4 BOCNEWS.com OCTOBER 2018 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." — I Corinthians 9:24 Ispoke with a friend of mine who I have known for years. He had just retired and I asked him what he was doing. I was shocked at his response as he retorted he was doing "Nothing"! I was sorry to hear that as I know medically speaking the result of doing nothing, as this in general means going from being fairly active to being sedentary. This is a common occurrence In our country and indeed worldwide! It may be less common in poorer countries of the world, but in our country it is rampant. Despite all the gyms, parks with places to walk, not exercising is all too common and just sitting is far more common. We would rather ride in our cars instead of walking just a few blocks to go somewhere we need to get to. We would rather ride an escala- tor or elevator than walk up and down the stairs. Our lives all too often are easily arranged to be sedentary, and just imagine that this starts in childhood! When not in school, our children can spend all day playing video games, and watch- ing television. Gone are the days when children are told: "Go out- side and play!" We adults also find it easy to just sit in front of a TV set watching a plethora of game shows, talk shows, mov- ies and being bombarded with commercials imploring us to buy and eat things not good for our health. Our jobs all too often are places where we just sit all day. Would you believe that the World Health Organization is con- cerned about the sedentary pan- demic that is spreading across the world! It is recommended that we get about 150 minutes weekly of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activ- ity weekly and obviously many of us fall far short of this! In addition the trend to be sedentary is getting worse, not better accord- ing to observations made by the WHO. The health results of this should alarm us. In inactive life style puts us at greater risk for heart disease (heart attacks, strokes, circulation problems, Type 2 dia- betes (the most common form of diabetes), dementia (Alzheimer's disease and changes in brain function), breast and colon cancers, obesity, and a shorter and a more ill lifespan. The sad thing we need to realize is that this may represent a significant amount of preventable ill- ness and suffering. It may take some years for the symptoms to develop, but develop they will, in far too many people. Combine this with habits such as an unhealthy diet, smoking, and excessive alcohol use and there is a great health threat that is largely preventable. Many medical providers spend a significant amount of time dealing with chronic diseases and illnesses that were preventable or at least could have been less severe. I have had people tell me, "Well doc you have got to die of some- thing ! " when I suggest lifestyle changes! The aftermath of this is too often tragic. There is a remedy for the sit- uation assuming the problem is a sedentary lifestyle as follows: ■ ■ Plan to set aside at least 30 minutes daily for exercise, do not just sit all day everyday! ■ ■ Do not hesitate to go to a gym and to get a personal trainer ■ ■ Let your medical provider know about your plan especial- ly if you have been sedentary for awhile ■ ■ You can do exercises such as walking, jogging, hiking, bik- ing, aerobic classes, and swim- ming ■ ■ Lift weights at a gym, or do bodyweight exercises at home or use light weights at home. A personal trainer will be helpful with this activity or even a physical therapist. ■ ■ Try participating in yoga or tai chi classes to help with flexibility and balance and many gyms have such classes ■ ■ Try to eat a healthier diet with less fat, sugar and calories ■ ■ Work on weight control as needed and ask your doctor what is a healthy weight for you ■ ■ QUIT smoking if needed ■ ■ Be cautious with alcohol use and ask your doc- tor about this ■ ■ Have a friend or your spouse go with you or encourage you in your new heathier life style! May God bless you and give you good health. The Inactivity Pandemic Dr. Conner By Byron E. Conner, M.D. HEALTH against racism, sexism, and police brutality, then we must ask: “Is this truly the “party of the people”? If so, Saira should have been surrounded with support, not because you like her, but because it was the decent and right thing to do for one of your own! I fear that many have given them- selves a moral license, maybe permis- sion to not be so liberal or progres- sive after the exit of President Barack Obama from office. “We are not racist because we voted for Obama” or “I speak out against #45 so I am of the moral superior”. It seems within the Democratic Party the line of demar- cation between race and acceptance is becoming clearer than it has been in years. We need only look with- in the party itself and no farther than the political abuse perpetrated against Saira Rao. If this party turns on a Brown woman, a member of our “Party”, then what hope is there for any of us who oppose the Democratic Party’s “Powers That Be?” How sad this incident reflects the behavior of the current President and his administration. What was done to Saira wreaks of the misogynistic, paternalistic, and maternalistic intimi- dating attitude of Donald Trump, "You do it our way or the highway." How dare you challenge the status quo and persons in political office who have a vested interest in perpetuating the same racial policies and politics so ingrained in the fabric of America. Is this the America we want? Is this the Colorado we want for our children? Is this what an inclusive Democratic Party in Colorado looks like? We should never stand for the bullying, death threats, or other nefari- ous threats to candidates for their views and opinions. We don’t accept bullying in our schools and with our children. None of us should accept bullying from our politicians or indi- viduals representing political parties. We may disagree with each other, but we should stand together in mutual respect for our values and shared goals for this country. We cannot allow those who wish to bully with bigotry and hinder with hate to control our voices. Where Is Saira Rao? The answer should be, ‘At home in Colorado with her family’. Sadly, that is an incor- rect answer. Maybe the real question should be where are the real Colorado Democrats? Oh yea, they ARE at home with their families. SAIRA RAO ... continued from page 2 We would rather ride in our cars instead of walking just a few blocks to go somewhere we need to get to. We would rather ride an escalator or elevator than walk up and down the stairs. 60 Years of Marriage Because of God being apart of our Marriage, we were able to spend sixty years together, without acting up, separating or divorcing." "We were married September 7, 1958. We traveled across the country together, the only time we were split up was when the government sent my husband some where I could not go. We trusted in the Lord to keep us together. It was not always easy, but the both of us would give and take and that is how we made it to 60 years." "We Celebrated Our 60th Anniversary September 15, 2018 at the Park Hill Golf Club, with our Pastor, Rev, Rodney G. Perry Sr. of Central Baptist Church officiated our renewal of our vows. We would like to thank all who attended.