A Homily For Health Education Reform
A Letter to President Barack Obama
Congratulations on the passage of your historic Health Care Reform Bill. While this bill is not perfect, the "health care ship" is finally out of dry dock and cruising along its important journey.
It would be a dream come true and a great honor if you would allow me a few minutes of your time to share my beliefs concerning reforming health education in our public schools. The power of prevention needs to be the foundation of our final comprehensive health care system. Real health care means being mindful of our diet and exercise routines and not relying on cures or remedies.
My name is Michael Grbich. I am a 78-year-old health advocate who was a public school teacher for 30 years. My cause now is Bridgestocross.org, an endeavor to tap dance across world famous bridges for the purpose of advancing physical wellbeing. I believe that it is imperative to invest in creating a generation of children who are literate in basic ideas about good health. Such knowledge should start in kindergarten. Five- or six-year-olds are generally self-motivated and eager to learn. They are by nature inquisitive, creative, and open to challenges. Most importantly, they are masters of passing on ideas to their parents. When we educate children, we educate the entire family It's also necessary to include elders in the process because they have cumulative life experiences and wisdom. They have survived challenging times associated with the vicissitudes of longevity and yet somehow manage to remain standing in life's Dodge Ball game.
First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign is the most significant effort to address childhood obesity thus far. I hope to play an active role in this undertaking. There are many elements of healthy lifestyles, such as proper sleep, diet, and daily exercise. It's essential that this initiative includes a curriculum that embraces instruction about nutrition as well as physical fitness. Visuals speak loudly. Therefore, I propose that simple, inexpensive health kits be used in the classroom. Visuals such as food charts can show the health benefits of various fruits and vegetables, as well as the harmful amounts of sugar present in many foods. Americans now consume an average of 140 pounds of sugar each year. Is it any wonder that we are witnessing a substantial rise in childhood obesity that is directly linked to Type 2 Diabetes?
The public needs to be sold and educated about WHY good health matters. Whether 70 or 7, there is in every being's heart the wonder and curiosity about the miracle of our existence, the mystery of the galaxy of billions of stars above, the beautiful delicate, temporal spinning of a spider's web, or the sight of a rainbow on the horizon, or the unfailing childlike appetite for what's next. These are simple life joys. Others are also readily available to most of us, especially if you are fortunate enough to have good health.
Thank you for allowing me to share my passion. I am available to assist you or the First Lady in spreading the message in schools around the country that good health lasts for a lifetime. If you can spare the time, please review my 3-minute fitness video, food charts, and other materials related to my proposal.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Grbich
grbichm@aol.com
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