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SEPTEMBER 16, 2022
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WHERE DO WE
DRAW THE LINE? As you may have noticed, the pursuit of happiness — specifically healthy happiness — is a major concern for many people. It’s big business. Food labels are liberally festooned with health claims. Even if it’s a package of Jumbo Twinkies, the label will still announce that it’s non-GMO, or vegan, or “Now with Less Fat!” You know how products are being down-sized while keeping the price the same? We’re halfway expecting to see a 14 oz. package of salt that used to be 16 oz. announce, “Now With Reduced Salt!” It could happen. As we have said on these pages more than once, being a label reader is a good thing, especially the Nutrition Facts portion. Every one of us should give health all the attention it deserves. But are we taking it too far? A couple of years ago, Swedish researchers measured the health-conscious community against ten identifying characteristics of religions — things like a strong sense of community, a priesthood of some kind, sacred beliefs, places, and rituals viewed as uniquely superior and true, and a clear path to salvation, liberation, or deliverance — and discovered that by every single measure, health is indeed a religion. It’s got it all, including a plethora of both certified and self-appointed preachers; various interpretations of the one real set of truths; holy places where the faithful go to work out their salvation; and even its own set of backsliders and outcasts who gave it a try but fell by the wayside, some overwhelmed by shame and guilt and determined to return to the fold, others who will never be back. In the world of faith, there are people whose zeal moves them to actions that can only be described
as extreme. The September 11 attacks were perpetrated by religious zealots. More recently, faith has moved some to vandalize or bomb synagogues and abortion clinics, or murder those who operate them. They see no conflict between the ideals of their faith and their criminal actions. Their counterparts in the religion of healthcare might be typified by militant vegetarians who throw bags of fake (or real) blood on people who work in meat packing plants, or are simply carnivores. In less objectionable fashion, many proponents of this or that approach to health view everyone who doesn’t subscribe to their particular brand of healthy living with condescension. Can we all just get along? Most people realize that extreme approaches to health (or faith) are not usually sustainable over the long haul, and also tend to scare away potential converts. For a modest example, a determination to lose weight and get fit that involves going to the temple — strike that — gym — at 5 o’clock every morning would not survive long for many of us. It might be a little extreme. In fact, one journal quoted a doctor who was asked the question, which is generally more important, fitness or sleep? His answer: sleep. That doesn’t mean it’s extremist for someone to schedule pre-dawn running or fitness sessions, but it probably wouldn’t last very long for many. British cardiologist Rohin Francis has cautioned that some people actually get addicted to exercise, and The E Word definitely qualifies as a wonder drug. But as with any drug, there is an optimal dose. Not too little. Not too much. For E addicts, excessive exercise can cause sore knees, Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, and more. Of course, most of us needn’t fear getting too much exercise; 90% of us don’t get enough. The sad story there is, as mentioned above, exercise truly is a wonder drug. Dr. Francis isn’t anti-exercise. “It has such a multitude of benefits, not just on your heart, but for Please see DRAW THE LINE page 3
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