I don’t consider myself an activist.
You know, I don’t go around handing out pamphlets, I don’t attend rallies or picket.
But I was thinking about it, recently.
Perhaps I AM an activist. I have an agenda, oh yes.
I want to help people take control of their health.
I want people to know that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Health is not achieved through adhering to complicated and calculated regimens. It doesn’t come from your doctor or your therapist, your spouse, or a pill. It’s not something that only “lucky” people can experience.
Once you “get it” (that realization that you are so much more in control of your happiness and health, which are so intertwined, as the late Joseph Pilates would agree, than most people believe), life becomes easier, better.
I know this, because I’ve experienced it. There’s nothing like the feeling of everything coming together–your body, mind, spirit. It’s a synergy where you feel good. You have energy, you don’t feel sick or bloated after you eat. It’s more than that. You LIKE your body because you can move with ease and power and energy.
So this is what I want to share. That’s why I teach fitness classes, cooking and wellness classes, this blog. Because I believe in what I do. It’s not some gimmicky diet or fad, it’s a lifestyle that I want everyone to know about.
So. Reality hits. Not everyone is as gung ho about it as I am. In fact, many people just don’t want to hear about it, especially if they think it means it somehow is going to disrupt their status quo or the way life is for them.
“I’m relatively healthy, happy, I don’t need any changing thank you very much.” Or the classic, “But I just could never give up ______ (insert food/s of choice)” as if in order to eat and live healthfully you must give up EVERYTHING you once loved and live a Spartan existence of deprivation.
I have a cousin who is reading The China Study. She recently pulled me aside and said (I’m paraphrasing here, but the gist was) “I applaud you for being so diplomatic. I can’t believe you don’t just go around ripping the meat and dairy-laden foods out of people’s hands, because that’s what I want to do after reading [T.C. Campbell’s The China Study].”
I do try to be diplomatic. In fact, I go out of my way to make it clear that there’s no judgement of my omnivorous fellows. You eat meat? Great. Let’s co-exist (but if you do want to know more about vegetarianism, I’ll be the first to sign up to talk to you!). Live and let live. Choice. I really believe strongly in that.
Do I wish that everyone was a plant-eating, meat-dogding, tree-hugger like myself? Not sure. I do like diversity, and understand that everyone will make their own choices, which will undoubtedly be different from mine many times.
What I do know for sure, is that we can all benefit from moving our bodies in a structured way on a daily basis as well as embracing foods that are energy-giving and cancer/disease fighting. I know not everyone is going to say, “Oh sign me up for this vegan thing!” I understand that. But I know that everyone can make improvements (myself included!). Replacing the meat on your plate with an extra helping of veggies/whole grains/beans, even once or twice a week, is a good step in the right direction.
As diplomatic as I try to be, I have been known to be a snob at times (!). My husband has accused me of being such (thanks honey for keeping it, or rather, me, real). It’s then that I’m reminded, humbled, and reminded again, that the only thing that really works is to live my life and share my experience and what I know with those open and willing to hear. Being encouraging and non-judgemental, positive and loving. This is the only approach that will ultimately work in the end.
There is in the practice of yoga, a principle of non-attachment. It involves, “Learning to let go of the many attachments, aversions, fears, and false identities that are clouding the true Self” (click here for further discussion of this idea). Practicing non-attachment, is helpful in living more fully in the present. Not get attached to potential outcomes or results, but to focus on what is. And being grateful for what is.
Sure there’s a lot to be discouraged about.
2/3 of Americans are overweight, 1/3 are obese, 1/2 of all Americans will have heart disease at some point in their lives.
These are not happy statistics. But I meet people every day who are changing their lives for the better. They’re taking ownership for their health and are deciding to become empowered. This is what I choose to focus on. It makes all the difference.
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