| It's funny how humans perceive health | | | | open to other healthy suggestions. That's a |
| information and adsorb information. For | | | | good sign. |
| example, you may see a public announcement on | | | | |
| television recommending "we should eat five | | | | Let's evaluate a couple of the questions: |
| servings of fruits and vegetables a day". How | | | | |
| do you perceive that message? Well, if you're | | | | For example, if you only said you floss your |
| a healthy thinker you probably not only | | | | teeth that indicates that someone got through |
| agree, you think it is important that | | | | to you on the health benefits of flossing. As |
| everyone gets that message. The reality is | | | | simple as it seems, flossing can prevent |
| that many people just change channels or do | | | | bacteria build up in your gums that can get |
| not absorb the message. As a health | | | | into your blood stream, trigger inflammation, |
| professional I can be channel surfing and if | | | | and possibly trigger a heart attack in |
| I hear any trigger words such as cholesterol, | | | | susceptible individuals. The question |
| diabetes, obesity, healthy foods, etc. I stop | | | | regarding prescription drugs says a lot about |
| and check it out, I'm a healthy thinker! I | | | | your thinking. If you just go along with the |
| should be, it is my profession. If we were | | | | doctors suggestions you're not accepting |
| all healthy thinkers we would all probably do | | | | responsibility for your own health. That's |
| the same. Another example is the new food | | | | unhealthy thinking. Imagine your doctor's |
| pyramid that the government spent millions of | | | | surprise at your next appointment if you |
| dollars to create. That should mean that | | | | said, "I would rather lose some weight, |
| everyone will now know not only what to eat | | | | exercise, and change my eating habits than |
| to stay healthy and prevent disease but | | | | take drugs". That would make their day! |
| exactly how to do it. In reality here is what | | | | |
| will happen. Healthy thinkers will scrutinize | | | | People who think unhealthy have some of these |
| and evaluate the information based on their | | | | characteristics: |
| present diet. For most of the population, | | | | |
| especially those who need it most, you will | | | | 1. To them health means not being sick. |
| get varied answers. When the first food | | | | |
| pyramid came out I ask my students if they | | | | 2. They depend on over the counter |
| had heard about the food pyramid. Some said | | | | medications for minor aches and pains. |
| they had heard about it but could not | | | | |
| describe it. Several students had actually | | | | 3. They depend on advertisements for health |
| seen it but could not explain it. Others | | | | information. |
| thought it was in Egypt, but were not sure. | | | | |
| In reality few people will pay much attention | | | | 4. They are usually sedentary and give little |
| to it. Get the picture? Until people learn to | | | | thought to exercising and eating healthy. |
| think healthy they just do not pay much | | | | |
| attention to information about how to stay | | | | 5. They are always looking for quick fixes |
| healthy and prevent disease. | | | | for energy, weight loss, and feeling better. |
| | | | |
| How do you know if you're a healthy thinker? | | | | One way to get people to think healthy is to |
| Here are a few simple questions that I want | | | | focus on the outcomes of a healthy lifestyle |
| you to answer: | | | | rather than just telling people the changes |
| | | | they should make. For example, rather than |
| 1. Do you floss your teeth? | | | | tell people to eat more fruits and |
| | | | vegetables, it would probably be best to |
| 2. Do you set aside time for movement | | | | first emphasize that plant foods are nature's |
| {exercise}? | | | | medicines! They contain literally thousands |
| | | | of phyto-chemicals that work synergistically |
| 3. If your doctor suggest prescription or | | | | to protect you against disease. More people |
| over the counter drugs for a health problem, | | | | would start thinking about that and start |
| do you always ask, "What can I do to avoid | | | | adding more fruits and vegetables and other |
| taking medication"? | | | | plant foods without considering how much or |
| | | | what ones. Exercise is another hot button |
| 4. When dining out do you always look for | | | | with sedentary people. When we mention the |
| healthy choices? | | | | word "Exercise" to a sedentary person the |
| | | | first image that comes to mind is work and |
| 5. When shopping for food do you always read | | | | sweat. That's not a good image, so they are |
| the nutritional information on products you | | | | more likely to take a nap until the thought |
| are unfamiliar with? | | | | goes away. The better approach is to stress |
| | | | "movement". That's less stressful and they |
| 6. When traveling, do you bring healthy | | | | can start by avoiding elevators, parking |
| snacks for your family to avoid fast food | | | | farther away at the mall, walk more, drive |
| outlets? | | | | less. If they do that they start thinking |
| | | | like a healthy person. When you start to make |
| Obviously, if you said "yes" to all the | | | | small changes in your lifestyle you will |
| questions you're a healthy thinker. You not | | | | experience some positive feedback in how you |
| only listen to health messages, you seek out | | | | feel. That will motivate you to keep going. |
| information on your own. The good news is | | | | Sedentary people may or may not ending up |
| that if you only answered one question "yes", | | | | running marathons and eating the perfect diet |
| you're on the track to thinking healthier. | | | | but our society will be a lot healthier. The |
| You have to look at health as a journey, not | | | | goal is to increase the quality of the years |
| a destination. The fact that you answered one | | | | in your life. Thinking healthy is the first |
| question like a healthy thinker means your | | | | step. |