© Soniak | Stock Free Images

The latest reports on our health as a nation and a community are so alarming that we can no longer just stand by and feel helpless.  The good news is that we are living longer than ever.  The bad news is that our quality of life as we live longer is in jeopardy; we are sicker than ever.

Most of you know that symptoms are like fire alarms.  Well there are more and more drugs to turn off the fire alarms without handling the fire.  This allows us to slowly fall apart and require ever-increasing amounts of powerful drugs just to barely stay functional.  The sad part is that we are aware of what is happening and yet avoid taking decisive action to correct the problem because it is inconvenient, different or socially not the norm.

At a recent event where we had a presence, many people would come by our booth and give voice to having a problem.  However, they chose not to investigate our simple ways to solve the issue.  Some of the comments were “isn’t there a pill I can take?”  How silly!  This is insanity, (definition – insanity: doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome).

On the national scene, there are new diets springing up almost weekly.  New rhetoric about losing weight and advice on health occur daily.  What’s really happening is more scary and out of control than can be imagined.  It is no wonder that health care in North America is struggling to stay functional under the constant burden of personal and corporate irresponsibility.

The recent issue of “Nutrition in Action” Healthletter gives the facts about what is really going on.  Here are some highlights:

1. Generally, if you are overweight and inactive, diabetes is almost a sure bet.
2. Obesity (measured by BMI) in WA in 1994 was less than 14% or 1 in 7 people.
3. Obesity in WA in 2010 was between 22 and 26% or approximately 1 in 4.
4. Diabetes in WA in 1994 was less than 4.5% or less than 1 in 20 people.
5. Diabetes in WA in 2010 was between 6 and 7.4% or approximately 1 in 15 people.
6. While our numbers increased, many other parts of the country were significantly worse.

The problem of obesity and diabetes are just the tip of the iceberg.  In observation of people and habits here is some of what is going on:

1. We are too sedentary – antidote – GET MOVING, 30 to 60 minutes daily of exercise that makes you break a sweat.
2. We eat too many carbohydrates – antidote – STOP the cereal, bread, pasta, rice, bagels, doughnuts, pop, juice, candy, energy drinks, etc.
3. We are short of vegetables – antidote – EAT green vegetables for 2 -3  meals per day.
4. We are generally sleep deprived – antidote – TURN OFF THE TV or computer and get 7 – 9 hours of sleep in a dark, room with no electronics and an open window for fresh air.
5. We are generally dehydrated – antidote – DRINK ½ your body weight in ounces of filtered spring water every day.
6. Our diets are inappropriate – antidote – EAT a diet that  is 75% vegetable, 15% protein, 5% healthy fat (coconut oil, olive oil etc.) and 5% starch.
7. We are relatively unconscious about what comes out of our mouths and the thoughts that we fill our mind with – antidote –  WATCH YOUR WORDS as what you speak about, comes about. And what you think, you create.

The mission of Robust Life Center is to improve the health and well-being of our community to the degree that we are able to live fully with a high quality expression of service to ourselves and others with the ultimate viewpoint of changing the outcome for the planet for generations.  Help us by getting fully engaged in a our program of nutrition and lifestyle enhancement to create VIBRANT SUSTAINABLE HEALTH.  DO IT NOW!  ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO DO THE SAME!  WE WILL WIN!!!

Image courtesy of stockfreeimages.com

What an amazing year on planet earth.  While there are still the same things happening in the world, what is happening closer to home has my attention.  While I do not know about you, there has been a focus for me on a few things like health, finances, quality of life, family and deepening self-awareness of purpose.  Leading a simple life requires a lot attention to weed out the important and not urgent from the urgent and not important things.

While I work with many people to improve their overall health through nutrition, it is apparent that the number one issue is the level of physical and mental stress affecting the body.  This condition leads to an elevated level of inflammation that causes a series of undesirable effects that result in sub-optimal health.  What intrigues me is the degree to which some continue to ignore the signs and symptoms of the decline in their health.

Considering what is happening at the federal level with the “fiscal cliff” and the posturing to get around it, is it any wonder that the same actions are happening within us?  Is it possible that you or someone you know is facing a “physical cliff” and is looking for another route instead of just handling the issue?  Our bodies and minds are the most magnificent systems created to experience life fully and perform routine repair and growth without much outside intervention.  However, here is what is happening:

1. Diabetes and obesity are growing at epidemic rates across age groups even with national attention on the subject.
2. Our nation ranks #37 in health of the major industrialized nations on the planet even though we have the highest per capita expenditure for health.
3. We are the largest food consumers in the world.
4. Autism Spectrum Disorder and related issues continue to rise to alarming levels despite the current medical approach to disguise the symptoms.
5. The current plan is to allow GMO foods to become the common standard for feeding the population.

Something in the current experience is wrong.  When a path continues to get us more lost, then doing more of the same leads to insanity.  This is the case with governments, politicians and us as individuals.  As it relates to health, a mentor early in my career said, “the body does not get sick and tired, it gets hungry”.  Over the last century, we have become progressively malnourished and led astray by profit instead of quality.  We have left to others (big agriculture and food product industry) our ability to feed ourselves instead of growing and preparing our own food from scratch.  The trade-off is the lack of “quality of life”.  Fortunately, there are farmer’s markets and a grass roots movement to provide wholesome organic produce for us to support health.

As I expected, the world did not end with the Mayan Calendar and short of a major cataclysm, we will make it through 2013 and beyond.  The “Dawn of a New Era” is upon us and calls us to “step up” if we are to sustain life on the planet and give the gifts of our service to others fully.  My mission is to change the health of the community for the better one person at a time.  In order for that to happen, the community needs the following:

1. Individuals who desire to improve their health and the health of those around them.
2. Individuals who will decide to face their “physical cliff” and take action in 2013 by following a proven pathway.
3. A commitment to do whatever it takes to change themselves, and by example change their families and their community for the better.

Robust Life Center continues to grow and serve because of the proven pathways we use and teach our community about how to live and have “Sustainable Vibrant Health”.  If this article has touched you in any way, please let us know.  Forward this to anyone you know who could benefit from living with optimal health.  You are responsible for all that is in yourself and the world around you.