NOW, LISTEN TO MOTHER, ALL OF YOU !

We must all lead healthier lifestyles

Wow, someone dug up one of Dr Tony Jewell’s old article’s and had it regurgitated by Dr Ruth Hussey, Chief Medical Officer.  The Echo obviously beat its’ sister paper to the scoop as the photo they have of the dear lady was obviously taken very early in the morning.  The shot in the W. Mail was taken after she had dressed and made herself appear quite photogenic and motherly.

The W.Mail had her photo opposite the shocking headline “People must share the responsibility for looking after their own health”.  I say shocking, because Dr Hussey uses the word SHARE, distinguishing her words from the ill-chosen words of Dr Jewell which put all the blame for our ill-health on us – you, me and the postman.

Unfortunately, it’s the same tired message, patronising us by telling us that we really shouldn’t be getting ill to clog up the much smaller and hopelessly inadequate health services  The other great news in her message is that the sales of electronic cigarettes have shown that they are in a wider use which is phenomenal. Personally speaking, I’m overjoyed that she has noticed this fact because we plebs know that this is due to the fact that thousands more people are making huge efforts to quit smoking. In other words, we are already trying to lead healthier lifestyles ( woopee !)

Sadly, she then goes on to say that more studies are needed to make sure that these e-ciggys aren’t a gateway drug to the real thing – cigarettes made of paper and tobacco.  Why dampen a message of good news, for pity’s sake ?  Surely, we should all get a pat on our heads for trying to eliminate one of the hardest-to-break addictions, ever ??  After all, these e-fags are at least twice the price of the genuine poisonous weed, so why would some kid want to start on an e-ciggy ?? ( answers on a postcard, please ) It seems that every health officer has to retain the upper moral ground by moving on to the other 52 factors that cause our unhealthy lifestyles, like living in poor communities where eating has become a luxury.

It’s no use, whatever WE do isn’t good enough, so we must get used to a patronising list of reminders every couple of months just to prove that NHS officers are making an effort to justify their huge salaries.  Perhaps she could factor-in the dangers posed by meteor showers and scorpion bites, to say nothing of the deadly carbon fuel fumes we are all made to injest every damn day ?  Anyway – in case you missed an important point – we weren’t asked what we could ( or should ) do in order to lead healthier lifestyles.  Aren’t we dumb ? – forgetting ( for a millisecond ) that THE GOVERNMENT KNOW WHAT’S BEST FOR US – so SHUT UP AND DON’T YOU DARE COMPLAIN !  Why the hell doesn’t she do something about the blatant robbery being committed by the ruddy supermarkets – buy one get one free, save 50% by buying a second packet, the tins may seem smaller but this is purely to ensure our portions are healthy – nothing to do with us taking you for being stupid so that we can make more profit.

Now, I like bananas ( someone told me they were good for me ) BUT, when I check the price of a £1 ‘bargain packet’ against the larger ‘loose’ bunches, I find that the £1 Economy pack is worth only 54p at the same rate as their bigger bunches !  I’m also told that eating items such as sweet potatoes is good for you – BUT, check the price per kg against normal potatoes and you find the same thing.

Why should healthier foods cost us more ???  A tiny plastic carton of salad will cost you as much as a BIG MACK and provides a fraction of the bulk and goodness of the demon cheeseburger.  It’s the same in a restaurant – you have to pay more for the nouveau cuisine that consists of an ounce of meat and a cupful of rabbit food – WE ARE BEING RIPPED OFF IN THE NAME OF ‘Healthy Eating ‘.  And heaven forbid that you should be dull enough to buy ‘ORGANIC’ food, at 40% more with only a tenth of the nutrients we need.

We’re being treated like a bunch of dumb Chelsea fashionistas, who think nothing a spending three times the normal price of food in the name of ‘keeping up appearances’.

Cobblerss to what other people think – we need cheaper food to live, not to appear as though we’re stepping into an Aston Martin or a Bentley as soon as we reach the over-priced car park.

The government know that 1% of the population can afford to be ripped off, but they forget that the other 99% of us are POOR and don’t give a rat’s buttocks if we buy our food at Aldi, instead of Fortnum and Masons !  So, government, get your ruddy priorities right and control the food market instead of expecting us peasants to have to live on a bag of crisps (unsalted, of course ) a week !!!     R. W.