There is a line from James Cameron’s movie ‘Avatar’, where our main character, Sully, is trying to integrate himself into the indigenous beings on the an alien planet. This scene came back to my mind while traveling. In the story ‘Avatar’ they, (we) the humans, have no clue how ‘life’ on Pandora (the alien planet) works. The human’s are viewed as the enemy and foolish. Once our main character is in the ‘tribe’ he is confronted by the high priestess. She tells him he will learn their ways and they will get to see if he can be cured of his ‘insanity’. The human way of life is completely at opposite ends with the creatures that live on the alien planet of Pandora and they, the ‘Navi’ think the human’s are insane.
Now where in the world I am going with this? I have been traveling for the last three week. I live out of a suitcase partially anyway but…South Carolina, Ohio, Montana…it was really tasking. This leaves me with less than half time with my family. Elizabeth, her kids, and my son Cayden. Being ‘away’, not being ‘settled’ is a trigger for me. On the outside it is pretty normal looking but inside, it is a different story. I am fortunate that I don’t struggle with the addictions of drugs or alcohol, wild women, gambling etc. However, my drug of choice for years has been food.
Talk about insanity. There is a saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got”.
The definition and purpose of food has been lost to most of our culture. How did this come about? Well, think about it…how many years ago was it, not that many, when we, the human race lived and died based on the ability to feed ourselves. Now we are living and dying based on feeding ourselves but for a complete different reason. Though there are still places on earth where this is a reality, including the United States, the fact is, we are now living in a world where ‘manufactured’ food is not only the norm but you are thought of as as ‘weirdo’ or ‘odd ball’ if you are a person that is concerned about nutrition.
In my book, there are a number of ‘rackets’ when you look around. You’ve read my opinion of the news more than once, certain medicines, and just about any commercial you read, hear or see is more of a gimmick than anything else. I remember the days when we had ONE fast food place in town. It was called McDonalds and they sold hamburgers. It was an AMAZING treat to swing by after church on Sunday night and pick up 5 burgers and go home to a McDonald’s meal with the family when I was a kid. A few years later, I remember when we got all sophisticated and square burgers starting showing up made by Wendy’s…wow…we were uptown digging it!
But now look at what we have. Hardees, Chick Fil-a, PD Quix, Bojangles, KFC, Taco Bell, then there is the list of restaurants that EVERY town has. What do they call have in common? It’s the food they cook and you eat. But it doesn’t stop there. Walk down the aisle at your local grocery store. Chain or not, you will find MORE manufactured food than anything else. My point…we are killing ourselves by the lifestyle we’ve adapted to. It has become the norm. The ease and conveniences, which I have partaken of, is killing us.
Where does this go? I found myself alone on many planes flying for hours being offered cookies, snacks and all forms of manufactured food. I was a long way from loved ones, a long way from home and routine, a long way from that ‘safe’ place of my home and friends and where did I turn? Back to my insane ways of eating.
Here is what it does –
Food is fuel. When it stops being fuel and becomes a pain killer there is a problem. When it becomes about entertainment, it is a problem, when it becomes our place of happiness, it is a problem. Like all things in life, balance is the key however, we are SO far out of balance, I fear a normal balance of food would freak out the average American today.
A year ago I was tipping 300 pounds. I started a concentrated ‘get your butt up and move’ campaign in my own life. I put my money where my mouth was and purchase good running shoes and started walking. But just as important as movement was the lifestyle change of food. Having hunger or the ‘feeling’ of hunger was my new best friend. If I was just a little bit hungry then I need to go more. Food being fuel in our lives is more like taking the car to the gas station, filling it up, then putting in extra cans, going to any type of product anyone would sale me with the idea it would make my car go, and just adding more and more stuff. Soon my back seat has extra tanks and they are carrying nitroglycerin, rat poison, bleach, embalming fluid…you name it, we have a place for it yet…the car runs no better for all of these ‘fuels’. In fact, it runs worse and the extra weight is wearing out said car.
huh…how about that? Doesn’t sound too good to me…
It’s
Insane
It’s
addiction
and
it’s
killing us.
and I fell right back into a routine of letting good sound judgment get replaced by insane thinking. “Oh it will not hurt me, Oh it really isn’t bad, oh it will not really affect me”…
really?
really?
Now I don’t want to come across as a purist or a odd ball that this might make me sound.
Here is what I know.
- Having a empty stomach is better than always being full.
- Eating less and moving more is imperative.
- Good meats and veggies, (fresh) is what the body needs for fuel.
- If it comes in a box, most likely it isn’t good for you.
- If you see it on TV or print add…be suspect.
- Cook for yourself and not out to eat.
With all of this being said let me sympathize with the mom and dad out there that is working and taking care of children. It’s a hard commitment to keep one’s focus on the short, mid and long term goals of good eating habits.
I have no idea if any of this really hits home for you or speaks to a place in your own life where you see, you are starting to slip or fall into patterns that are more ‘insane’ than ‘sane’? If so, please hear this…you are not alone. We are in this together and the path your own might not be easy however, from time to time, we might pass one another, jogging slowly with expensive running shoes on, fighting back the years of poor/easy decision.
Peace on the journey this week.
