The Realm and the Writer

While talking with a friend the other day it occurred to me just how oppressing our countries new health kick is becoming.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about personal health and fitness, but there comes a point when sharing valuable information becomes preaching.

I had been a bit down last week and needed a friendly voice to help bring me up. I chose a long time friend who always seemed to know just what to say. The conversation was going well as we worked through my downs until they began haggling me about my eating style.

Whoooah boy! Hold the reigns here! I've always felt that a persons 'personal choice', and I stress that phrase, of what they eat is purely their business and perhaps that of their doctors. As the conversation continued on the feeling of being patronized and looked down on for my eating habits had turned my currently sad demeanor to almost pure rage. This friend was in NO way a doctor and NO way was I going to be beaten up and pushed around for my own personal choices.

I began searching the web for others views on this subject to ensure I wasn't merely loosing my marbles. I came across a few other individual comments on Yahoo Answers who had the same questions. Has the obsession with health become a religion? And, When did literally EVERYONE in this country seem to turn into a health nut?

It really set my mind churning as I read the responses to these questions. It made me feel validated to know I was not the only person who KNEW it was wrong to push you beliefs, no matter the subject, on others. One user seemed to speak from my heart when saying

"...Why health nut ..it is not nutty to be healthy...but to impose your beliefs on others IS like religion. Legislating or making things illegal like the fats restaurants use, or smoking in a bar,is like forcing religion down the throats of the masses.
If you do not like the fat that is being used go to another restaurant or open one that does not use offending fats. If you do not like smoke in a bar do not patronize the ones that have smoking allowed or open a smoke free bar. Be healthy, but do not judge and impose. Live the way you want and leave the others alone."

Amen brother! I couldn't have said it better myself. Now I'm not giving up on my friendship with my 'health nut' friend, but I hope others find the time to step back and look at themselves from someone elses perspective. This new organic, raw, vegitarian, gluten-free, low-carb life style is very hard to jump into. Whether it be a financial matter (the gluten-free and organic products are OUTRAGEOSLY expensive) or just a simple matter of personal beliefs, I feel that everyone deserves this privacy.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now (LOL).