Helen Schifter has been involved in passionately communicating to the public the need to take health and wellness far more seriously than it is, presently. The reality is that so many other priorities that are far less significant in the abstract, are for whatever reason given priority over health and wellness, by most individuals. This is a mistake; but it’s a function of our culture’s obsession and fixation with both material wealth and professional and career development.
To be clear professional development should be taken seriously, according to Helen Schifter. But not at the expense or in the process, by sacrificing our physical health and well-being. This is an important distinction that has to be made clear to the general public. To our youth especially, professional development and its importance needs to be instilled in them. And parents and educators are correct in doing so. But why does doing so have to come at the expense of neglecting health, wellness and other important variables?
We have seen an obesity epidemic in this country that is totally out of control. Our children deserve to be educated about health matters from an early age. Unfortunately, that’s not happening. It should. Health and wellness must take priority over all else. Over academics as well. Children that are engaged in academic classrooms and training should be taught of the value of health and wellness within the confines of the classroom. But it shouldn’t be limited to that.
We have textbooks enlightening them of the value of all sorts of things – history; the sciences; biology; physical education and all else. Well how about including some reading materials and the like as well? Let’s ensure that within academic environments, and within the confines of the classroom there is an effort to educate our nation’s youth of the value of health and wellness. But it should not end there.
There are ways to ensure extracurricular activities and programs are used toward emphasizing the importance of health and wellness as well. Whether that be by ensuring kids are using the school’s gym for fitness regimen; or whether ensuring that they are maintaining diets consistent with a healthy lifestyle. There are other ways to train them in extracurricular capacities of these issues.
There should be sports and athletic departments at every school imaginable. These departments should in turn be trained by those with specialities in physical health and wellness. This will ensure that the work-outs and athletic sports that the people are engaged in, is revolved around health and wellness, and developing a sense of health and self-worth that will be constructive for their futures.
Of course, there needs to be an education about the values of health and wellness at home as well. Parents should feel encouraged to engage in such education and communication with their children based on the need to normalize health and wellness to them and society at large. These small components and steps will have a dramatic impact on the physical health and well-being of future generations. And of course, on society writ large.