Winter is here to stay, so we might as well embrace it for our physical health as much as are mental well-being. That means we should stop hiding under the covers buried in comfort food while hoping for a prompt end to the season.
As much as complaining about the weather is the favourite Canadian past time, the fact that our obesity rates continue to grow — especially among young people — is alarming.
According to the feds, over the past 25 years obesity rates among Canadian children and youth have tripled. Canadian teens overweight now, will likely continue to be overweight into adulthood. It’s not the physical appearance alone that’s at issue; it’s the health problems associated with being overweight that are of concern. Those include reduced balance, bone and joint problems, hypertension and high blood pressure as well as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and other types of breathing problems, not to mention low self-esteem.
As taxpayers, we demand that municipalities take into consideration the health of their citizens. That means maintaining outdoor skating rinks and winter trails for their taxpayers. Provincial parks are already doing that, but they’re not always located close enough to certain residents. The private sector may provide such opportunities, but the cost can be prohibitive for large families.
Municipalities ought to calculate the distances and ensure, depending on their size, that there is at least one public trail and skating rink available to its residents and families. Far too frequently the public as well as the private sector has discontinued programs or the availability of a trail due to legal fears. We do live in a litigious world, but common sense should and does prevail, which means the possibility of litigation should not be used as an excuse not to be a good corporate citizen or service the interest of your taxpayers.
An active population is a healthy population that will rely less on costly social and health-care services and, consequently, take up less tax dollars.
So, while we’re not making any new year’s resolutions, this is as good a time as any to grab your family, friends and maybe even a neighbour and head for a trail to snowshoe, cross-country ski or skate. Start making up for that Christmas merry making and get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of this area in the winter, like the thrill of making the first tracks on fresh snow or walking under a canopy of snow-covered pines.
Go for a simple walk and do it often! More oxygen as well as light to combat the darkness of winter will improve both our physical and mental states, especially for those suffering from the winter blues. So, as you start putting on the layers, don’t be afraid to shout to Old Man Winter: “Bring it on!”
T.d.V.