Jun
30
2010
“The country’s obesity epidemic continues to worsen, as detailed in F as in Fat 2010: How the Obesity Crisis Threatens America’s Future. Adult obesity rates climbed in 28 states during the past year and now exceed 25 percent in more than two-thirds of the states, with rates higher among Blacks and Latinos.
The report, by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), discusses how the nation’s response has yet to fully match the magnitude of the problem. At the same time, it highlights public recognition of the issue and acute concern over the prevalence of childhood obesity.”
The above statement is from the section on obesity at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website. It has the entire 2010 report mentioned.
The level of obesity in America has continued to worsen according to the report. About this time last year, I made a post about the F as in Fat 2009 report. I have made a cursory review of the 2010 report and what I wrote last year remains my thinking on the matter. Unless we begin to get down to the issues of why we eat and what is “eating” at us, we will not make significant strides in combating the obesity epedemic in the US.
I did a search of the words faith and spirituality in the 2010 report. In the context of the faith/spirituality and health link, the words are not used. By and large, the national, state and local governments are not including this aspect of the obesity issue. How do they expect to make a dent in the obesity rates unless the root causes of inactivity and especially overeating are addressed.
I’ll end this brief post with the same words I used a year ago in the 2009 post.
Yes, we do warrant an F grade in the fight against obesity in America but there is an F that is missing in this Fat epidemic and it’s faith in God.
If we’re going to have an impact on this aspect of our health-care crisis in America, I’d recommend that those setting national policies to turn around obesity in adults and children and in health care reform include a very big dose of faith/God-based initiatives into their planning.
Jun
23
2010
This advertisement to the right has appeared in our local newspaper, The Charlotte Observer, several times in the last few weeks. Today it appeared in the Sports section. I imagine that the editors of the paper think that men will see the ad and show it to their wives and girlfriends so they might consider reshaping their image. Or, perhaps the women who browse through the section will see it and ponder how they might develop a better image – physically and emotionally.
The same ad appears in the current issue of Today’s Charlotte Woman magazine.
It’s so sad that this is par for the course in our society today. Women especially are bombarded with messages like this advertisement. Change your body and you’ll have a new self image. Looking like the women in ads like this will make you feel good about yourself and of your image as a woman. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Last night I had the privilege of leading a Bible study session for a group of 40 men involved in a transitional housing ministry that serves the poor and homeless. My message to them was that God wants them to base their personal identity on who they are in Christ and not on the messages that they might receive from the “world.”
My message to you women who happen to read this post is the same. God loves you. He sent his Son, Jesus, to die for your sins so that you might have a full life, now and for all eternity. If you have accepted Christ into your life, you now have right-standing with God. Once you were separated from him (because of the original sins of Adam and Eve), and now, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, you are reconnected with God and made right with him. Romans 5:12-17
In Romans 8:11-17, Paul reminds you that you are a child of God and in Ephesians 2:10 he tells you that you are his masterpiece, created to do good things that he has planned for you to do long ago.
I have a wife and a daughter who is a young adult. They are both as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. That’s the way God sees them and the way that I see them. I hate it that they, and all other women in our society, have to battle with the messages that the world sends them. It tears me up that women have to contend with these messages.
Women, you don’t have to have a perfect body to feel good about your self image as these ads suggest. If you’ll just believe that God loves you so much that he calls you his child and if you receive this love deep in your heart, your identity and your life can be changed forever. That’s what Romans 12:2 reminds us. You can be transformed by the renewing of your minds.
Women, I encourage you to place your heart and your soul in God’s hands and receive his great and powerful and transforming love through his Son, Jesus. Then, read and embrace the truths found in his guidebook for living – the Holy Bible.
That’s how you can truly refine your image!
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Read about my understanding of the connection between the Christian faith and wholeness.
Jun
21
2010
Last week I had the good fortune of attending a Health Ministries Leadership Summit in San Francisco hosted by Health Ministries Association (HMA). The summit was an opportunity for national leaders whose work involves the intersection of faith and health to gather and network to formulate key strategies linked to the future development of the faith-health movement. About 75 individuals attended to contribute to this effort.
