Article in Stretton Focus, September 2014
As head of the family, I have devised this slogan out of concern for the health and well-being of my children and grandchildren. Eat less and live longer. (As an aside I would say that if any supermarket or fast food outlet would like to use it for advertising purposes, I am open to negotiations!)
I realise of course that it would not be applicable to all people and in all situations. But then, no slogan is. Nevertheless, in a nation where obesity is rampant, this catchword could serve as a warning – danger ahead: stop and think about how much and what kind of food (and drink) you are consuming. In 2012 more than one third of the population was overweight or obese. This condition can have both immediate and long-term effects. It can lead to all kinds of health complaints; as well as causing social and psychological problems, especially for children. The remedy is simple enough, though it may not be so easy to follow. It is to develop a wholesome lifestyle, with healthy eating and physical exercise.
Religion might also have some help to offer. Most religions would have some form of teaching, which in Christianity is crystallised in the words ‘your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit’. Whatever else that might mean, it can direct us to think of ourselves as being more than just a physical body: that we should regard our bodies as sacred: that we are somehow (spiritually, mystically) indwelt with the enlightening and life-giving Spirit, that we also call God.
If so, would it not be wise to respect our bodies by keeping them as fit and healthy as we can? And not just living longer, but being healthier and happier, and even discovering our essential spiritual nature.
Donald Horsfield
