Moderate This!

As I showered off suntan lotion and pool chlorine yesterday evening, I thought about how almost everything we enjoy is actually dangerous for our health and it pissed me off. I mean come on.

Sunning - The sun is invigorating. People feel more energized when the sun is shining and if you enjoy the beach or lying by the pool, the sun can be relaxing. And we know the importance of Vitamin D, especially for our bones, yet the sun causes skin cancer which can become disfiguring and deadly.

Eating - Who doesn’t love to eat? But if you eat too much, you become overweight and too much sugar and salt can bring on diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.

Drinking - How fun and relaxing to have some cocktails until years later you end up with cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.

Smoking - Many smokers believe smoking calms their nerves and perhaps some people prefer to smoke than take anti-anxiety meds. But we all know that smoking can cause lung cancer, throat cancer, etc.

Exercise – Some of us actually do enjoy exercising. For myself, I’m not sure if I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment afterwards more than the physical rewards since I seem to always look the same, but pulled muscles, torn rotator cuffs, blown out knees, etc., keep orthopedists in practice.

Cruises – So fun, right? All you can eat (EATING), lots to drink (DRINKING), pool and destination beaches with sun and water activities (SUNNING), and let’s not forget that pesky norovirus.

So now that Debbie Downer here has managed to ruin your day and hers, I think the solution may be to do things in moderation. But moderation can be subjective, so let your conscience be your guide.

P.S. I did a little research on the term Debbie Downer and according to Dictionary.com, it appears that the term downer became popular in the 1970s (I remember taking a downer or two back then) and although Debbie Downer may have existed prior to this, it became very popular after a “Saturday Night Live” skit in 2004.

Disclaimer: I’m not advocating anything other than a healthy lifestyle and however that is defined for each of you.