Healthy Living, it Ain't for Everyone

Ohio ranks 47th in the effectiveness of health care spending, according to the nonpartisan Health Policy Institute of Ohio.  Which is bad, but could be worse, because they rank all 50 states, and the District of Columbia separately, so it is not 47 out of 50, but 47 out of 51.  It has led to a rally on the lawn of the statehouse, with people chanting "we're not the worst, we're not the worst."

Apparently, despite my best efforts to become healthier, thinner, more fit, by quitting smoking, exercising, eating smarter, eschewing the elevator at work, and walking often is not enough.  According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch Ohio ranks 44th in adult smoking, 46th in adult diabetes, 48th in child immunizations, the list goes on and on, without varying much.

Not all the news was bad, though.  Ohio does rank 11th in accreditation of local health departments, and in employee sponsored health insurance, and 12th in fluoridated water.  So, it is not without hope. There are highly accredited local health departments with great teeth.

According to the report only Maine, Wyoming Indiana and West Virginia are less healthy than Ohio. Here is the bad bit, though, they spend far less than Ohio on health care.  It costs far less to be unhealthy in those places. In Ohio we have the privilege of being one of the most expensive, least healthy places.  In  fact, Ohio ranked last, bottom of the barrel, absolutely abysmal, in value for the health care costs.

This leaves two obvious choices, either provide better health care, or charge less.  Both of these are difficult, and require sacrifice. Obviously, prevention is much less expensive than cure, but it requires cooperation between doctor and patient.

Yes, a doctor can say "you should quit smoking, and lose some weight, you disgusting, overweight slob, before it kills you.  That will $230.00." Unless the patient is willing to take this sound medical advice to heart, it will do no good.

Conversely, a doctor can say "you have to start eating at least a few vegetables every week, and changing the channel at every commercial is not really aerobics.  That will be $75.00."  Charging less, or making people healthier, or both, which is going to work?  Probably neither.

But, we here at Life Explained, have a third option.  Embrace the slovenliness, welcome the weight, advertise the sloth.  Nobody likes to be told how they need to diet, nobody wants to hear they need to exercise more, people know they need to quit smoking. Everybody gets sick of the constant lecturing, brow beating, criticism. Ohio can make that a claim to fame.

"Fat, lazy, and proud, come to Ohio, you will be welcome."  Let other states give big tax breaks, and abatement's to attract businesses, selling future revenue for a brief bout of popularity, (kind of like life).  Ohio can boldly proclaim, "bring your business here, we won't tell you how to live your life, we like you just the way you are. Plus, we have donuts."

Businesses will flock to the state, the restaurant industry will flourish, tax revenues will rocket, and the state will be fat, and happy, and everybody will be grateful.  We can annex Indiana and West Virginia, we might need the extra room.  Ah, the future is bright, ah life smells sweet, like fresh caramel corn, or a fried Snickers bar.

Three Months, and Climbing

Last night was the start of the third month of going to the gym.  It has been wonderful!  My youth was an endless cycle of wretched, self-destructive behavior that often manifests itself in unexpected and painful ways.  Yesterday while loading my "gym bag"* I felt a twinge in my lower back, on the left side.  A twinge that turned, quickly, into a pang, and slid right into a debilitating ache of unbelievable agony**

After an internal debate that lasted most of the day I decided to go ahead and hit the gym. Reasoning that I could, at least, do my aerobic workout and then see how I felt. Oddly enough, the treadmill loosened up my sore back. And I managed to get my heart rate up and maintain the level for quite a while. In fact, things were going so well I had to stop and find a pod cast. Honestly, I thought it would be over so quickly that something new was unnecessary. But, soon things felt so good, I was on to "Sparta" from the "In Our Time" podcast series.