Much of the focus during the 2-day summit was on how Faith Community Nurses (or Parish Nurses) and congregational Health Ministers can be more effective in their work. Additionally, we talked about strategies to contribute to Health Care Reform and how to move our collective work forward. A White Paper is to be published later this year which will summarize the work that was done at the summit and help to chart a course forward for all those involved in this type of ministry.
Health Ministries Association (HMA) is a non-profit membership organization reaching out to transform the approach to wholeness and health. HMA encompasses all who support whole-person ministries and is recognized as the national professional membership organization for Faith Community Nurses. If you’re involved in a health-related ministry that supports a house of faith and are inclined to be involved with a professional organization, I’d encourage you to consider becoming a member of HMA.
More detailed information on the summit is at this press release.
Jun
07
2010
June 6-12 is National Headache Awareness Week as recognized by the National Headache Foundation. The page at the link I’ve provided has some excellent educational material on the topic. I certainly have not seen such complete medical documentation and reference material on headaches.
I imagine many of us have had a debilitating form of migraine headache over the years. I can remember when I was under some chronic and severe stress years ago and how I suffered from frequent cluster headaches. They were a pain! Among the materials provided on the above site is a guide to preventing and alleviating the pain associated with migraines. Many prevention methods are mentioned.
They report that the most common type of headache is a tension headache. Tension headaches are due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. They are often related to stress, depression or anxiety. Therapies to reduce stress that they mention are biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing and creative visualization. At the end of the paragraph they say “techniques discussed use the mind’s own power to change the central nervous system in a manner that can stop a migraine attack before it progresses to the pain phase.” I find it interesting that the National Headache Foundation uses the term “alternative” treatments in describing these prevention and treatment techniques.
Sadly, there’s no mention of God’s primary therapy for the prevention of headaches. Do not worry. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus outlines his teaching on worry. He reminds us that God will provide for our most basic needs. Jesus further instructs us to make the Kingdom of God and his righteousness our primary concern.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
It’s our nature to worry about the things of life, but God reminds us in his guidelines for living, the Bible, to give our worries to him. To trust him fully. When we are able to do that we are able to give him our cares and concerns and trust that he is in control of our circumstances. This certainly seems to be the very best prevention method for headaches.
Questions About Stress and Worries to Reflect On
What do you frequently worry or have anxiety about?
When was the last time you quietly and expectantly asked God to take care of that issue?
How are you seeking God’s Kingdom on a regular basis?
Resources on Stress
Article – Manage Your Stress With God’s Help
Slide Show – Stressed? See How God Can Help
Blog Posts on Trust
Jun
03
2010
Spiritual Fitness and Couch Potatoes
I’ve been reading the daily devotionals the magazine from InTouch Ministries for over 10 years. Below is an excerpt of an article by Robert Bruce titled Confessions of a Couch Potato from this month’s issue.
“The most important thing I’ve learned since starting this (running and fitness) journey is that my health and my faith are not part of two separate worlds. For most of my life, I’ve pretty much eaten whatever I wanted and lived a fairly inactive lifestyle—all while trying to be a “good Christian.” I never saw the connection between physical fitness and faith, though the two are inextricably linked. Paul said that our bodies are temples designed to glorify God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). In other words, the way we manage our physical health affects our spiritual well-being.”
In the article, Bruce shares how he embarked on becoming fit through becoming a long distance runner. I was able to relate well to his comments because I have been running since I was in high school for over 40 years. More importantly I appreciated his insight into the connection between his health and his faith, as that is the focus of my writings and speaking.
Running is probably not the right choice of physical activity for everyone, but it’s one vehicle you can use to take good care of your physical health. The important thing is that we do something on a regular basis to move our bodies… to care for the temple that they are for God’s Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
So, go move your body. Go for a walk. Then read Bruce’s entire article on page 26 of this pdf file in the June 2010 issue of InTouch Magazine.
Questions for Reflection on Spiritual Fitness
How physically fit are you?
How spiritually fit are you?
How well are you caring for and honoring your body, the temple of God’s Spirit?
Spiritual Fitness Resources
Article – Get FITT Spiritually and Physically
Article – Spirituality and Health – Understanding the Connection
Web Page – Spiritual Exercises and Spiritual Fitness Assessment
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