THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF STRESS
by David Gilks
Can you name the number one cause of stress? Smoking? No. Drugs and alcohol? Guess again. Divorce, aging or public speaking? Wrong. The most common cause of stress known is INACTIVITY... responsible for more disease and premature death than any other factor.
That's right. Lying around like a slug kills people. It destroys the immune system, robs the body of vital capacity, and removes almost all of our motivation. The simple fact is that our bodies are meant to move, for without movement, there is no life. Our ability to move, to reproduce and to grow is what separates us from inanimate objects. No sign of life means no movement, no heartbeat, no respiration, and no brain waves.
The ones that suffer the most are our children.
Generally their primary theme in life is to have fun, to explore and to play. They are generally far more active than adults, who on a national average seldom expend enough physical energy to compensate for their excessive calorie consumption. But times have changed. Children are conforming to the examples of their parents, spending less and less time building forts and chasing balls. Instead, you might find them in front of a computer or glued to the TV set. The sad truth is that long hours perched in front of the computer or the TV lends itself to a kind of physical stagnation. It definitely encourages overeating and the consumption of junk food. TV and snacking also go hand-in-hand, just like cigarettes and coffee. Forgive the analogy, but kids need to be walked and run just like the dog. Without exercise, dogs gets lazy and fat, and guess what, kids are no different. Today, children are 10lbs. heavier at the age of 10, than they were 10 years ago. Obesity is a modern plague. It's much worse than aids, and far more common. Thousands in the US and Canada are HIV positive, but millions are dying from heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Excess body fat, caused by the combination of poor nutrition and inactivity, increases the risk of every disease and leads to an early grave.
The single best measure of a long life span is a trim waistline. Keeping kids fit and well nourished is a major accomplishment. Their health is more often a reflection of our own efforts and personal standards, rather than their genetics. If left to themselves, children will seldom choose vegetables and whole grains. Instead, they will go for commercial cereals (breakfast candy), noodle soups, pizza pops and sweets. Inadequate nutrition affects children both mentally and physically. Without optimum amounts of essential micronutrients, young people become apathetic and lose enthusiasm.
Encourage children to go outside as much as possible. Up to age 3 or 4, the best exercise is natural movement achieved through running, chasing, digging, climbing and playing at the park. Teach your child how to ride a bicycle. Swimming is excellent form of exercise and dance and gymnastics teach coordination and emphasize stretching. Martial Arts have fine programs for children. As your children grow up and stronger, expose them to a wide variety of sports. Not all kids get into organized sports but all kids should exercise daily. It's no different and no less essential, than learning how to feed yourself.
Children are our responsibility and deserve our care and attention. When planning your new year's resolution make sure to include fitness with your children.
