot be broken down and are of no use to the body. These
foods linger in the system and cause symptoms of poor health, affect
your moods, create fatigue, rob the body of important nutrients
and shorten your lifespan.
Not using natural health care methods:
Sound nutritional programs, adequate supplementation, chiropractic
care, prayer, fitness and relaxation techniques are no longer "alternative
health care." They are "no alternative health care."
In other words, there's "no alternative" to these
things. If you skip them, your health suffers.
Until you change your thinking and move away from the "norms,"
history has shown nothing will change your wellness.
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