I am researching Sparta, and Athens (and the animosity and competition for supremacy that led to the awful excesses of the Peloponnesian war) for my new blog My New History Blog. I really like the "In Our Time" series, it is British, and the accent adds authority, but, the guests always have titles like "Ancient History Chair, at Oxford." So, it is not only the accent that gives the show credibility. Plus, they provide a lot of detail, in a way that keeps moving, and adds life to societies long gone. 

After spending a good deal of time, and a great deal of effort, on the treadmill, I was feeling pretty loose, and ready for some resistance training. Since my back was still a little sore I decided to use the free weights. I have been meaning to branch out a little anyway, and the resistance machines really seem to require a whole body effort. Plus, I read that varying your workout provides increased benefits, so this was the ideal time.

After asking the attendant about the best way to start I jumped right in. Dang, it is a completely different workout! They have no barbells, only dumbbells, but it is crazy how difficult it can be to move those heavy, little units from one place (down by your body, laying on the bench) to the top of a path described by the full extension of your arms. Not only do you have to lift them, you have to control them, they wobble, and twist, and almost seem animated. It is less lifting weights, and more wrestling weights. It is a constant struggle to keep them from taking off and going wherever they want. It was an eye opening experience, and I loved it. This morning, it is still with me, in my shoulders, my sides, and my arms. 

 
I have decided to make free weights part of my weekly routine. And, I have decided to start my history blog with Greece, it was going to start with Egypt, and Thutmose, but since I am in the middle of this podcast, and have a book about the subject, and it is my blog, after all, it will not be chronological, and proceed in a random order. Don't worry, when they publish the book, and make the movie we can arrange it in a more orderly fashion. 

Since I am a "lifter" now I may go to the Arnold Fitness Festival this weekend, so keep your eye open for that post, it will be great, or at least different.

 

 
*Technically, it is a back pack, that pulls duty as my "writers bag" my "travel bag" and occasionally my "photographers bag," though almost all of my photos are taken on my iPhone™ so normally my "photographers bag" is just a pocket.

 
**Well, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it hurt, a lot.

Change is coming, want to go along for the ride?

2015 is here.  And, looking ahead, this is the year I am going to make some changes.  Normally, resolutions are anathema, but this year is different.  

I have decided to become a better writer, (yes, I realize writer is a stretch, how about better at writing?)  and on the 5th of January, next Monday, I am going to workshop.  It is free, at a local library.  It may help, it may not, but, it can't hurt.  It is just the first step in the transformation of Tim.

Looking back, it is difficult to say when I decided this was the year.  But, it was similar to when I decided to quit smoking, it was just time, there was no doubt, and I never looked back.  This is the same thing, it is time, and it seems obvious.  Here we go again.

Plus, I am going to start working out.  There is a gym of sorts where my wife works, it has treadmills, rowing machines, resistance machines, stair climbers, free weights. Importantly, it has an employee who will help you understand how to use the machines.  It is not a gym for body builders, or professional athletes, but it is more equipment than I could ever use.  I am very excited by the opportunity, and on the 6th of January, next Tuesday, I am going to start going to the gym.  Another step in the transformation.

My goals for exercise are going to be along the lines of "work out three days a week for at least thirty minutes each visit."  I will add more concrete goals as my ability, and understanding increase.  My goals for being a better writer are less easily defined, but I will come up with something.

To reward myself I bought myself a new notebook to track my progress.  It has a quote from one of my favorite writers.  And it was on clearance sale, which makes it so perfect.

I plan to document all of my attempts.  Either on a page of my current blog, or a new blog, dedicated to the reconstruction.  I am not sure which would be easier, I have been thinking about trying Word Press for a while, and maybe this is the perfect excuse.  One more step in the process.

Change is coming.  Nothing dramatic, nothing extreme, but self improvement does not need to be radical, and I won't last long if it is too difficult.  As soon as I get the page or blog up and running I will post a link.

This year will be different, I am convinced.  I hope you can join me, misery loves company, but so does success.  I would love to hear about your plans to succeed next year.