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By Hyon O'BrienA recent Facebook post alerted me to a Tibetan proverb: "Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure." I couldn't verify whether this proverb actually originated from Tibet; as Abraham Lincoln once said, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet." But I am grateful to the person who posted it. It was an "Aha!" moment for me.
During our recent cruise in Europe, about 3,000 passengers from more than 40 countries were given ample opportunities to consume humongous amounts of food of all kinds and cuisines. I was tempted daily by the amazing aroma and attractive display. It was hard not to overeat.
It's been my observation that during the 14 years we were away in Asia, the whole American population noticeably gained in size. It is still alarming to see huge people lining up to check in at the airport gate. Once I had a very large person sitting next to me on an airplane. His body spilled over to my seat and his legs were taking over my leg room. It was one of the most uncomfortable travel experiences I've ever had.
It's shocking to see how much fattening food and empty calories Americans consume every day. The increased portions combined with a decrease in exercise are the two top causes for being overweight. Over time, as people eat and drink more calories than they burn, the imbalance tips toward weight gain and obesity. Apart from the fact that the extra fat people carry makes them less attractive, the primary concern is the health risks: obese people are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, osteoarthritis, and they are more susceptible to cancer and stroke.
According to the U.S. National Institute of Health:
- More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese.
- More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese.
- More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity.
- About one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are overweight or obese, and more than 1 in 6 of them are obese.
I have an app on my smartphone that shows how many steps I have walked each day. In the ten cities we visited during our three-week vacation, we regularly walked more than 10,000 steps each day visiting museums, markets and monuments and meandering through many delightful alleys in historic towns. However, back home, I find that I am walking barely 5,000 steps a day. One of the ways for me to get exercise without going out into the elements on a rainy day is to use our apartment's fitness center: I don't do any weights or use the fancy equipment there. I am glad there is a stationary bike that I can pedal for 6 to 8 miles, which makes me feel that I was good to my body. It takes discipline and determination to do this daily.
Laughing three times more than I usually do is a bit of a stretch for me. I am fortunate that by nature I laugh a lot, but that means tripling my laughter is a real challenge. But I will try to laugh more. How should I do that? I need to be with people who tickle my funny bone: some friends definitely bring out my funny side. Maybe I should talk more often to my amazingly amusing baby grandson Julian, who smiles constantly and now has started walking like a drunken man, or maybe read more laughter generating cartoons?
One thing I can do is to continue smiling at the animals and birds that my Instagram friends post daily. I can't help but smile when I see one big animal caring for a tiny baby of another species. Our cousin's dog Rascal is a large mutt that John rescued off the street some years ago. She has a great relationship with Kai the cat who was already there when he was welcomed into the household. Once in a while, I get to see Rascal grooming the cat by licking it vigorously and affectionately. She seems to recognize Kai's seniority. I smile each time I think of this pair.
Smiling at people, especially total strangers in elevators, or passersby whose glance we happen to meet, or people in line waiting to get into a popular neighborhood restaurant, is not as easy as smiling at dogs and cats. But it is a good habit to form. My sister, her daughter and granddaughter who spent three weeks with me here in Miami two years ago told me that one thing they adopted since their return to Seoul is to be aware of the strangers around them and remember to smile. I am glad their visit to us was the beginning of a lifetime habit of smiling at people they may meet only once.
I can't emphasize enough the urgent need to "eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure." Let's help each other into a life of loving, healthy and joyful living. Yes, we can.
Hyon O'Brien is a former reference librarian now living in the United States. She can be reached at hyonobrien@gmail.com.
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