Sweetness of Life

One out of every FOUR natives is at a high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions amongst aboriginals worldwide. It doesn't matter whether they're living in a condo in Toronto or an igloo in Nunavut.

Film West Associates, from Kelowna, BC, produced a video series quoting an elder who offers an unexpected explanation for diabetes amongst his people...

"The reason why Aboriginal people suffer gravely from diabetes is because we have lost the 'sweetness in life.'

"In essence, the Aboriginal way of life - eating off the land, getting in touch with the environmental, physical, mental and spiritual elements of life and looking after our bodies - has been lost."

The elder took a pause and continued. "Once we have found the sweetness in life, the diabetes will leave us."

Now, I realize that there is plenty of evidence suggesting that diabetes is a result of weight issues amongst aboriginals falling prey to North American eating habits. It is believed natives may be more prone to weight gain. Their ancestors experienced many famines which taught their bodies to efficiently store any excess calories when available, to help them survive in times of need.

So, yes, maybe weight gain is the superficial reason for the rise in diabetes amongst natives. But, I liked the elder's response better, which explains the deeper cause to why they have become prone to weight gain in the first place.

All the sweetness has been taken out of life. Let's look at what he said...

Eating off the land: In our modern era of TV dinners, hormone injected meat and pesticide laden food, we are moving away from that more and more. How often do people go out and pick their own strawberries, keep a garden in their backyard and snack on fresh fruit instead of a donut?

Staying in tune with the environment: Again, what is more sweet and makes you feel more alive than simply spending an afternoon at a park, going for a walk along the river, or spending a week hiking in Algonquin Park?

Physical Health: Daily exercise, playing sports (not just watching them on TV or using an Xbox) and taking time for a massage or an Epsom salt bath is so simple. You feel great doing it, you feel great after.

Mental Health: Mentally, we are regressing as a nation. The average Canadian reads 1.5 books a year, yet watches six hours of TV a day. There was a time when everybody had a hobby that they looked forward to each day -- whether it is quilting, playing the guitar, water painting, poetry writing or building a deck. Keeping our minds busy is a sure way to keep life interesting. And there's nothing sweeter than finishing a project, and seeing what you've accomplished.

Spiritual Health: Spiritually, the more we turn to technology to satisfy us, the more it can become our God. Now, I'm just a doctor not a shaman, and I'm using technology to write this letter to you. Let's just say that the Indian elder has a point... The more we fall away from our connection with the Source of everything, the more we'll seek sweetness where it cannot be found, and walk away feeling unsatisfied.

Last email, I pointed out a few side-effects from eating too much sugar. It's a touchy subject. Everybody likes their sweets. But what I'm trying to show you here is that you can find sweets in more things than dessert.

Examine how your day goes, what you are accomplishing, what you are doing with your time. Is it satisfying you? Are there things you'd like to accomplish that you aren't? Do you look forward to work each day? Did you want to learn to draw or play the piano, but haven't done so yet? Can you remember the last time you spent a day with your family amongst nature?

Sweetness of life is essential to happiness, health and prosperity.

If all you try to do to get sugar-cravings under control is suppress them, then you know you'll just give in when life gets too rough. Suppression is futile. Substitution is key. If you have other "sweets" in your life to look forward to, then that extra slice of cake or bottle of pop starts to loose its appeal.

If you need someone to talk to about how your current lifestyle, work and environment may be affecting your health, please book a"Sweet Life, Healthy Body" consult with me by calling my receptionist Suzanne at (519) 739-2402.

Yours in health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402

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