Diet & Wisdom Appetizers

I was watching a show on TV last night that left me totally stymied about this whole weight thing. The program was National Geographic Taboo. The program highlighted two different cultures; one here in America and our obesity crisis. The second part of the show outlined the culture in the African nation of Mauritania where fat women were idolized and much sought after.

The first part of the show chronicled one obese man who weighed 750 pounds and was confined to his bed. He had to be removed from his house with a special winch and it took six very large men to remove him from his bed.

I’d just finished eating a small bowl of sherbet when the story came on and immediately felt the need to go and stick my finger down my throat. I know I’m a long way from being morbidly obese, but watching this man’s life story unfold disturbed me. For some strange reason, I started worrying that my small bowl of sherbet would lead me down the slippery slope into self-destruction. No one wants to be removed from their house by a crane and six giant men.

It came as no surprise to me that our American culture ostracizes obesity and equates success with thin, svelte bodies. Society sends us mixed signals by glamorizing thinness but yet overselling readily available food. Food commercials dominate the airwaves, not to mention there are fast food restaurants available on every corner. Lord, its confusing!

In the country of Mauritania in western Africa, women are encouraged to be heavy and many are severely obese. A woman who is heavy is said to be much loved by her husband. Mothers start force-feeding their young daughters at ages five or six to fatten them up to make them more appealing for marriage. They even resort to torture when a girl refuses to eat and it’s perfectly legal and accepted in their society. They bind their little feet between wooden stakes and squeeze them until the child finishes her meal, which in that culture consists mainly of cows milk fortified with millet and butter.

I was repulsed by the torture methods used to force these little girls to eat, but yet at the same time watching overweight little boys and girls in this country wolfing down French fries by the fistful is equally disturbing to me.

I turned off the TV and went to bed praying that somehow I could find some personal balance in my own daily diet. One thing I’m grateful for is I rarely give in to my cravings for fast food. The program did point out that obesity is becoming a global problem (even calling it “globesity”) because more fast food restaurants are popping up internationally in countries that previously had no problems, like China. Burgers, fries, tacos and fried chicken are going to be the ruin of mankind.

For me, a person’s weight should be their personal business and it’s not right to be ostracized for our weight any more than it is for our race. In a perfect world it would be lovely if America stopped its obsession with thinness thereby taking the pressure off of “normal women” to push themselves to emulate these unhealthy role models.

Sadly we don’t live in a perfect world and thousands of children go to bed hungry while others gorge themselves and grow up to be unhealthy adults. What is wrong with this picture? There’s a lot of imbalance in this imperfect world. I’m trying to do my part and eat healthy and pass along proper nutritional balance to my children and grandchildren. It won’t fix the world’s problems, but it’s a start.

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive. ~Albert Einstein

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

PRAYER FOR TODAY: Lord, I pray you will grant me compassion for brothers and sisters who struggle with obesity and for those that suffer from malnutrition. Open my eyes to serve where you lead me; help me not to judge others, lest I be judged. May I always be grateful for all that you’ve provided for me and my family and never give in to complaining. I ask all these things in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.