Yes, according to our mayor, this is part of his job. Who knew??
From today's paper,
Considering the number of hospitals and health centers in Toledo, Mr. Finkbeiner said "it is shameful for this city, year in and year out, to be ranked near the bottom in terms of healthy living."
Mr. Finkbeiner challenged doctors locally to spend as much time and energy promoting exercise and healthy living as they do treating and curing the conditions that result from an unhealthy lifestyle - particularly heart disease.
It seems Carty doesn't realize that doctors already do this, which is why they need to be 'challenged.'
Of course, it isn't that doctors don't promote healthy living, it's that Toledoans choose to do things which may or may not negatively impact them. We know smoking is bad for us and, despite the occasional story of someone who smoked their entire life and died at a ripe old age with no consequences, many people ignore the health consequences and choose to smoke. The same goes for the food we eat and the amount of exercise we do - or don't do.
Dr. David Grossman, Toledo-Lucas County health commissioner, seemed to be a voice of reason when he said, "It's really up to the individual." As a doctor, he knows that he can only give advice - not force the change. (Too bad he didn't have the same perspective when he pushed the smoking ban - using government to 'force' a change in behavior that he wanted to see...)
Why this emphasis? It's because several years ago, our mayor had bypass surgery and it 'opened his eyes' to the way he was living. And, like any convert, he's now sharing his newly-found devotion ... except he's using the office of mayor to proselytize.
It's one thing to support a healthy lifestyle. It's another entirely to chastise health care professionals and the citizens because they choose behaviors he does not condone.
Now if only we could get him this interested in providing water to the area around the airport so it can be developed....
5 comments:
Glad to see I spelled it right as well. Nice post as always Maggie.
Apparently you left the radio just in time to avoid his "honor's" personal attacks on the body habitus of those choosing to use the airwaves to disagree with him.
Make my choice a double cheesburger with chili fries and gravy.
The A-Hole.
Maggie,
Our mayor does nothing more than prove that there is nothing worse than a reformed sinner. Whether it is smoking, drinking, gambling, lack of exercise; the reformed offender is usually the loudest and most shrill voice of condemnation (though even he might have crossed the line by citing the WSPD personalities).
As a sinner myself who is attempting to reform at least some of my ways, I choose instead to follow my own words of wisdom:
"Having given up everything that I enjoy in life in order to live longer, I now find that I no longer wish to."
There's more to "healthy lifestyles" than just eating right and exercise.
As you alluded to about the mayor getting water to the area around the airport, there's also "financial health".
The differences between the mayor's promoting of diet and exercise and other things that impede "financial health" should be obvious.
If it isn't obvious, then I'd like to point out regarding physical well-being, the mayor has no authority as mayor to compel people to eat right and exercise.
On the other hand, as mayor, Carty has the authority and responsibilty to make the right decisions about the financial well-being of the city.
Unfortunately, his preoccupation with diet and physical fitness outweighs his obligation to make the right decisions about economic health which is why we get bike paths and showers and have to pay for them.
My apologies for being long, but not only is there physical health, and economic health, but there is also mental health.
I'm no expert in mental health, but based on the way Carty makes decisions and the way he behaves toward others, I wonder how much time and effort does the mayor spend on his mental health? Where is the changed man he claimed to be during his last campaign?
What, the changing of the receipes isn't ENOUGH?
Dorito's? Tostito's? Cocoa Pebbles? The receipies have all changed in our junk food. Die hard slobs CAN tell the difference.
Even my large #10 with 3 cheeseburgers isn't as fulfilling as it once was. It's tasting like t-t-tofu and fat-free oils.
I can't say I'm really thrilled with these nannies messing with my foods.
Better off driving to Canada to enjoy a Frish's Big Boy.
While you're up there, pick me up a large bag of Cool Ranch Dorito's.
Thanks!
Once again Carty misses the point. Where is the personal responsibility in all this? It's my doctor's fault I weigh more than I should? Nope, it is because of my addiction to milk chocolate! I have to accept responsiblity for that. So I have learned to cut back and have started to lose weight. I don't need the government to tell me or my doctor that!
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