The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a branch of the Center For Disease Control (CDC), has determined that obesity among children and adolescents has reached epidemic proportions with approximately one out of five found to be obese.
Are you shocked? You shouldn't be, considering the fact that you can walk into any public place such as Kmart or Walmart and look around at the children.
Sadly, if one or both parents are present, you can usually see that obesity runs in the family.
And by scanning the contents of their shopping cart, you will discover the reason.
The majority of its contents is calorie-rich, nutrition-poor comfort food (junk food) which can be found cleverly displayed on every aisle's end cap.
Doesn't it concern you to know that the only things that will survive the annihilation of the earth's surface will be plastic, cockroaches and Twinkies? Oh, I almost forgot...
and Pop Tarts.
The most recent figures available place food stamp recipients at a whopping 44.
2 million, up 4.
7 million from last year, with Medicaid enrollment topping 50+ million.
That means that one in five Americans are now dependent on the Federal Government, and growing! If you are an advocate of BIG government, you can ignore these statistics.
If not, get concerned, get very concerned! And remember, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
" What's Going On? Many Americans who were once considered "middle to upper middle class" have lost their jobs, homes, self respect, self esteem, and are now dependent on the government to survive.
This, in addition to the increasing trend of broken marriages and split families, has further exacerbated the moral decay of America.
And the result is a growing attitude of "if it feels good and seems good, do it," and an "I deserve it" generation.
So you tell me: if this is America's growing dilemma, is it any wonder that one out of three adults are overweight or obese and the children are following suit? Are you surprised that these people have pleasure and/or comfort food and not a healthy lifestyle on their minds? Obesity leads to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart problems and early death.
Now these same people are dependent upon and clinging to medicaid for their survival.
Depression Can Lead to Overeating, Leading to Obesity and Then to More Depression.
Is this a hopeless cycle? With wisdom, knowledge and a sound method, any cycle can be broken.
The United States government is proficient at giving handouts to destitute citizens, when what they really need is a hand up.
When they give them a welfare check, food stamps and free medical, they will survive by riding on the backs of business owners and employed taxpayers.
But give them a job, and they will have self respect and self esteem as productive citizens of a free, growing, prospering country.
Productivity, self-reliance and personal responsibility leads to prosperity.
The result is the will to live longer and a desire to accomplish this by adopting a healthier lifestyle for both them and their loved ones.
What would happen to this country if 40 million unemployed people were given jobs and became personally responsible for themselves and their families and were no longer dependent upon the growing government? That is a rhetorical question since the answer is obvious.
My personal goal is to become an important part of that "hand-up" to a depressed, disillusioned, despairing, overweight and/or obese segment of our beloved, God-fearing country.
I do not possess an advanced university degree, but I believe in common sense and not so common wisdom.
A wise farmer does not wait for rain plant his crops.
He knows that if he plants them, rain will come, both the former and the latter rain.
So take heart if financial misfortune has come your way; it is only for a season and you will need to get busy preparing for the next season.
So break up and prepare the hard, fallow ground of your current situation.
Then step out in faith and begin planting seeds, having faith in the hope that the rains will come when least expected.
Then a new season of harvest shall begin.
Walking in faith requires not looking at your current situation, for it is not real or lasting - it will change and eventually pass away.
Keep your heart trusting in the one who designed and created you, knowing that he loves and cares for you and wants the best.
My hope and prayer is that you will catch a glimpse of the wonderful things God has in store for you and realize that He is your only true foundation, anchor, port in the storm, provider, protector, true peace and salvation.
If you find yourself described in this article, please note that there is hope and deliverance on the horizon for you and your loved ones.
Please start with those things that you have free will and control over, a "careless" attitude, indulgence, gluttony, apathy, anger, selfishness or anything else that you would desire to no longer be a part of your life.
Simply tell it to leave, do whatever it takes for this to happen, and stick with it until it does leave.
Most importantly, acknowledge God and ask him to help you, confessing that you can do all things through Him, who gives you the strength and ability.
If one of your challenges is living an unhealthy lifestyle, having bad eating habits, an unhealthy diet, a problem with obesity or being overweight, I can share with you what I have learned over the past 40 years by drinking plenty of clean pure water (distilled) and fasting regularly.
As a result, I have never required a doctor's care or medication for sickness, not even a headache for over 40 years.
And thanks to God for the wisdom and knowledge he has given me in the area of natural health and healing.
Give fasting and a healthy lifestyle a chance - I promise it will change your life and the lives of others around you.
Don't be a statistic; rather, be an exception to the rule: one of the blessed! Yours in Him, Douglas Hoover