Health...Your Moral Responsibility?

Today I was listening to RN on 612ABC radio. It was an interesting program with some diverse topics.  One particular program hosted by Amanda Smith, called 'Body Sphere', discussed the topic of 'Diets'. Now it followed the usual path that any topic about diet usually follows, and that is - different types of diets and the reasoning behind them.  There were interviews with various people who had followed various diets, and so on and so forth. 

What I found particulary interesting, and what really tweaked my interest was the word Diet, and how it comes from the Greek word 'Diatia', meaning 'a way of life, mode of living'.  Hmmm...interesting.  Interesting because diet in the modern sense is anything but, a way of life.  The word 'Diet' is seen as something painful that has to be endured in order to lose weight. It typifies something short-term.  But when you look at its' true meaning, to me, a way of life is long-term, which should be wholesome and balanced.  Not something we struggle with, but something we deeply believe in...we embrace and which our life engenders.

And what really caught my attention was the reference to Ancient Greek culture and philosphy and how ones' health was seen as a moral responsibility!  Wow!  If only the people of modern society saw it this way, how different would we be living our lives and how much happier we would all be?

It caught my attention because I agree wholeheartedly.  Our health is our moral responsibility.

It really annoys me when people complain about their (bad )health.  It's usually those people of whom it is mostly self-afflicted and who have never taken responsibility for their own actions and what they choose to put in their mouths, and what physical action they have failed to take.  Who blame other people, circumstances, genetics or whatever as the reason for their failing health.  They are the very same people who ridicule others for leading 'moderate' lives, yet will rely on those people to take care of them in their declining years.

Now I'm not talking about those who fall ill due to no fault of their own.  Life is life, and bad things happen to good people, regardless of whether they lead a healthy lifestyle or not.

What I'm talking about, and annoys the hell out of me is that our hospital system is overburdened, that society is becoming more unhealthy...popping more pills...shoving more food into their mouths...doing less and eating more, yet they wonder why they become ill.  It annoys me that in their older years that it's the ones who do take responsibility for their health, whom they've laughed at and ridiculed for leading moderate lives, who end up having to care for those who just don't give a shit!

I think it's so damned selfish and I wish people would wake up to themselves, take responsibility and become contributing members to society, rather than being a drain on it.  And I don't just mean the 'larger society' out there, but within their own family and network of friends.  How much more can we participate in life and be of genuine service if we are fit, healthy and happy!  And how much happier would we be?

Some days I really wish I could say to those who tell me I'm 'too skinny' (though they wouldn't know the difference between skinny and lean and muscular), or laugh at how healthy I eat, or ridicule the fact that exercising is a priority, that I don't drink or smoke, to go and get f*cked and take a good look at themselves in the mirror and ask just how long they think they'll be walking this earth, because their health is questionable and getting worse due to their own lack of responsibility and self-righteous denial of their current state of bad health.

Anyway...I've had my beef.  It's been stewing for a long time.  I know little will change, and people will continue to make bad food and lifestyle choices and blame others for their ill health. 

The question is...'do you think your health is your moral responsibility' or do you view it differently?  My view might seem too simplistic.