Women and health
SO many women have come to our store to start what they think is a new way of living for their family— therefore, we are living up to our store descriptor that says “sustainable lifestyle.” I am a bit surprised, however, that there are many more who simply have not been exposed to changing their dietary habits even if their children seem to be on the heavy side or approaching obesity, even if their spouses seem to have health concerns. Take the following examples: Business executive Alma ( not her real name) is a top ranking finance and audit executive but she intimated to me that her son is 150 lbs, size 38 waist but he is only 9 years old and stands at only 4 feet 8 inches. I was suggesting to her to see a nutritionist and to read up about obesity and also how to change her whole family’s diet plan. As we were talking over breakfast, I notice that she takes white sugar, milk in her morning coffee, and ordered a full breakfast of chicken and eggs.
IT expert Berna ( not her real name) lives in the USA and works virtually around the world ( India, Philippines, USA) on a 24/ 7 clock. Her late husband just succumbed to Pancreatic CA and her son had a condition which made him lose his speech for one year, have a condition worse than carpal tunnel . . . so he shifted careers to culinary school then rock climbing and had to give up his IT career. She earns very well and has an IQ over Mensa ( if there is such) yet her health issues are there. She takes all the supplements for her aging body but had to contend with health issues of her late husband and only son.
Is good health only available to the rich and famous? Is good health only the privilege of the educated? Or is good health a question of sitting ourselves down, concentrating on how we have handled our family matters such as diet plans, cooking healthy and forming new habits?
Good health is available to everyone, regardless of race, creed or income. What we just need to do is be conscious of what ailments are prevalent these days which come from lifestyle changes over the last decade. Fast food. Processed food. People not having time to cook at home. Quick and instant meals, soups, viands and noodles.
Why do we do what we do? We all have choices. We can choose to eat well, grow our food and avoid the whites—sugar, flour, bread and rice. Do we need a lot of money to do this? Do we need a high IQ to understand this?
Once major ailments hit home— cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension— only then do we start to be conscious of what we eat, when we eat, how we eat. Generally speaking, people tend to accept that these come with age. Yet we see grandmothers who still work at 70 or 80 years old, healthy and eating simple food. So it is not just age. It is lifestyle and it is knowledge.
So it is still a big question to me. How can very successful women, like Alma and Berna, not know what is good for their family? Why do they struggle to teach good health to their loved ones?
Women generally and biologically are nurturing and will do anything to keep their loved ones safe and happy. Diet and lifestyle are two areas women can take a hold of so they can lead happier lives and maintain healthier families.
Since it is women’s month, it may be a good time for all women to take stock of what they have at home. Health is wealth. There is no other cliché better mentioned than that. Chit Juan is a founder and owner of ECHOStore sustainable lifestyle, ECHOmarket sustainable farms and ECHOcafe in Serendra , Podium and Centris QC malls. She also is President of the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines and President of the Philippine Coffee Board Inc., two non-profits close to her heart. She often speaks to corporates, youth and NGOs on social entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and coffee. You can follow her on twitter.com/chitjuan or find her on facebook:Pacita “Chit” Juan. Email her at puj@echostore.ph.