Overweight people too

[Michael Romanos]

Now that the Corgi club I am in is regarded as a recreational organisation by local councils, I receive their active recreational newletters. Here is an item which may interest some Go Corgi members: there is a world obesity levels list compiled and the USA us at number 10 with 74.1% of its population over 15 years old, considered obese. The nine countries ahead of the US would not have a combined population larger than Los Angeles. NZ is not in great shape either coming in at number 17. Australia is 21st, UK 28th and Canada 35th. Why are Canadians so much in better shape than those across the border? It is felt that of the top nine worse obese countries, the USA and NZ are the worse influencing factors - apart from Kuwait, the other eight are all Pacific Islands with close ties with NZ and/or the USA.

[Mvons]

We are a country built around the automobile. We take the time to go around in our car to find the closest parking space. It isn't necessarily laziness, it is time saving. We cram so much into our lives and expectations, we strive to be time efficient.

Problem is if you don't schedule in exercise, then there is poor health. My favorite study results is a thin couch potato person is worse health than an obese active person.

I walk my son less than a mile to school, probably 2/3 mile. Yet there are five or more families than drive..."it is on the way to work", showing once again the time issue.

At our prior location, it was the lowest income of that town and we had the healthiest kids of the school district. Why? Because the school bus costs money, cars and insurance cost money, and over 40% of the kids walked to school. My family is still in that position that the cost of gas and time clearing the snow in the winter doesn't warrant me driving my son to school...except in the rain.

This goes to show that having a dog is another health benefit besides the lowering of blood pressure, if we take them for a walk.

Merrie

[Michael Romanos]

My son always walks to school where he is at present and until this year Taylor and I always accompanied him in the mornings. Now we only walk down to the school to 'pick' him up in the afternoons. We have neighbours who always drive to and from the same school. Needless to say my son is in the school cross country team - the neighbours children are not.
I wrote a good article - which has been published or will be published in three mags, on the premise that 'your dog is your personal trainer.' Taylor gets his hour-plus a day walk/trot/run and while I wait for a knee adjustment op, that does me very well for exercising and staying slim.

[Michael Romanos]

Tiffany ( Behinderhereyes) sent me this today:

WE CAN'T EAT

Beef: Mad Cow disease
Chicken: Bird Flu
Eggs: Salmonella
Pork: Trichinosis
Fish: Heavy Metals
Fruit and Veggies: Insecticides & Herbicides

That leaves: CHOCOLATES
Have fun, stay fat. and remember STRESSED spelt backwards says DESSERTS.