You must decide for yourself to be healthy

I have been asked to give advice on how to rise above some of the many “health” hurdles a driver faces every day.

By MICK SEVERIN
The Trucker Staff

9/3/2008

These past few months I have received phone calls, e-mails and letters that contain some well thought-out insight into the problems drivers have to contend with. I also was given helpful suggestions and appreciation for some of these writings.

I do “preach” occasionally, but I do so with some fervor I hope reaches into your “soul” and help’s you to realize there are multiple reasons for you to work hard at staying healthy.

I have been asked on many different occasions to talk about the most effective exercises one can do on the road.

I’ve been asked about the best foods, drinks or nutritional supplements one can consume to stay healthy. I have been asked to give advice on how to rise above some of the many “health” hurdles a driver faces every day such as obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea, stress, hypertension, etc.

The Trucker staff writer Barb Kampbell and assistant editor Dorothy Cox contribute great information on a lot of the topics mentioned above.

We all share your questions, apprehensions and your need to make sense of all the information that is presented to you through so many different media outlets.

But, after all these years, I have learned not to underestimate how much you really know. In fact, in many of my phone conversations with drivers from all over the country I’m always pleasantly surprised with the educated discussions many of you present.

Information on every possible condition, illness, disease or pain, weight loss or exercise is available on the web, television, magazines and newspapers. I suspect while you are driving and listening to the radio you probably hear about many different health issues a number of times each day. It’s almost impossible to feign ignorance in this day and age.

That being said, if we have a fairly good idea of what living a lifestyle we know contributes to all the health problems we hear about why do we still lead it?

Why is one still overweight, diabetic, have heart disease or hypertension? Why does one still eat high fat and high sugar foods or not drink enough water? Why does one not start an exercise regimen of walking or riding a bicycle? Why does one get upset when a health regulation comes around that may jeopardize their job?

It is not from lack of information and it is not from a lack of wanting to be better at taking care of your health. I have never met one individual who has a health issue that compromises his life that wanted it to be that way.

The reality is that life has a way of getting “away” from us. You’re 20 years old and then all of a sudden you are 40! Your child is 6 years old and then, what seems like two weeks later, he is graduating from college! You are in great shape and then you’re not!

It all comes down to that one moment when you say to yourself, “enough is enough!” That moment you realize it is time to conquer that issue in your life that has had control over you for so many years.

That is the beginning of the exercise regimen like walking or riding that bicycle. That is the moment eating the right foods makes sense. That is the moment your family becomes important. That is the moment your “connection” to life in general becomes important. That, my friends, is the moment you will decide to GET HEALTHY!

To be as healthy as you can be, realizing all the environmental and hereditary issues that get in the way and all the excuses you will develop, is a step by step life long process. It is not easy for anyone. Sometimes the struggle doesn’t make any sense until one day your son or your grandson wants to play a little basketball and at 55 years old, you get out there, play and show them a thing or two!

It is not the obesity, the diabetes, the nutrition or the exercise it is that MOMENT you decide you will not live like that anymore, that saves you!

God bless you and yours,

Mick