Healthy changes are hard to make

It’s the same story, over and over again. Someone is admitted to hospital. They have abused their body for years. They are broken. And they and their families expect us to fix them and magically undo the damage that years of neglect have caused (or at least majorly contributed to).

The obvious examples are the smokers who come in with cancer, or with problems breathing; the alcoholic who has smashed their liver or pancreas; and the DKA admission who does nothing to manage their diabetes and continues to chug full-strength Coke by the litre. Or the 160kg patient who requires a bariatric bed and 6 people to roll them, who’se normal diet would make Morgan Spurlock look like a health nut.

Do these people know that they are making poor choices? Do they have any idea of the health implications?

Some wouldn’t. Some would.

If you did know, why wouldn’t you do something about it?

The answer is disturbingly simple: because it is hard. Anyone who has tried to make major lifestyle changes like giving up smoking, exercising more and eating healthier will attest to this. Changes like these – getting your “2 & 5“, kicking the fags, and giving up drinking, are all hard. Very hard. Too hard for many. I would argue, too hard for most.

I have a lot of respect for those that are able to make these changes. Which brings me to another ICU nurse,The Hungry Addict.

The first entry on his blog is as follows:

Welcome to my Blog. I am a 36 year old fat guy who is about to embark upon a journey to change my diet, lifestyle, and emotional state. I am an addict. This is no joke. My drug of choice is fast food and fried anything. Nothing relieves the stress of a bad day more than a greasy double cheeseburger and some hot salty french fries. And I eat this sort of food everyday, usually two to three times a day. A buddy at work has commited to be my personal trainer and dietician for the next 12 weeks. I am reluctant to abandon my old ways. I have been diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrom X. This syndrome comprises some of the following traits: abdominal (or visceral) fat, low HDL cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, and hypertension. I decided to have a coronary calcium scan. The scan showed calcium deposits in the LAD and circumflex, two large coronary arteries. Faced with this increased risk of early demise, I have signed a contract with this friend to commit to his program. I don’t want to abandon my wife and children to heart disease. I have let down all pride and posted pictures of my fat ass to set a baseline. At the end I shall, hopefully, post pictures of a healthier me. Thanks for following. I hope to become an inspiration to someone out there.

This guy is essentially attempting to do what many should do, but are unwilling or unprepared to do. He is trying to change his eating and exercise habits. He is trying to lose weight and reduce all of those risk factors that combine and conspire to put you in a hospital bed or in an early grave.

Will he succeed? I don’t know. I hope he does.

Will he inspire others?. I hope so. I personally am now been compelled to question whether I really do want that delicious, bubbly can of ice-cold Pepsi, or whether I want the healthier choice of cold water.

Whatever the outcome, you can follow his progress here. Good luck, Hungry!