How to Grow Old the Right Way Up

Saturday 7th June 2014

 

22. HEALTH RISKS AND THE RISKS OF HEALTH

 

 

On Monday, I saw at the surgery a man I have been watching in and out of pubs for the last 7 years: bulbous red nose, unhealthy skin, thin as a rake, normally with a cigarette hanging from his lips. I could hear his rattling cough from the waiting room while he queued in front the reception desk.

 

After my routine blood test, I saw him again sitting at the Chemists waiting area. He looked worried and kept rubbing the area around his left lung. I wondered if the dangers of smoking had at last, caught up with him and if he now wishes he had paid heed to all the advice.

 

Perhaps because of my poor health during my younger years, I grew up with the eyes of a diagnostician. I often look at people and sense what might be ailing them. I am frequently right, as experience has proved. I often wish I could stop people in the street and tell them: “Watch out what you eat” or “Do this or that”, but I don’t think many people would take it kindly or be interested. It is particularly hard when your loved ones do things that you know from personal experience, to be harmful. Yet, they won’t listen until their bodies force them to. Sometimes it is too late.

 

In this country, we are fortunate that we have clean water accessible to all, and regardless of the belief that poor people can’t eat properly, having been there, I know decent food is generally cheaper than fast food. I am not talking about the over priced, often faddist organic labelled food. Very nice, and good for you, but sometimes just a label.

 

Then, why don’t we all eat healthily, avoid smoking, avoid drinking in excess, avoid harmful substances in our environment, keep a good posture, learn to breath? Why don’t we all accept help and suggestions that would prevent illness or even improve our health?

 

Perhaps because being healthy has certain risks many of us are unconsciously afraid off:

 

If we are healthy:

  • We have no excuse to not to work hard.
  • We have no excuse to not to be relied upon by your family and friends.
  • We have no excuse to be lazy.
  • Worse than that, people might envy rather than pity us..
  • One more problem in this country is that if you are on health related benefits and you get better, you will lose them.

 

However, in my view, the gained benefits are far greater than what we could lose. Nowadays, I experience ecstatic pleasure having a piece of toast with butter (a forbidden substance for most of my younger years) and jam (another, forbidden for over 11 years), or going for a walk ( I couldn’t walk for more than 20 minutes or so, for several years), or carrying stuff that would have sent me into spasms of pain not long ago.

 

So, next time you feel tempted to do or not do something that might affect your health, think, not only of the pleasures you might miss, but also of the satisfaction of being independent, self reliant and free to do the things you love doing.

 

As all types of medicine, conventional or alternative, and all manner of religious and spiritual guidance suggest, be moderate in everything, and aim to accept cheerfully what life brings to you every day.

 

I hope you are immoderate only in joy, pleasure, happiness and of course, goodness.

.

 

http://www.patrissiacuberos.com

 

 

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS

1. I am not a health practitioner of any description. The tips I will be giving are directly related to my personal experience and my experiences with family and friends who seem to have benefited from those tips. Please if in doubt, always consult a qualified practitioner.
2. With their permission I will be mentioning in these pages the names and expertise of many people who have contributed to my current state of health. See also the Links page. Whenever possible  and relevant, I will be leading you to their websites or giving you a direct contact if you ask me. Nobody is or will be paying me or rewarding me in any way for doing so. I will be doing it because they are wonderful practitioners, to whom I owe much and to whom I am very happy to direct people to, for the benefit of all. I don’t and won’t recommend anyone whose help and expertise I haven’t experienced and benefited from directly.

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