Vol 2, Num 14 :: 2003.07.04 — 2003.07.17
Editor?s note: For the following survey, participants were asked several questions regarding their physical health, including how they would rate their body?s health on a scale of 1-10.
Female, 54
Rating: 8
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Eating light, taking vitamins, resting, getting regular check-ups, pushing husband to do the same, putting it in the Lord?s hands.
Male, Age 53
Rating: 8
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Special concerns:
I come from a large family and all of my brothers and sisters are on heart medication for high blood pressure, or other cardiac problems. My parents and grandparents on both sides (except for my mother) died of heart-related illnesses.
Male, 55
Rating: 5
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Watching my diet and taking medication, trying to stay current with new technology, trying whatever the doctor says, pushing for stress tests more often.
Special concerns:
Heart blockage?I?ve had two heart surgeries within two years. My father, uncles and brother all diet from heart attacks.
Female, 23
Rating: 7
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Eating well, working out 4-5 times a week (cardio, weights, yoga, classes, etc.), and getting lots of sleep.
Special concerns:
Years of physical damage from eating disorder (bone density loss, heart issues, teeth issues etc.); I eat foods and take supplements that will, hopefully, help reverse the damage. I should be under a doctor’s supervision, but lost my health insurance and so haven’t been able to do that, which is not very smart on my part. Diabetes, heart disease, and breast cancer run in my family, so I eat TONS of fruits and vegetables to help prevent those conditions in myself. I also face the constant risk of injury from my profession (musician). I have to be very careful to stretch and rest often while practicing 3-5 hours per day—it’s very wearing on the body.
Female, Age 24
Rating: 7
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Special concerns include:
I am not eating meat and must find ways to incorporate adequate protein and vitamin/mineral needs with other foods or supplements. Also, I am conscious about overeating and previous struggles with unhealthy eating disorder habits. Exercise is an essential component to those particular pieces and one that I sometimes have difficulty maintaining regular discipline with.
Female, 26
Rating: 7…umm, I haven’t been to the doctor in 2 years, so I might have cancer or some other disease. That would take it down quite a bit.
I try to keep my body healthy by:
I walk whenever possible—like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to my friend?s house instead of drive. I walk a LOT at work. That helps. I force myself to eat vegetables everyday—order broccoli instead of fries, that kind of thing.
Special concerns:
I have been looking into this and it sounds really strange, but I think I am addicted to carbohydrates—you know, the bad “white bread and doughnuts” kind. A friend of mine said she was and I laughed at her, but I have been reading about it. I can’t stop thinking about food some days. It will so distract me that I won’t be able to focus or work until I go get food. And then if I eat fruit or vegetables or drink lots of water or anything healthy to fill that “spot,” it doesn’t work. I still obsess about Snickers or doughnuts or fries or whatever until I go get it! It is kind of scary. My weight goes up every year…just a few pounds, but I hate to think what will happen in 20 years if I don’t figure out how to fix this.
Male, 27
Rating: 7
I try to keep my body healthy by:
Brats, Beer and Cheese of Wisconsin make it tough. I walk everywhere I can, play tennis whenever humanly possible, golf on occasion, work outside lots and about once a year I go on a health kick for a month. Lots of juicing, lots of salads, lots of exercise, lots of milk thistle to cleanse the system and lots of bluegreen algae to keep me relatively happy while I detox. Then I eat brats and cheese and drink lots of beer. I guess I prefer the binge, binge, purge, binge, binge mindset to the simple binge, purge.
Special concerns:
I’m overweight. I know it. I like to think of myself as relatively healthy regardless. By blood pressure is great, my heart rate is low and I stay active. I would like to lose weight, but I would much rather be healthy and a bit portly to being average weight and a couch potato…hmmmmm…potato chips….
Male, 36
Rating: Well, assuming that 1 would equal bedridden with death approaching within days, and 10 would equal Captain America, I’d have to put myself at a 7.3.
I try to keep my body healthy by:
I bike between 10 and 50 miles per week, I dig a lot, I eat at home mostly, I laugh, and I pray. I love my job and my family and I think that helps. I try to hug people I love frequently. During the winters I snowshoe whenever I can. I don’t drink and I don’t smoke. I try to spend some time being quiet now and then.
Special concerns:
The world considers me overweight, but I really don’t agree. My doctor says I am as healthy as a horse. My dad had colon cancer, so I worry about that a bit. Sometimes I wish I had more time to sleep. I feel healthier when I sleep.
Female, 17
Rating: 8.79
I try to keep my body healthy by:
I generally try to walk from at least a mile a day to running 3 miles a day, depending on time and energy. I eat very strictly vegetarian, almost vegan, (no butter, milk, eggs) and stay away from any and all junk food (ie: potato chips or anything at all fried). I take my vitamins and try to take care of my body’s needs when I’m not running myself into the ground.
Special concerns:
I have had chronic insomnia for over three years now. While coffee used to be my major combatant for my lack of energy and stamina throughout the days, I have really cut back (from my usually 3 to 6 cups a day) and attempt to refrain from drinking or eating any kind of caffeine after 6 p.m. (including coffee, caffeinated teas, chocolate, and even diet sodas). While that has not solved all or even many of my sleeping problems, coupled with the good diet I attempt to maintain, I am praying that I will soon be granted “chronic rest” as opposed to “chronic weariness.”
The body is an amazing “machine,” if you will, that needs to be taken care of and maintained. Like an engine or muffler on your car, you need to listen to the sounds and signals it gives you as to know how to best take care of and maintain it. I attempt to do that as well as I can.
Discussion topic: Bodies of believers
How would you rate your level of physical health on a scale of 1-10? What are special concerns for you? What patterns did you identify in reading through the answers in the feature article? Do you fit any of these patterns?
your comments