It’s Not Called Junk for Nothing

Our thanks for the following from the latest St. Luke’s Health Initiative “Thnking Out Loud” newsletter:
“A recent study from Scripps Research documents that the brain responds to junk food the same way that it does to heroin. Apparently obesity and drug addiction have common neurobiological underpinnings.
“At least in rats. One group of rats was fed a broad range of processed food, from bacon and cheesecake to Ho Hos, while another group received ‘high-nutrient, low-calorie chow.’ There was an immediate difference: The rats that ate junk food developed compulsive eating habits and became obese. Not only that, but they became so addicted to junk food that ‘they were willing to tolerate electric shocks if that’s what it meant to keep eating the stuff.’
“If eating junk food really is an addiction, where does that leave policies calling for more consumer ‘choice’ in eating healthy foods? We ban heroin. Why not Ho Hos?”
Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but it does relate to several of the articles we have been passing along that point out that many of the health problems we have are self-imposed. It’s as if we have little responsibility for our own health. We instead outsource it to something called the health care system.

Wid

"RSVP !"

I'm not sure what it means but it's a whole bunch of fun watching them come in for our Winners Circle Weekend!
Sponsors, athletes, commissioners, board members, volunteers, and friends reminding me of the magnitude of people we are grateful to for making all that we do possible!
We can't thank you enough but we are going to try!
In the meantime I will do some research on the meaning of "RSVP !"

Wid

Unbelievable

One-third of U.S. youth unfit for militaryPublished:
Nov. 4, 2009 at 1:53 AM
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- More than one-third of Americans ages 17-24 are unqualified for military service because of physical and medical issues, U.S. military officials said.Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon's director of accessions, said the United States has "an obesity crisis.""There's no question about it," Gilroy told the Navy Times. "Kids are just not able to do push-ups, and they can't do pull-ups. And they can't run."The Pentagon figures -- 35 percent of the roughly 31.2 million Americans ages 17-24 are ineligible for military service -- are drawn from data from the Centers for Disease Control. In a study scheduled to be released Thursday in Washington, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and a group of retired military officers say young Americans' lack of overall fitness for military duty is a national security threat, the Navy Times reported.The report, drawing on Pentagon data, says almost three out of four 17- to 24-year-olds are ineligible for service for a variety of reasons including:-- 35 percent ineligible for medical/physical problems.-- 18 percent ineligible for illegal drug use.-- 9 percent ineligible for mental problems.-- 6 percent have too many dependents.-- 5 percent have a criminal record.

~ Wid

"Board of Directors ! "

After yesterdays Board of Directors meeting I realized on my drive home how special they are, and how lucky I am to work for such a talented ,smart, and supportive group of fine people!
I also was reflective of the loss of two 15 year members due to personal reasons. I'm hoping they realize how grateful I am for their tremendous contribution and loyalty over a long period of time.
They will be missed!
Boards come in many shapes and forms and vary greatly in their roles as the culture of each organization is different. In our case we have great leadership and involvement from everybody. We are "lean" but very effective in my opinion.
It is my hope that over the years I have made sure they know how appreciative I am for their unconditional show of strength. I will continue to make a committed effort to show my gratitude.
Thank you one and all!

Wid

A Look at “The State of America’s Health”

I am constantly reading articles dealing with physical fitness, proper nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. These topics have been the subject of many of my blogs and are key to Grand Canyon State Games’ educational program promoting a more active, healthier and happier lifestyle.

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report took a sobering look at “The State of America’s Health.” Here are a few excerpts:

“Americans today are fatter and less active than ever before. Two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese, and fewer than a third exercise at least three times a week. Twenty-four million people have diabetes, the vast majority of it related to lifestyle. An additional 57 million are pre-diabetic. One in five adults still smokes in spite of the decades of public anti-tobacco campaigns that point out smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths.

“Our expanding girth is America’s most visible health problem. Not only are most adults too heavy, but obesity rates for children have more than doubled in the past 30 years. Excess weight is a significant factor in four of the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Obesity has fueled a 45% rise in diabetes over the past 20 years. Someone born in 2000 has a one-in-three chance of developing the disease.

“In fact, an estimated 900,000 people die from avoidable causes every year because they failed to maintain a healthy weight, eat nutritiously, exercise or smoked or drank excessively. That’s roughly 40% of all deaths in the United States.”

I’ll continue this discussion next week because it is important we recognize the consequences of how we live our lives.

~Wid