Friday, June 1, 2012

Mayor Bloomberg, sugar and freedom




Move more, eat less!
HEALTH UPDATE! Generally (and despite yesterday’s post about the onset of “creaky” middle-age) I am exceptionally healthy and I do a better than average job of taking care of myself.
I exercise every day, I eat balanced meals, I maintain a reasonable weight for my height. You know, all the stuff that gets me a good score for my “REAL AGE” on-line test.
We’re not health nuts at our house, we just make good choices. We recognize the responsibility we have to take good care of ourselves. And I don’t mind making a big deal about how important that is.
A healthy lifestyle is important, yes, but it is our personal responsibility.
And this is my tie-in to “The life-charged life.” I can blog every day about the benefits of “living like we mean it,” embracing “the life that is truly life” (1 Tim 6:19), and the invitation to “more and better life” (John 10:10); but it has to be my choice/your choice if we’re going to actually follow Jesus.
Likewise, each individual must make their own choices when it comes to what steps to take when it comes to maintaining physical or spiritual health.

Image from kcntv
SUGAR: In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg’s controversial plan to ban the sale of large-sized sugar-saturated drinks will do as much to roll back the rising tide of obesity as mandatory church attendance would to advance the Kingdom of God!
Government can provide information; government can require warning labels; government can weigh and measure your child at school and send home a letter with information about the latest “Food Pyramid” or “My Plate” balanced diet – there is a lot that can be done. But a ban on large sodas from city hall? Really?
CONSERVATIVE: Mayor Blomberg’s plan is enough to make a conservative out of me! Keep the government out of people’s religion… Keep the government out of our marriages… Mayor Bloomberg get out of my kitchen!
  • Maybe the mayor should send his minions to NYC residents’ homes and put limits on TV-watching and video-game? “Get your fat butt off the coach and let me see you burn off some sugar!”
  • Or issue step-counters and require a minimum 10,000 steps per day? “Let’s see some sweat, people!”
  • And, while he’s at it, how about a moratorium on fried food? Dessert? Bread? Bacon? Ice-cream? “No more bacon-double-cheeseburgers on my watch! Step away from the sour-cream, sir, and put both hands where we can see them…”
FORMULA: It’s simple, really. If you want to live a more healthy life, then follow a simple balanced diet and move around more; ten thousand steps a day minimum. It will also pay dividends if you eliminate sugar-saturated drinks and desserts.
Additionally, make the decision to follow Jesus.
Either way, it’s your decision. God designed each one of us to be responsible and life-oriented. Maybe today will be the day you finally face up to what is possible?
Peace and blessings – DEREK

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