Preservation of health is a duty

Preservation of health is a duty.However, few people seem conscious of such a concept as physical morality.

These words were spoken long before the birth of Christ by a Greek physician named "Hippocrates" the Father of Medicine. Hippocrates felt that every member of society had an obligation to practice this principal of physical morality.. He believed that individuals had an ethical responsibility to take charge of their own health. Those who didn't were shirking their duties as citizen and, therefore , were guilty of immoral behaviour. This may seem to be an unfair and harsh judgement in our democratic society where we cherish our freedom. Including the freedom to neglect our health. But do we really have that right ?

We have failed to adapt to the age of automation by programming physical activity and healthy eating into our lifestyles.We are suffering due to our technological success. Labor-saving machines have created not only more leisure time but also the sedentary lifestyle.The motovation of hard times has given way to laziness.the abundance of food has made every day a feast day. Even modern medicine cannot prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by a diet to rich in fat and calories and a lifestyle lacking in excercise and physical activity. This self-neglect has led to an unprecedented rise in the cost of health care. Therefore,some would argue,the unhealthy are a "burden to the healthy",who find themselves having to subsidize the self-abuse of most of the population. As Hippocrates stated so long ago, we have a moral obligation to good health.

People may say that there is nothing they value more than their health;yet in reality ,the statistics indicate that there is nothing they abuse more than their health and well-being. Typically,people concern thenselves with their health only when it is in jeopardy.It is a tragedythat most people emphasize not dying rather than optimal health.For many people ,health is defined as being just the absence of disease or infirmity. Many of our health care crises are not brought on by a disease disorder but rather by lifestyle choices. Just look at the typical A&E on any Friday or Saturday night. In England,it is estimated that more than 50% of all visits to the GP or A&E are the direct results of our lifestye choices.So i put it to you; "do we have a moral obligation to take better care of ourselves ?"

Stay Focused
Eric Hartzell