Is it so bad.....

to have a few food vices? Don't get me wrong, I a big proponent for living a healthy life, eating right, exercising, using natural cleaners in the home to avoid toxic fumes. But then there are things we encounter everyday that we can't avoid that can compromise our health.

My mother is 88 years old and other than severe ( osteo & RA)arthritis that leaves her in immense pain, she has no other health issues,except for high blood pressure.No heart issues, no diabetes, no cancer, etc. . This is a woman who has never had a healthy diet nor has she ever exercised in her entire life. Now the doctor is hounding my brother and I that she needs to give up her 1 Kit Kat a day, her bowl of ice cream, her 2 cups of coffee, the ham and cheese sandwiches, and her cake. Basically, she told the doctor to go to "you know where". He doesn't want to treat her anymore unless she changes her eating habits.

I told the doctor that mom is 88 and if these things make her happy, isn't that all that matters. I asked him point blank, if she gives up these foods how many more years will she live? He couldn't give me an answer. I then proceeded to tell him what happened to me and despite my healthy living I couldn't prevent my 3rd degree heartblock from happening.

This opened up my eyes yesterday and while I will continue to live my healthy lifestyle, I will not deny myself the occasionall food vice, chocolate, piece of cake, a glass of wine, etc. If giving into one of these poor food choices once in a while release those wonderful endorphins, I am all for it. Life is too short to be living in a bubble all the time.

8 Comments

LOL

by ro - 2010-04-22 04:04:12

She's 88!!! Past life expectancy already and got there eating as she does. Get a new doctor.

88!

by DanaT - 2010-04-22 06:04:43

We should all live so long! If you're mother made it to 88 then she must be doing something right!

This Too Shall Pass ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-04-22 07:04:06

Everyone is going to die, sooner are later, this is a fact.
I would think at age 88, you have earned your right in life to allow yourself a little pleasure in whatever you do.

Several years ago, one of my good friends, had lived in Asia since she was born, ate the right foods from Asia and continued eating correctly when she moved the the USA. She developed cancer a few years later & died.

My husband was terminally ill. His Dr. said for him not to drink. My only goal was to make my husband better and do what his Dr. asked. Now, after the fact, I would have given him the "toddy" he so much asked for.

What difference is a Kit-Kat, ice cream, a "toddy" or any other vice make, if you are 88 or dying of cancer?

My idea is, you live only once, when your time is up; your time is up. God decides that for you.

I wish I could be with your Mother and enjoy all the flavors of ice cream with her and "teach" her some good, new, fun vices ~ ~

Give Bear Hugs to All,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Lone Star Refreshment anyone?

Good Heart!

by qwerty - 2010-04-22 08:04:46

I am with you. Yes we should exercise and eat right and not get too much sun and yada yada yada.
The thing that comes to mind is the Titanic. How many of those ladies on the titanic did not eat their delectible chocolate cake with their supper because they didn't want to gain any weight? Did them a lot of good!?!?!?
Your mother is 88. How DARE that Dr tell her what to eat!! If she were 3 or 4 yes, lets try to develop some healthy eating habits, but at 88, my goodness, let her have her ice cream.
88 isn't that old anymore but, you also gatta enjoy what you are doing.
Just my random thoughts..... But I agree with you Heartu, life is too short to live in a bubble all the time, unless of course it is a soap bubble.....
Thanks the the reminder to enjoy what we can. And one more "copied" thought....

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well preserved body,
But rather to skid in sideways,
chocolate in one hand,
wine in the other,
body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out and screaming
"WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a Choclate, Ice Cream, Ham Sandwich, glass of wine day!

BillMFl

by BillMFl - 2010-04-22 09:04:45

Anyone over 80 should do what they want, just not to excess. They have earned the right to enjoy whatever pleases them. At this point quality of life is the only important factor.

choices

by Tracey_E - 2010-04-22 09:04:56

I think your mom needs a new doctor. If she had a laundry list of problems that her lifestyle was directly contributing to (like my friend's mom who has advanced emphysema but is still smoking 2 packs a day) then I could see getting on her case. He should just let her alone and make her comfortable, she's old enough to make her own decisions. If she wants her ice cream and kitkat, let her have them!

My grandmother was as round as she was tall, lived her life on the sofa watching tv (soap opera and news junkie), drinking Coke or coffee and munching on nuts or candy, her idea of exercise was going out to breakfast... she had some arthritis and high bp when she died peacefully in her sleep at 95.

My grandpa is 90. Every morning my grandma (other side of the family) fries his bacon then scrambles his eggs in the bacon grease, and after breakfast he dunks cookies in his last cup of coffee. If you tell him it's not healthy, he'll tell you God made bacon, eggs and sugar and it hasn't killed him yet. He's just a little feisty, lol. Then he goes out and spends the day working in the yard and rebuilding classic cars. He's fit, sharp as a tack, has cholesterol lower than mine and he can run circles around half my friends. Heck, some days he can run circles around me!

Some of it's genes. Some of it is growing up on diets that weren't full of chemicals and processed foods. It's good to take care of ourselves, but we also can't live our lives in fear of every bite we take. (she says as she sips her mocha) I eat a healthy diet, but I am not fanatic about it. I figure a little of anything isn't going to kill me. As long as it's in moderation, it's ok for us to enjoy our coffee, chocolate and wine.

She's earned it......

by cruz - 2010-04-22 10:04:14

My daughters are wonderful to me, not because they don't care what I put in my body, but because they love me and know how difficult it can be to be denied small pleasusres. They know I have a serious heart condition, but they don't hassle me about eating or (yep) my few smokes. I think it's because we've seen some of my relatives who were denied everything they craved and wanted because the doctor gave a list of do's and don'ts.. and because they deplored cigarettes. She was dying of terminal lung cancer. She cried and told my mother she had prayed for God to take the craving away so her children wouldn't be mad at her. My condition was caused by a virus. I had, oddly, escaped all the generic landmines such as blocked arteries, diabetes, kidney disease, and my lungs are clear. I have low blood pressure and was winging along with no idea that a virus was attacking my heart. I had what appeared to have been a very healthy body, especially for a smoker. While I know it's a very, very bad habit, right now, I don't think I can put them away completely. I have tapered down and my doctor is pleased with that...maybe because he understands that the stress of quitting right now would also be bad for me. He told my Dad that he should "enjoy life" ...I've always told my daughters I want to die with the smell of chocolate on my breath, not with my last breath being used to ask for someone to please let me have my chocolate. Don't deny your Mom some pleasure. I think that after 88 years, I will want to turn my defib off and say, "when God's ready, so am I.....".....Although right now, I'd like that time to be far in the future :)

hmmm...

by Pookie - 2010-04-23 09:04:10

well....my neighbours on the right of me are both in their early 90s and both have 2 drinks of alcohol EVERY day at 4pm - they call it "their happy hour".

my other neighbour on the left is in her late late 80s and she has a cigarette and a drink of rum every night too.

me = I'm 48 and can't do half as much as they can do.

all 3 of them can mow lawns, shovel snow, drive their cars, weed their gardens, grocery shop, you name it, they can do it.

so....it's only MY opinion, but life is too short...do whatever the heck you wanna (in moderation of course) because when your number is up, your number is up and there's not a darn thing you can do about it.

on that note, I think I'm going to go have a cookie....
(and I ate at McDonald's for supper!!!!!!!!)

Pookie

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