I would like to reply to the letter of Dr. Charlotte Jones on the impacts of diabetes.
As a physical education and lifestyle fitness coach for more than 30 years, on three continents working with young and old at various levels of physical and mental fitness, recreational and professional individuals and groups.
My thoughts on diabetes but also in general to related medical and mental issues.
Diabetes and its various complications is already at epidemic proportions, costing the taxpayers millions of dollars in medical intervention and prevention cost.
Who’s to blame?
Individual citizens, government, corporate sector etc.?
All of the above and more.
So where do we start?
How about let's start with the truth. The hand that holds the spoon.
Every individual person has rights and privileges according to the constitution.
You can eat, drink, smoke, use drugs, get tattoos, pierce your body, basically everything you want to do with your physical and mental constitution.
Now if every individual has rights, then surely they have responsibilities.
It is time for every individual to do the following:
1. Take responsibility for your own physical and mental condition. You create and design your own condition most of the time.
2. The truth, realize nobody else cares about your overweight body or your whining.
3. Stop blaming everyone if you are to blame, face the consequences of your decisions.
4. Be brave and start moving now as much as you can.
5. The good news is you can still change your condition. Stop being lazy.
As a final note for those people who will find the truth offensive I have empathy with you, no sympathy.
Marthinus Pietersen
Vernon