Health: Expectations vs. Reality

When someone first becomes an adult they suddenly feel as though their life had begun. Because they were free from the reigns of their parents and began to make decisions about what was important to them and how long, hard, or far they wanted to push themselves in order to get what it is that does matter. This newfound independence can often come with some not-so-great habits too: skipping sleep or forgetting about proper nutrition can lead to preoccupation with weight gain or loss. But for many people, their perception of health doesn't match up with reality - and the gap between expectations and realities can be scary.

So is it just a matter of habit? Are we simply so used to power through our days on coffee and sugar that we can't even imagine eating properly anymore? Or is this just more evidence proving what some experts have been saying for years: there's not enough motivation out there when it comes to public health and getting fit. 

When going through your day, you should avoid soda and packaged juice whenever you can. Add a salad and fresh juice to your lunch whenever possible. 

In short, when it comes to health, everyone has room for improvement - but your approach isn't going to be everybody's, and that's okay.

So there you have it. A little reminder on how health is not the same as fitness and that if you really want to be healthy and fit, then don't just blindly follow whatever the latest fad is. 

After all, your routine can include plenty of exercises - maybe even some running - but if you're eating poorly, then it will be hard to be as fit as you'd like to be. 

So just take it from this famous quote from Monty Python:

"Health is the greatest thing in the world, but if you have to have it, just let people know you're happy to have it."

Sources: Healthy Living & Disease Prevention by the CDC - Feeding a Healthy Bottom Line by UNICEF For a detailed look at public health and food security go here.

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