2023-04 Balanced Diet
It’s that time of year when everyone starts to hit the gym or begin a new diet as part of their New Year’s resolutions. The last statistic I heard this year regarding those that quit their resolutions early was 85% by the middle of January! One aspect of life I have always strived to follow is that of a balanced diet. A few years ago, I found myself enjoying one too many cobblers around the campfire and came to the realization that I needed to change my eating habits. Within my personal research, I came to the conclusion that if I was going to take the weight off, and keep it off, I would need to not just crash through a diet, but actually make some life changes. Growing up I was always taught that you could have all things in moderation. With that being said, is eating cobbler bad? I would say no. Is eating cobbler for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next week ok? I would say it is probably not the best thing you could do or eat for a week straight. Anyway, you get the point.
As we all know, there are 6 major food groups within a balanced diet. Bread & Grain being one, Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, Meat, Sugar & Fat. Each one of these groups has their benefits. We are taught in a really good, and ancient book, that man can not live on bread alone. Yes, there are those of us that are unable to put some of these items in our body. I’m unable to digest dairy. Some of us make life choices to not consume meat. Does that mean that we are not following a balanced diet? I would say no. Mother nature is amazing and has provided multiple ways to consume the needed proteins and nutrients our body’s need to survive. In my case, as I’m unable to consume dairy products, I can get my needed calcium through things like almond milk, broccoli, figs, sunflower seeds, fish and beans.
Just like with our food, I believe the same sort of thing is true for our lives, not just our bodies. I can think of 6 'life groups' kind of like the 'food groups' - Academics, Athletics, Family, Music, Religion, and Social.
If you focus on just one of these life groups, the rest of the groups will suffer. For example, not saying that this is a horrible thing to do, but if you spend 100% of your time on your academics and only focus on homework from sunup to sundown, then your social life, family life, and religion may be affected.
Scouting, in my opinion, does an amazing job in helping each of us in these categories. The merit badge program teaches us many great things. Scouting is a game with a purpose, and sometimes those games help us stay physically strong. We receive constant help from our family as we work through our rank advancements. As our campfire fades away from a fun night of singing campsongs, we close with scout vespers. Each day we strive to do our duty to God. And, through our dens, packs, patrols, troops, teams, and posts, we are constantly building our social life through the patrol method.
We can live a balanced life as we strive to keep the Scout Oath each day. To do our best, to do our duty to God and our Country, to help other people at all times, to keep ourselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.