Mini Rant about Choices....

[monkapotapus]

Ok, so I just got off the phone with my mom & she told me that my aunt is in the hospital - she passed out & had a mini seizure.

That started my mini rant to my mother.

My aunt is on who knows how many different medications - and has been for as long as I can remember + drinks alcohol - excessively + possibly some illegal substances = Hospital.......And we should be shocked because.....

I'm feeling a bit like a B word right now, but I'm honestly sick of people turning to prescription medications to "heal" everything that ailes them....

My sister has mild acne.....my mom (who works at a medical clinic as a receptionist...) has her see a dermatologist that in turn prescribes an antibiotic......she's 16 for crying out loud - acne is a REQUIREMENT at that age.....:rolleyes:

If anyone has a stuffy nose at the house.....here... take a zyrtec for your "allergies"......

My mom has "IBS & Fibromyalgia, anxiety issues & a wonderful non caf. diet pepsi addiction"

I buy probiotics for them to take....do they take them - only if I bring it up...

My usual answer to their ailes is "Drink more water & eat more fruits/veggies"

My stepfather has been "diagnosed" with high blood pressure, high cholesterol & diabetes.....asks for my advice (I am a manager at a Health food store, but no expert...) - I give him suggestions for a healthier lifestyle - he listens, thinks about it for about a week - then right back to his fried food & nightly alcohol......

He brings up the subject of Easter & asks if my BF & I will be joining the family - I say "Yes, but I will be bringing my own food...."

His response - "Oh, that's right...."I" only eat raw food" - said in your best 5 year old voice.....

Tonight I am just sick of people not taking responsibility for their own health, yet giving me crap for taking care of mine....I know I am doing everything right - for the first time in a long time.

I pray that something will "click" for them & everything will turn out for the better, but in the mean time - I'm feeling like I really don't want to hear it & it makes me angry - something I don't want to be.

I just finished reading "The Secret" & I'm trying hard to "Stop focusing on what you DON'T want & focus on what you DO want" - but that really threw me into a tailspin tonight.

This concludes my mini, or maybe not so mini rant......:rolleyes:

[RawKnitster]

That's okay, monk. Letting it out here on RFT where people understand what your going through is a good way to release it. I feel the same way sometimes when I see my family doing the things they do that harm their health. They either think change is impossible or simply don't want to. They would rather suffer and kid themselves that it doesn't really matter, or that a pill can fix it. If they were only hurting themselves, FINE, that is their business, but it's not just them is it? We all have to deal with the consequences and trauma of their illness.

I though the secret was a great book. My favorite quote from it was Henry Ford's, "Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, either way you are right."

What your stepfather said was very childish. That seems to be a common defense mechanism. By eating healthy we are making those that don't feel resentful. How sad for them.

Carry on. You may win them over in time. :)

[monkapotapus]

Thank you RK - I miss chatting via the blogs, but my time has been preoccupied elsewhere lately - one day I'll get back there again.

I agree -that is a great quote - it "got" me too when I read it.

I had a little bit of a good cry - released some toxic emotions & decided to drink one of my home-brewed kombuchas.....all is well~

I'm sending out love & peace to all those I care about.

I have to realize that "Everyone is doing the best they can with the knowledge that they have" - that saying was told to me by my Reiki Attuner.

I also told my mom that as we go through our days feeling like junk with the choices that we make - we think "Well, this must be it - I guess this is the way I'm supposed to feel...."

Until you experience the something "better" & know that you CAN feel better - you keep that thought in your soul....continuing to lean toward the "better" path....keep on striving - it will come when it is time. :o

[JennaBoBenna]

*hugs* to you! I understand how hard it is. My family is basically the same. A lot of people I work with are exactly the same. It breaks my heart, but to each their own. You can only inform them so much before they make a decision

[Myca]

Your family is addicted like almost everyone in the Western World is. To pills, to bad food, to sweets both real and substiute. That is why it is so hard for them. I had never heard of Raw, before Saturday night. Never. Had no idea anyone ate Raw, except at the Japanese Steakhouse. I just happened to catch a little tiny paragraph from some actress who went Raw a few years ago and said it changed her life. I know models fight to stay very thin so I looked into it. As funny as it sounds, if I had no been going on and off Atkins, I would not have been prepared for this. In addition to all the meat, he advocated a lot of raw vegtables. It was through his instruction that I realized we could get addicted to processed food.

