Throughout the world, freedom is a precious commodity. Freedom can represent many things to many people and I wanted to express one perspective you may not have considered yet.
When an individual is free to act, they can do so in ways that will promote their health without coercion. They can eat well, exercise, manage stress, find a community, and surround themselves with positive people. You have the freedom to do this, and you have the freedom to not do this.
However, once an individual becomes ill, they often recognize the things that would have promoted their health. Behaviors or practices that would have prevented a disease that they are now managing. Often behaviors that promote health and require the same things that they could have used their freedom to do on their own.
Instead, waiting until a person needs to do something to manage their illness is not the same. Now, there is an added pressure to participate in these healthy activities that they didn’t want to do before, but now there is the added pressure that if they don’t their illness will progress.
So, choosing to do “extra credit” now, when an individual is free to, and free not to, allows them to explore and invest in themself. Let freedom ring, let freedom sing, let freedom enjoy physical activity and trying new healthy foods.
May you use your freedom now, to enjoy your health now, and later.
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Contributed by Zach Cordell, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Cordell Nutrition.