Eat well . . . stay fit. . . die anyway

Healthy living demands a healthy mental attitude. The headline reads "100 Year Old Man and Wife Die in Crash." The story in the paper explained about the slippery road, and how the driver apparently lost control on a bad curve. An eye witness saw the car lunge over the cliff, crash into a rocky canyon and burst into flames. Nobody doubted that both occupants were killed instantly. Sad? Yes, but don't despair because the best part of the story never made it into the papers.

The couples' souls soared up to heaven just in time for a warm reception and a brief orientation.

A delightful cherub cheerfully led them into a great banquet hall with magnificent gold ceilings and diamond chandeliers. Spread before them was every kind of delectable food and drink.

Some happy, healthy looking people were eagerly partaking in the feast. With his mouth watering in anticipation, the man turned towards his wife and was shocked to see that all the worldly effects of aging had left her and she radiated a warmth and serenity that distracted him from noticing that his hundred-year-old body was also renewed.

The cherub, never tiring of explaining how heaven works, announced, "This is heaven. Feel free to eat as much as you want, come back as often as you like, and remember, you never again have to worry about heart disease, cancer or your waistline. So dig in, and when you've had your fill, we'll stroll down the streets of gold and make sure you're comfortable in the mansion." "Excuse me," the man interrupted. "Are you saying that I can have a big slice of that roast beef?"

"Certainly, at every meal if you like," the cherub replied.

The man was incredulous.

"You mean I can put as much gravy on my potatoes as I want?" "Of course, fat is an earthly thing," the cherub responded.

"So a late night snack of chocolate cake is okay?" asked the man.

"Absolutely, and you'll love our cheesecake — it's heavenly," laughed the cherub.

Suddenly the smile left the man and he growled to his wife, "For eighty years you've made me eat like a rabbit and drink water like a fish.

"We'll be healthy and live longer,' you said, and sure... it worked, but just look at what we've been missing all these years!"

Perhaps we do get too troubled over our health — though diet and fitness are important.

Still, this is not heaven, so food and lifestyle can have negative consequences.

Lack of exercise ruins our capacity to function naturally and that limits our ability to enjoy life.

Nerve interference blocks function and destroys the body's harmony, which is vital to great health. If not maintained, our health can deteriorate to a point that allows sickness and disease to get a miserable foothold.

Eat well, stay fit and get proper rest.

Healthy living demands a healthy mental attitude. Regardless of our efforts, some day we all will die, but achieving health is not about living forever, it's about living life to its fullest!

Ray Pope is a licensed chiropractor at Action Potential Chiropractic, Inc. on Camano Island.