I'm so glad I saw that article found this web site.

[Veronica01]

I totally feel for you. No one in my family has ever eaten as much fruit and veggies I have even when i was on SAD too. No one would ever consider being a vegan or give up milk. Both my sisters are celiac, the youngest one refuses to give up wheat and is often sick and has had insomnia her whole life. My mom is lactose intolerant now and takes pills when she wants to eat cheese, she's gained a lot of weight and is unhappy about it and says she does the best she can and it's really not all that unhealthy... My grandma has been on medication her entire life and is physically addicted to coca cola, oh did i mention my little sister is addicted as well. Like so addicted they go through withdrawl if they don't have it multiple times a day get flu kind of sick if they don't have it.... None of them are "overly" sick i would say... but they're definitely not healthy and everything i do is "too extreme and should be done in moderation". I send them raw food articles and pictures of food i make, i tell them how much weight ive lost, how much more energy i have and feel better and they just think oh well great for you, too much work for me. It's so hard trying to convince people they don't have to suffer with pain and inconveniences that are a side effect of a toxic body... they just believe there's a drug for this and a cure for that. It makes me sad knowing people would rather suffer than make an effort to be informed and make better choices... throwing your hands up in the air and taking whatever the fda and government tell you as fact is pretty irresponsible living i think. But I'm just an extreme health nut.. what do i know? :rolleyes:

[*RayRay*]

the only person you have control over is yourself...!:)

[xPIXIEx]

Sorry to hear about all of that. I understand. My family isn't too bad, but they still make comments. I was told that being a vegetarian is just a fad and it wouldn't last. I gave up meat over 2 years ago, and now I've taken it even further. My mom gets a little upset when she asks if she can give my children certain foods, and I say no. Sometimes she'll tell me that at the grandmother's house, grandkids are supposed to get treats. I've heard that it's awful that my 4 year old knows the difference between healthy and unhealthy food! That "he shouldn't be worrying about things like that!"

My mom stays sick. She gets bronchitis every year, is always tired, having headaches, has gained a lot of weight, and is always run down. She doesn't eat much but when she does, the food is terrible. Hardly ever any fruits or veggies, she smokes a lot, drinks soda all the time, and I could go on. I try to tell her some things to help out her poor health, but I think she thinks I'm crazy.

Your rant kicked off a rant of my own. (: I know it's an awful thing to watch your family suffer when you know that if they changed a few things around, they'd be doing so much better. They have to want to change though. Unfortunately, we cannot make them. In the mean time, people act so offended/defensive because of different dietary choices. I don't understand that one. I just try to worry about myself, my children, and my husband. I know that we're making good choices. I know that's easier said than done though.

[monkapotapus]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses - I really appreciate it~:o

I feel much better after a good night's sleep.


I agree Ray Ray - You can only control 2 things......

How you Act

and

How you React

((((((Hugs to all))))))

[LotsaRaw]

I see these people all the time - and between those folks and the stories I hear on the board - I am soooo grateful for my family (they eat a much healthier mix of "regular" food pyramid stuff than typical American folks) - and we have always eaten lots of fruits and vegetables. (we also raised cattle & sheep back in the day, so our meats were not pumped full of hormones & crap) and we always had a huge garden and fruit trees.

Mom, Dad, I love ya!

Hugs to you Monka...the difference between family & friends? You can choose your friends! ;)

[Veronica01]

I'd like to say how grateful I am that I can make new raw friends! Sometimes we need to feel like we're not alone in our frustrations and we're not the only one living in a different world than the rest of society. :)

[Revvell]

How you React

((((((Hugs to all))))))

Actually, it's how you respond. A reaction is an ingrained thing; response comes from awareness.

[Stina]

Yep........................

I'm glad you could process with us here!

So, I don't have health insurance although hypothetically it would be nice, I was thinking how grateful I am how very proactive it's forced me to be: yoga, eating healthy, cardio exercise, stress awareness, community building..........

Anyway, actually, thanks for sharing the rant with us! It was educational and drove a point home :)

[monkapotapus]

Revvell - Sometimes I feel my Response/Reaction are one of the same - ingrained/automated - thanks for your thoughts.

Again, I just want to thank everyone for your input - we are all in this journey together~

[Zanjabil]

Hugs to you . You are doing the right thing by "being the change you want to see in them" and by praying for them...that is ALL you can do.:)