Let's Move to Help Reduce Obesity

America is facing a crisis of obesity. More than 70% of Americans are overweight. America, however, is not alone. Too many people in America and around the world are overweight. This is particularly the case in North America, Europe and Australia. The problem of obesity is also present in China and even Malaysia. This situation has important implications not just for the individuals who suffer from obesity but also for society.

Michelle Obama wants to use her position as the First Lady of the United States to get people to recognize this crisis and do something about it. Michelle Obama believes that staying active and being healthy is something worth fighting for. I agree with this because many people want to be healthy and do not want to be overweight. Obese people often are not happy about their being overweight. I feel that Mrs. Obama is trying to create awareness about this situation, and that’s why she has created the “Let’s Move” project. “Let’s Move” is a project designed to encourage young people to get exercise and encourage them to eat a healthier diet. The First Lady announced the "Let's Move" campaign on the 9th of February, 2010.

Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. A person may be overweight from extra muscle, bone, or water, as well as from having too much fat. Both terms mean that a person's weight is higher than what is thought to be healthy for his or her height.

Obesity often dominates a person’s lifestyle because it is hard for people to lose the weight that they have gained. One of the reasons why people can’t lose weight is because their body may not allow them to become active. Some people also may be naturally heavy and have a tendency to be overweight. Obese individuals often try to lose weight but they struggle and often do not have the will power and strength they need to succeed. They often go on and off diets or lose weight then gain it back again. This can lead to overweight people having a negative self-image of themselves. When people have a negative self-image, they begin to have a negative image towards other people. This can lead to people isolating themselves from other people, which also can lead to depression and unhappiness. Obesity also has a negative impact on a person’s health. Obesity is closely linked to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

One of the big reasons why overweight people should lose weight and get more exercise is that doing so will improve their health. Overweight individuals who lose weight so that their weight is normal will have more energy to do things and will feel better about themselves. They will be able to live a healthier lifestyle and be happier with the way they look. When people feel happy, they tend to have a more positive self-image. Other benefits of losing weight are that people will feel increased energy levels and improved mobility. Losing weight and getting regular exercise will also help people lower their blood pressure and reduce their cholesterol levels. It can even help people breathe easier and sleep better.

Another reason to address the problem of obesity is rising healthcare costs. A recent study by the Center for Disease Control found that the annual healthcare cost of obesity in the US has doubled in less than a decade and may be as high as 147 billion dollars a year. The study also found that the medical costs for an obese person are 42 percent higher than for a person of normal weight. Health care cost are rising all around the world. If people who are overweight would lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle, then the healthcare costs can be reduced. This would benefit overweight people but also everyone else.

One billion people are overweight and 300 million people are obese worldwide. This is a global problem that affects both the individuals who are overweight and society at large. What is most worrying is that the problem is increasing rather than decreasing. Action needs to be taken now.

Addressing the problem of obesity is something worth fighting for. Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. The Government, schools, and most importantly families all have to work together to help solve the problem of obesity. Governments need to recognize obesity as a problem and develop programs to address it. Schools need to make sure that students eat a healthy lunch and create programs so that students get active in as many ways as possible. Families need to turn off the TV and the computer and get out of the house and be active. They need to eat healthier diets and reduce the number of meals they eat at fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and Burger King. As Beyonce sings in the official video, “don’t just sit there, move your body.”

Sources:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158948.php

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004552/

http://www.letsmove.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYP4MgxDV2U

The Greatest There Ever Was.

"I hated every minute of training, but I said to myself, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."

(Muhammad Ali)

Muhammad Ali always said that he was the greatest there ever was, but the greatest battle that he has ever had to fight is learning to live with Parkinson’s disease.

Muhammad Ali was born on January 17th 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born as Cassius Clay. Later on as an adult he became a Muslim, joined the Nation of Islam in 1964 and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He was introduced to boxing when he was 12, and he won the Olympic Gold Medal before he became a professional boxer. Before his boxing matches, he had a habit of predicting which round he would defeat his opponent. He also was famous for writing and reciting poetry about himself. This helped him build a big reputation.

Muhammad Ali has one of the greatest boxing records in the world with a record of 100 wins and five losses. Muhammad Ali was a great fighter who was well known for winning three heavyweight championships. This is an award which is awarded to someone who has beaten the number one ranked boxer in the world. Very few boxers have won the Heavyweight Championship of the World even once, let alone being able to win it three times. This shows that Muhammad Ali truly was a great fighter.

Muhammad Ali was a highly trained athlete, who many people called the greatest fighter of all time. Even though he was a fit and highly trained athlete, he became sick, and in 1984 Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This is a disease which attacks the nervous system and damages a person’s ability to control his muscles including damaging the ability to speak. He also has a brain injury which most people think comes from getting too many blows to the head. The first sign that indicates whether or not you have the disease is when you start to have tremors, or uncontrollable shaking in your body. Muhammad Ali has reached a point that he is now unable to speak. While some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease can be treated, for Ali's symptoms and for other people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, there isn't any cure. Since Ali also has brain damage, it is likely that this disease will lead eventually to his death.

