Well, the holidays are over and a new millennium has started. The holidays for me, as with most people, were a time of sharing and gathering together with family and friends. It was a time of rest and celebration.
I would like to say the feast put on in Mistissini was great. I had a little bit of everything and walked away with a few pounds more thanks to the great cooking. Nothing beats traditional Cree cooking indoors or out!
All in all I ended up with two more New Year’s resolutions. The first one is to clean up my desk and finally file all my papers. Sometimes in the hectic day-to-day operations of work you tend to let some things slip as you have higher priorities, but at some time you have to clean up after yourself. Next week for sure!
The second one is to get more exercise to take off those extra pounds I seem to have gotten somehow.
Guess I wasn’t following my own advice about exercising more. Well, not just my own advice but the advice of the Cree Health Board to exercise more and lead a healthy life. Given the high-risk factors for diabetes it’s time to get back out there and walk more. Eating the traditional food was healthy, but the Christmas goodies like my Aunt Judy’s rumballs are just plain decadent. Thank the Creator I only get to eat them once a year or I’d be more than a few pounds heavier.
But seriously folks, the exercise is an important part of staying healthy and not just for the diabetes. I use a method of fast walking to promote a healthy cardiovascular system in my body. By strengthening my heart I help to stave off the possibility of a heart attack. Normally at my age I wouldn’t be thinking of this but a few years ago my father had a heart attack. Sometimes this runs in the family, I’m told, so I’m playing it safe. A healthier body also has a better immune system so you won’t get sick as much. It doesn’t take much. Walk every other day rather than taking the car. Take the kids sliding and take a few runs on the sled yourself. A bit of fun and you won’t even notice you’re exercising. But get out there and do something more than being a couch potato.
Think of exercising like the old car commercial where the guy goes you can pay me a little now or a lot later. He is referring to some car part that costs a few cents as compared to a major repair job if you don’t get the part. Exercise is like that. A little exercise now will save you a world of trouble later on.
So if you make just one resolution this year, why not make it to add a little exercise regime to your life. It’s a great way to start the new millennium and a new you.
