Fit for Life: Forgotten Pandemics That Are Still Here (and Bigger Than Ever)

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Matt Espeut, Health and Lifestyle Contributor

 

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All we have heard for the past 2 years is that we are living in a pandemic. 

However, as long as I can remember we have been living through multiple pandemics, that aren’t receiving their fair share of attention. 

Yes, Covid was a serious issue that took lots of lives, however many of the existing pandemics actually fueled these numbers to make covid worse than it should have been. 

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These are the direct physical correlations that made covid so deadly.

On the flip side, there are other pandemics that have affected us mentally, emotionally, and financially that not many people are talking about, because they don’t link directly to the death rate that covid has caused. 

Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are the pandemics that caused many covid deaths. People that were in poor health were more likely to die from covid than the folks that took care of their health. 

Now don’t take what I am saying the wrong way, healthy people were affected too, but a majority of healthy people that caught it had less severe cases and survived. 

Over 60% of the US population is overweight or obese. So, take 60% of 330 million people (I am being conservative here) and you get a whopping 198 million people that are walking time bombs in this country. The problem is that when someone dies, the cause of death is never listed as obesity, only the ailment that obesity caused.

When an overweight person dies of a heart attack, that gets listed as the cause of death, when in all reality, carrying around the extra weight more than likely contributed to the heart attack. The same went for when someone overweight got Covid and died. The overweight statistic was never mentioned, only covid was listed as the cause of death. 

So, my question is, why it there lack of panic and the resolve to find solutions for the obesity pandemic? 

Why isn’t the government involved in mandating that processed & genetically modified foods be taken off the shelves? (Like in other countries) 

Why isn’t the obesity pandemic the topic of conversation on every news station, every single day?  

How about diabetes, heart disease and cancer? 

Aren’t these classified as pandemics? Cancer used to be a big one but got overshadowed when covid came to town. Diabetes and heart disease used to get a lot of attention too but have also taken a back seat to covid. 

The news flash here is that most of these pandemics and the mortality rates can be greatly reduced by changing our lifestyles and focusing on the things that will improve our health by being proactive as opposed to reactive. 

More people cancelled their gym memberships, and the fitness industry suffered severely because of covid, when it should have been the other way around. 

Instead of closing gyms, the news & government leaders should have encouraged more people to join gyms and focus on taking better care of themselves through exercise and nutrition. Not the other way around. 

Instead of focusing solely on a vaccine, which is a band aid to the problem (reactive), why aren’t we being encouraged to eat better and move more? (proactive)

I can’t give an answer to those questions, so I feel it is my mission, duty, and responsibility to get people thinking about how to help themselves and avoid falling into a life of disease and despair. 

Other pandemics caused by Covid stem from mental health. 

Look at the people that are stricken with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem & self-worth. How many people suffering from these issues commit suicide, get divorced, or suffer financial loss? Shouldn’t these things be highlighted so more people can get help? 

Being in the fitness business and dealing with all the adversity these past couple years has made me realize that my profession is more important, and more people need our help than ever before. 

I feel that I needed to shine a light on the root, or the deeper causes that are affecting millions of Americans every day and have been for a long time. 

Fitness isn’t the cure-all for everything, but it solves a lot of problems both physically and mentally. 

When you take care of yourself you reduce the chances of becoming obese, diabetic, developing heart disease, and avoiding some forms of cancer. 

Your mental state changes also. 

You sleep better, your head becomes clearer in the morning, your self-esteem elevates and some of the things that cause us anxiety dissipate. 

I am far from an expert when it comes to mental health, however I do know that your mindset can dictate success and failure in many instances. 

When you change your thought process, your actions change, and you put yourself in a better position to succeed. I know this from experience and have been working on this for years. 

Some people can dig themselves out of a mental funk, while others need more professional help, so it’s up to you to determine if you need outside help and seek a professional.

If it’s fitness and nutrition you are trying to achieve, Providence Fit Body Boot Camp has professional guidance that can help you on many levels. 

Many people don’t know where to start, or are intimidated by the thought of a gym, and we are your solution to overcome those obstacles and get you in the best shape of your life.

So, in conclusion, instead of living in fear, retreating, and going into reactive mode, start being proactive now. 

Get back to the gym, eat clean, and take better care of yourself, both physically and mentally. 

There is a very fine line between being cautious & responsible and living in fear. 

My advice is to create health and build an immune system that will enable you to withstand any pandemic that gets thrown our way. 

Stop living in fear, be responsible and proactive and always be prepared. 

Committed to your success,

Matt

 

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