Right now Muhammad Ali is going through the toughest battle that he will ever encounter, Parkinson's disease. Many people have called him the greatest boxer there ever was, but now he is going through the hardest fight of his life. Parkinson’s disease has no cure so he will have to live with this disease every day for the rest of his life. Even though he may die from this incurable disease, fighting for the best possible life he can lead is a struggle worth fighting for. Even though he may not win, he will still be a winner and still be the greatest.

Muhammad Ali, a boxing legend who was known as the Greatest, is an inspiration to millions of people all over the world not just for being a great fighter in the ring but also as a fighter trying to live as best he can with Parkinson’s disease.

Speak With Convection

In my opinion Taylor Mali is a very good poet because I can relate to what he is saying and writing. I chose to write about his poem Speak With Authority. I chose to write about this poem because this Taylor Mali poem conveys a message that is worth fighting for. I think that his poem makes people think about what they say, and encourages them to speak with conviction. He does this so that people can change for the betterment of themselves.

His poem imitates some of the ways that teenagers speak. In his poem he gives examples such as the way people use the word "like," "you know." People use these words and phrases to fill spaces while figuring out what they want to say. They also use them, according to Mali, to show that they don't really care about what they are talking about. Another example is "I'm just saying" which is a way of saying that whoever is listening doesn't have to take in what I am saying or take it seriously. Word choice is also very important to get people to listen to you. I can relate to this in my daily life. Some of the people that speak with conviction and do not use these kinds of words are most of the American Presidents. These include Obama or Bush. They are two of the presidents that we don't hear say or use these words. Instead of using these word they use words with meaning. This is one of the main reason's why so many people listen to them.

When people use these phrases, listeners will not think that they know what they are talking about. People think this is because the words ("like" and "you know")that they use do not have meanings and are use to fill in sentences because they have nothing to say. It is hard to convince someone what you are saying if most of the words that you are using have no meaning. The result will be that people will not take them seriously because they do not think that they are sure about what they are saying. If you were to have an argument with someone, they might not agree with you because you do not sound confident because too many of your words are empty.

I think that this poem means that if you speak with authority and conviction, people will listen to you. If you have a habit of always speaking with "likes" and "you knows" then it will be harder for you to be able to speak with conviction. Many people in my daily life are people that speak with conviction. Some of these people include my parents, my teachers and my sport coaches, so I listen to them. Most people when they write choses certain words. So why wouldn't they chose to speak like this. If a person says "like" and "you know" all the time, then the listener will be tired of always hearing you say those words. You even run the risk of being boring. If you can speak with conviction, then you may also be able to write with conviction as well.

Taylor Mali challenges us to "To speak with conviction. To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it." Being able to speak with conviction and authority is something worth fighting for and something I will try to work on.

Somalia In Crisis

Fatuma Hassan Yarow, above at left, a 12-year-old Somali girl, rested after arriving in Dadaab, Kenya, home to tens of thousands of refugees.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/world/africa/06somalia.html

Somalia In Crisis

Somalia is in crisis as a result of famine, which has come about because of lack of rain, crop failure and food shortages. The United Nations has estimated that 4,000,000 Somalians are in crisis and 750,000 could die. Somalia is in need of urgent humanitarian aid. It is essential that the UN and other humanitarian organizations such as the Red Crescent go into Somalia and bring the people food and health care. Helping the Somalian people right now located is something that is worth fighting for.

Somalia is in East Africa on the coast of Indian Ocean. It borders Ethiopia and Kenya. Somalia’s biggest problem is the internal conflict and civil war. The central government has had no control over most of the country’s territory since 1991 when the civil war began. Only a small part of the country is experiencing peace.

I feel that sending humanitarian aid is a cause worth fighting for because the people need help immediately, and without that help hundreds of thousands of people including children will die. The people of the UN or any other company should provide food, health care and water. There have been many times when Somalia was in crisis in the past, and as a result, governments may feel they have already helped Somalia enough. That is not a good reason to not help the people now. It is very important that people and governments help the Somali people and show them that people care.

If you look at pictures and videos of the Somalian people today, you will feel very sad. When I look at the pictures I can see mainly children who are thin and look sick. The children are just lying there. They are not having a fun time and playing around like most children should. The reason for this is because You will feel that people will have to do something in order to help these people. I know that I want to help the people. The important thing is that we should try to help people even if we feel that we have done enough. Helping the people who are in crisis in Somalia is a cause worth fighting for.

Additional Sources:

Wikipedia Article on Famine

Dictionary.com-Encyclopedia2 Article on Somalia.