Sunday, June 26, 2011

Questions/Answers

It was announced this week, that the women in our county, Walker, have the lowest life expectancy in the United States.........I kept asking myself how can that be?  But there are many reasons, our county is poor, bad nutrition, lack of exercise, uneducated, no insurance, smoking, drug/alcohol abuse.  It is just so sad,  and in my heart I knew it was bad.......obesity in adults and children, high unemployment rate, it just does not seem right.
And then me being me, I have racked my brain trying to figure out how I can help.......

I teach a free yoga class on Monday nights, I tell people about it, I have done newspaper interviews and tv shows, at the most maybe fifteen people show up.  I think many in my county have just thrown their hands
up and decided there is no hope......or maybe it is just apathy.  I know that many who meet me and hear me talk think that I am just strange, nice but strange.  I have developed a sad, strange habit, I read the local obits
daily.......the numbers astound me.  How many people die in our county under the age of fifty at their residence is quite frightening too....... I know there is also a prescription drug problem.

What is the answer? is there an answer?  I don't think we matter to the politicians, if you keep us dumb and uneducated, we're easier to control, we believe the fear stories that we are fed by the media.
And sadly, religious leaders just tell us to pray.....sometimes you have to put feet on those prayers!
I know this is not my average blog, but this is my home, where I live and according to the numbers where I will die before other women in this country.  The sad, sick joke with all my female friends......we just need to move!

Does anybody out there have an answer? Is there a fix?  How can I make a difference?  If you have answers I would love to hear them.  Thanks for listening.

3 comments:

  1. Well Jilda the first thing that popped into my head was getting churches to give you a few minutes in their pulpit to voice your desire to help them. I realize a lot of people do not go to church but a lot do. Just an idea. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know that walking is one of the best exercises. Maybe a "Walk for Your Health" day once a week. Everyone meet at a certain place and all walk around town together. People could make some new friends too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the suggestions ya'll, my community yoga class talked about some things tonight. Will let you all know how it goes.

    ReplyDelete