Rest Day Read: February 3, 2010

Fam-Fit
Rest Day Read (SR-7)
(Note: The next several Rest Day Reads and associated commentaries are going to be on the subject on the benefits of exercise.)
The Deadliest Sin by Johathan Shaw
"America loves to think of itself as a youthful nation focused on fitness, but behind the vivid media images of robust runners, Olympic Dream Teams, and rugged mountain bikers is the troubling reality of a generation of young people that is, in large measure, inactive, unfit and increasingly overweight."

""The modern lifestyle is a radical departure from the one in which we evolved. Though scholars disagree on the relative amount of time that our hunter-gatherer ancestors spent running versus walking, the evidence suggests that they covered a lot of ground either way: 10 to 20 kilometers a day walking among men and about half that for women", says professor of biological anthropology Richard Wrangham."

H1N1 Outbreak! The panic was everywhere. The nation's medical system shifted into high gear to fight this dangerous strain of influenza. The education of the people, the vaccination of the people, the hand washing skills, the coughing/sneezing skills and the awareness we developed over the course of the last year helped avert a medical disaster. The people of the United States of America should all reach back to pat themselves on the back for their response. Then we should all turn and slap ourselves across the face. Why you ask? Because, we have become nation sitting-on-our-asses and eating ourselves to death. Obesity and its myriad of diseases side-effect is THE major issue in our society, yet we seem to ignore the 800 lb. gorilla sitting in the corner. The evidence is out there and it is starting to stack up in such a overwhelming pile its simply can no longer be ignored: A large percentage of the medical problems in our country can improve with exercise.
Hey, Mr. Obama, want a REAL health care plan? You want a plan to lower health care costs and save billions of dollars? Let's spend 5% of the amount you propose for health care reform and use it to promote fitness for all ages. Let's use it to get people moving. Let's get Americans living, learning, thinking and innovating. Now that would be a real stimulus package.