Life On and Off an Acreage

In-sights into moving from an Acreage back to Town, plus a few things I find of interest.

Two things that horses are scared about:


1. Things that move
2. Things that don't move




Old enough to be eccentric, but not rich enough

February 1, 2010

Are North America's Priorities Right?

I was watching both the CBC and CTV news today and both were carrying stories on the latest epidemic in North America, namely Obesity. Doctors were interviewed about this and were quite concerned with the trend. It is getting worse, according to them. Heart attacks are moving to the younger generation as is other types of disease such as diabetes. I saw a program a few weeks ago where the gist of the story was that the generation now in school, public and secondary, is likely going to live substantialy shorter than their parents. Apparently, the genetic factor where, if you had grandparents and parents with a long lifespan, then you could expect to live a long time also, is now being over ridden by the above concerns.

The other issues tying into this are the time spent in front of the TV and now blackberries and the like, the lack of exercise and generally a sedentary lifestyle. Obviously, not every one can, or should live on an acreage where there is little time for inactivity, but there must  be a way to reverse this. What it is, I do not know.

Go to the flip side of the world where millions die each year due to starvation, and you have to agree that something is wrong in North America.

Is our culture so stressed, so self-centered that obesity and diabetes and the results, are in effect, the results?
Do parents come home so tired that they cannot spend time in the outdoors getting exercise?

I sure would appreciate your input on this question, as it is beyond this ones mind capacity to comprehend.
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8 comments:

  1. Hi there Ian, thanks for the support on my blog and next website.

    Good that you put it under attention, obesity that is. Yep I do think parents are to tired. But the problem is why on earth does every body need to work fulltime, both moms and dads? Is it so darn important that you have a huge house, two big hot weels on the driveway yet no time to spend with your kids? To raise them, feed the as it should and guide them to give them strong wings so they are able to fly when they starts saying are around 18 and do follow there own paths?
    And yea okay I'm in a position that makes me able to choose and be an (almost) stayhome mom. I know there are many of us who need the two jobs (and more) just to deal with life as it is. Notting wrong with that. But it's so easy to do healty grocery's and sit at the diner table every single evening with the family and spend real good time in eachothers company.
    My husband and I choose to have a little less money yet be there for our kids, we choose the have them in the first place. Now it's our duty to take care of them in the best possible way. So we leave the stress outdoors and in our homes lives structure wich we do belive kids (and parents) need, in both helping them grow up and feed them in the healty way.

    Okay didn't mean to speak from the high horse (do you use this expression also) yet I do believe it's so important to start when they are little with the good way to show them.
    And when you learn them young they will understand healty ways better. But than again here in Holland we don't have as much fastfood things as you guys have over there. So it's a little easier on us maybe.
    Although I always think there is a choice in everything.

    God bless you my friend. Oh and I saw you read the book The Shack. What did you think of it?
    I'm looking forward to hear from you.
    Sweet bye's Dagmar

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  2. I think a lot of problems are what people consider healthy food.Most people have no concept of good fats, raw and fermented food and the dangers of preservatives and aspartame!Plus the convince of processed foods and all their additives....I think also the loss of the stay at home mom.Working mothers are too tired and busy to prepare healthy from scratch meals for their families and the weekends are often spent "catching" up on housework. I think people are dumbed down to trust that all this junk they are eating is safe,with the attitude that the government would let it be sold if it wasn't safe.In reality it is loaded with things like corn syrup,aspartame and a whole host of other junk.Another thing,a lot of parents in cities don't feel safe letting their children out in the neighborhood to play which teaches them a sedentary lifestyle.Also in our society no one thinks they have to take personal responsibility for their actions.They want to blame the food industry all the while stuffing themselves with Twinkies! Oh no,you got me on my soap box! I will stop ranting now!

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  3. Food in our countries has become a 'god' especially in the last 50 years.
    Man is always looking for something to fill the void in his heart that only Christ can fill.
    In our godless society over eating is just another filler to add to a long list of sins.

    Even Christians tend to go to extremes in this area. I guess God needs to bring a lightning bolt experience to change some of us.

    God bless you, Ron

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  4. Dagmar: I tried to address the issue of "The Shack" in responding to a question from Galations 2:20 in the comment section of My Testimony (1st post on my Blog) Any questions, give me an e-mail.

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  5. In these days of many distractions, you have to make several things a priority or a discipline in your life or they become the last thing you do and in that list is exercise, eating wisely, praying and reading the Bible and in some instances, even making the effort to go to church. :-)

    Annndddd, to answer your question, my shoes are muddy because I do jog out by the lake and I jog through the mud and slush ...anything but up and down my driveway 28x !!!! UG !! Well, I could run down the road but I hate that even more than running up and down my driveway.... dogs run at me and cars go by etc... so its either by the lake in the mud and puddles or my driveway. Which, obviously, I have made it a priority. :-)

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  6. O this is a wonderful blog, I am going to be a follower from today on. This is so thick and rich it will take me a while to digest, just what I crave in a blog. Melodie says my words so perfectly, all the comments are intriguing. Catch up with you soon! Peace for all

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  7. Oh this topic is a biggy!

    People eat non nutritive processed stuff and call it food! Worse its filled with chemicals that are proven to cause so many illness its not even funny...

    People are killing themselves with this stuff and are not willing to give it up.

    I realize there is so much information on what is good and bad for people out there that it could be confusing. But one thing that has been agreed on is fast food, junk food, soda pop and chemicals you can't even say are all not good for us... does it stop people from eating and drinking this stuff...nope...

    When I check out at the grocery store, I can't tell you how many times I have been asked what is this on produce! and I am not talking odd stuff here I am talking regular old produce...Kids and even some adults what is this?
    Mercy me :o(...

    I do think people in general don't get enough exercise as well, but if everyone would just clean up their food it would go a long way to fixing a lot of health issues!

    I will stop here, this is a biggy topic and one I could rant on for hours and hours!

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  8. Texan, feel free to rant away! I just watched the news today, and it seems my favourite drink (plus other types) is suspect for causing pancreatic cancer! Fortunately I only have 2 bottles left in the house. I can get along without pop, but life will be tough if they link stuff to coffee! Life will be grumpy on the acreage for a while.

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