Saturday, December 31, 2011

Fat Between The Ears


So tired of all the Michelle Obama-bashing going on over the "Happy
Meals" initiative. Recognizing first off that those who oppose her are
generally those who would call her a witch even if she cured
cancer and balanced the budget, based squarely
on politically motivated biases. But many are truly unaware of
the program she started. (It's called "Let's Move!" and can be
viewed more entirely at www.letsmove.gov )

Does anyone realize the financial and health impact of a nation
of morbidly obese and chronically sedentary kids? Or kids who become
adults who carryover those practices? I realize that 'attacking'
people's precious "Mickey D's" (with their Jillion-dollar PR campaign
to make them seem like a National Fucking Treasure) was a
risky gambit, but it was necessary, and I support the chutzpah.
By the by; she simply pointed out reality; she
didn't MAKE the icon an unhealthy place to eat!
 Besides, there is soooo  much more to her program than just that.
Read up, trolls.




Who's aware (or conscious about) 'food deserts?' It's an area where there
are no grocery stores available within a traveling radius; people within
the perimeter of these 'food deserts' have access only to chemical and
additive and preservative laden foods such as convenience stores, gas
stations, vending machines, etc.  No fresh produce or quality nutritious
foods are available. If you think about it, we tend to eat based on what's
available to us, not what's good for us, so this is significant.

Mrs. Obama is working with retailers to initiate new stores go up in
these areas where the most need is.

McDonald's is symptomatic. Symbolic. Besides, the backlash to the initiative
proves the hold that the greasy purveyor of shit food has is indeed deep
and powerful. You can't say McDonald's is healthy! (Well, you could, but
you'd be a loony or a liar.) The problem is that people use the fast food
joint as their mainstay eatery, and it isn't intended to be that. Their own
(legally dictated) material will tell you that it is to be used as once or
twice a week treat, not a significant source of nutrition or a balanced meal.



In this country, you are free to abuse your kids in by feeding them fatty
carb-loaded empty-nutrition meals from sun-up to sun-down. We don't step
in as a society until they are in the hospital from obesity-related  illness or
malnourishment. This is about education, and one thing Americans hate
with a passion is having it made clear that they don't know something
(or, worse yet, are acting self-destructively in spite of knowing better.)

We seem to be oblivious that young boys are experiencing an
epidemic of having tits bigger than their mothers'.

We're obsessed with proving opulence by over-indulging in
everything, including food, even to our own detriment.

(And now with the state of the economy remaining bad,
people are emotionally eating more than ever and finding
greater limits on affordable food choices.)

We want to pretend that an over-reliance on gadgets has not adversely
 impacted the need for fresh air and exercise.

People seem to want to shoot the messenger. Well, Michelle Obama
didn't stick fried chicken down your throat or make you eat a gallon
of ice cream. She didn't tell you to use the TV and PC as baby-sitter
for your kids.

Stop hating on the reality that we have a problem,
start acknowledging a need for change.

Education is not the enemy; it's the start of the solution.
Can we get past politics long enough
to save some kids' lives?

******************************************






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