Health is Not Just a Personal Matter

When it comes to health, most people naturally relate it to their own self. Actually, it is more than a personal matter. It is a family matter, a social matter, an economic matter. It is global. It is ...

Health is about our family. Time and again, we see that a family can be so badly affected just because of one person's illness. Not too long ago, I learned of a story like so. An indirect friend, Michael, moved from Hong Kong with his family to reside in Sydney. The husband and wife both got very good jobs in the corporate. Two sons were doing well in school and university. It is a picture of a healthy happy family ready to explore the new horizon. But one year later, shortly after the husband, Michael, was diagnosed with cancer, we saw a totally different picture. He had to give up his job. He kind of shrank by one size. He turned almost bald. The wife quit her job because she had to take care of the husband. And, as to the boys, they would not have as much time on their studies as they did part-time work after class to help out the family. The elder one even considered to turn his full-time study into a part-time one in the following year.

Health is also a social matter. It is not easy to cope with the stress and pressure when you have a very sick person at home. At times, this might be the trigger for marriage breakdown, adolescent problems, depression, domestic violence, and the list goes on and on.

Health is also an economic issue. Do you know that the total global expenditure for health (or rather say the sickness industry) was US$4.1 trillion+ in 2004. America's spending on health was 5.1% of the GDP in 1960, but rising to a staggering 15.3% of the GDP in 2005. If this is any indicator to our trend, we have a cause to be concerned. With the aging of the boomers, you can really feel the pressure is mounting.

For whatever we are doing now, we are handing a legacy to the future generations.

So, on reflection, you know that when you take care of your body, and your health, you are not only caring yourself, but you are doing a wonderful contribution to your family, your society, your country, and the world. Isn't that nice? :)

Live life, Junius



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