The ECHO, Volume 84, Number 4, May 2012 Page: 4
16 p. : ill.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
4 The ECH
May 2012
Exercise can make
a difference!
By Jeremy Busby
Staff Writern the short time that you spend
in the commissary line, you
could lower your risk of having
a stroke by 20 percent, of diabetes
by 34 percent and of dying within
the next few years by a whopping 50
percent.
Most commissary trips entail
a 30-minute wait before one can
actually purchase the desired
items. According to a Reader's
Digest Disease Prevention Survey,
fitness experts concluded one
could "sharpen their thinking
skills, whittle their waist, and put
some sparkle in their mood" just
by engaging in a half hour of light
physical exercise a day. Ranking
physical activity high on their
list of health-enhancing moves,
Reader's Digest panel of experts
says taking a 30-minute stroll most
days of the week has substantial
benefits.
There are a significant amount
of offenders in TDCJ living with
one or more chronic conditions.
Just take a look at the daily insulinwho had bad genes, but exercised
regularly and ate healthy, had a lower
risk factor for high blood pressure,
heart diseases and diabetes. So that
bad set of genes which were inherited
from family members doesn't
always translate to chronic illnesses.
It is often believed that a person's
health is their money. Once your
health goes down, your mental
health declines. Your livelihood,
and most importantly, your wallet
decreases. Consider the health
problems of those around and the
difficulties they have traveling to
and from the dining hall. Consider
the unlimited trips they take tocallout on the unit or the long line of
individuals that pack
the pill lines. Some
of the diseases that
plague the prisonpopulation are
entirely preventable. More than half
of the experts polled said, "at least
6o percent of all chronic diseases
could be avoided entirely." The
secret is not extraordinary-getting
a half hour of exercise most days is
the key!
Even for those who have a
history of cancer, heart attacks and
diabetes in their family, there's
hope. While genes may increase
the risk for certain diseases, one's
lifestyle choices also play a factor.
In the Disease Prevention Survey,
bad genes weren't the number one
cause of chronic diseases-unhealthy
lifestyles were. People who are high
amounts of salty/fatty/sugaN foods
and didn't exercise contracted more
chronic illnesses than people who
merely had just bad genes. Thosemedical facilities and
all the prescription
medications they take
on a daily basis. Not
a very attractive way
to live. It is clear that
no one would have a
desire to live this way
for the next five or 10
years. Thus, to promote
good health...exercise!
People often think
exercise programs
are diffIpcjtap4j.
burdensome.
Conversely, regular
exercisers would say thehardest part of an exercise program
is "getting started."
Once the decision is made to get
going, the rest is relatively easy.
It's not necessary to implement a
program that consists of lifting on
every single weight machine on the
recreation yard. Nor do you have to
run 1,000 miles a day. Instead, make
a decision to walk around your cell
for just 10 minutes or dance to your
favorite tunes on the radio for 10
minutes. Do this three times a day and
you will have an effective 30 minute
workout. Once you have successfully
mpmmf.enie 6his roin, You have,
oegm n e journey Vo a ieaithier Ii e.
Reference; Supercharge your
Health, Copyright 2009 by The
Reader's Digest Assoc. 5StaffReporf
' at your vegetables," says one's parents. "They will help you grow big
and strong." Most children dreaded that message, because at that age
one could not get past that awful taste that came with a serving of Brussels
sprouts (or even consider the thought of growing big and strong). Sadly,
this same mindset remains consistent throughout one's adult life.
Despite the fact that most people are aware of the benefits that come with
including vegetables in one's diet, there are a significant amount of people
who continue to neglect them. Electing to maintain a diet of fatty meats and
unhealthy starches-like pork and pasta-have led to a significant amount
of adults incurring chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. While
certain meats are important to one's diet, the vegetables that are neglected
are essential also.
Most green vegetables like Brussels sprouts and broccoli provide a great
source of nutrients that the body needs to fight various diseases. If eaten
on a regular basis, a recent study by the British Medical Journal (2010)
concluded that one could reduce their risk of diabetes by a whopping
14 percent! Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced an
initiative called, "My Plate," to give people a visualization of what one's
plate should look like at each meal-fruits and vegetables comprised 50
percent of the plate. This effort was designed to show people how vital
vegetables are to one's diet.
So, why don't more people eat vegetables? Perhaps some would suggest
the limited access that one has to fresh vegetables, while others are just not
interested in adding them to their diet. Whatever the case may be, people
should understand the benefit that comes from including vegetables in
their diet.
Just as in one's childhood, eating vegetables helps put one on the path to
wellness. As adults, one's focus is no longer centered on growing "big and
strong." Instead, one is more concerned with living a long, healthy life. It is
worth noting that this is unlikely without a healthy diet of veggies. 3By Tim Jordan-
Powledge UnitT here goes a dead
man walking!"
As I walk my daily
miles on the prison
rec yard, I hear the
whispers of truth. My
diagnosis: liver can-
cer, with contributing
factors of drug abuse
and alcoholism.
A hot cup of cof-
fee in hand, my mind
travels beyond the
fences, almost a
ifetime ago in my
haVfcentury RIus
:1Ind. Who was 3 1ack
V hIe i-oo" hIr -.41.1) a dofl-ar under
my feather pillow. Where did all
the years go? Where did I cross theline between right and
wrong? Hell on earth is
waking up to one's selfish
results...people wronged,
love never shared, my
own loneliness. The only
hope is seeking the true
forgiver.
The wind parts my soul
as the angels sing their
song. God-given peace is
the full order of the mo-
ment. Each step takes me
!closerto my final destiny.
A lifetime in 30 min-
utes 1o wng my feet
_offee cold an caa
ficer announ,.ees, T 1flCme rook
back at that beautiful East Texas sun
going down. 3I'
4
F
-
The ECHO
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Texas. Department of Criminal Justice. The ECHO, Volume 84, Number 4, May 2012, newspaper, May 2012; Huntsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth641654/m1/4/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.