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|The South Marysburgh Mirror 13) Healthy Living I was saddened to hear that Mayor Leo Finnegan had experienced health problems requiring surgery anda period of recuperation. His dedication in leading the Coun- ty Municipality is unquestionable, and I would not be sur- prised if he had been placing service to the community be- fore his own wellbeing. (Not a criticism) It isn’t an uncommon practice of many people who, in their desire to work at the optimum level, choose to dis- regard the basic human need for balanced approach to work, exertion, stress and rest. As long as they are ‘feeling’ O.K. they continue onwards in that misplaced mental atti- tude of indestructibility. This can be applied to all aspects of our lives. Our eating and drinking habits may continue on along a dubious path, dancing between saturated fats and a tango with alcohol. The cells of our body are slow to react, and it may be many years before the first signs of dis- tress appear and we receive our first “wake-up” c: sad bit about all of this is that our bodies are so amazingly constructed that they can take an enormous amount of abuse (and often do) from our teenage years well into our forties or perhaps even our early fifties. The incentive to change is simply not there in any recognizable form, other than when we attend for that anti-flu medication, and we hear an opening word from the doc which is more than like- ly, “how are you feeling and how is the weight these days?” I would like to do a “Reed” poll on what the standard patient answer is to that doc’s question: “How thanks... the doctor on scilérance, we don’t wish to admit that all may not be well with us. In my work on the board of QHC (Quinte Healthcare Corporation) which, by the way is a steep learn- ing curve, I recognize the need to encourage the public per- ception of healthcare towards being pro active and elimi- nating, where possible, cause. This will be largely achieved through the availability of education, awareness, and also screening which is particularly important for both women and men in the second half of their lives. The development of the Family Health Team in The County is a major step in this direction. It will provide the physical and human re- sources to cope with the needs of an ageing population as well as encouraging those among us who are younger, to examine their lifestyles and attitudes towards health, and become pro-active towards its maintenance. That additional weight that has been carried around for the past twenty years or more; that fatty diet; that love of sugar products; the pack of smokes a day; that desire to finish the two-four before the beer inside the bottles goes past its ‘best before’ date... © All of these things can and will take their toll on that wonderful machine we call ‘our bodies.’ If you are now feeling thoroughly jaded, I apologize, however just think of the $$$$’s you could save by reducing or even eliminating junk food from your diet and taking one less visit a month to the beer store. But it’s not the money, is it? It’s hard watching and limiting what you eat or drink because we enjoy our food, and/or it may be a placebo for some other issue going on in our lives. The truth is that we do not appreciate many things until they are taken from us, and especially, good health. I will never forget being unable to walk due to the effects of severe illness. Walking is something that most of us take for granted, and yet when it is taken away;....... on- ly then do you appreciate how freeing it is to be mobile. It sounds so simple yet, believe me, it is true! Halloween will have been and gone by the time that you receive this Mirror. I hope that you carefully rationed the CANDY collected by your child, or perhaps elected to give away simple non-food items to those young- sters arriving at your door, and in the process became a part of the move towards healthier lifestyles. © Take care.....Pastor Ian. The South Marysburgh Recreation Committee PHOTOCOPIER is available to the public at Video Variables across from the Post Office in Milford Please call 476-8891 for times of availability