2020 is going to be over soon. What a year! 1,772,325 corona deaths worldwide (Dez., 29th 2020). I just read that the US is suppose to have 15% more deaths compared to the year 2019. And the numbers would be so much higher, if we hadn’t changed our everyday life substantially. We might be able reduce the number of deaths but can’t prevent them. And I believe covid-19 is not going to be the last virus that has such an impact on our lives.
The EAT (https://eatforum.org, a science-based global platform for food system transformation) concludes in its work, that 11 million adult deaths a year, „which represent between 19% to 24% of total deaths among adults“ worldwide could be preventable if people changed from their current diet to a healthy diet.
I conclude that 11 million people diet in 2020 because they ate an unhealthy diet. Knowing that makes me very quiet.
People only change when the pressure of suffering becomes too great. What do they have to lose to start a healthy diet? Their mobility, their health, their partner, their parents? I hate to say that but it’s the truth.
It’s a very black review of the year. But this year showed me more than ever that a healthy diet is fundamentally important. During the lockdown in March my daughter asked me: „Mama, do you protect me?“ and right that moment I realized: „Oh yes, I do protect you because I make sure you eat a healthy diet everyday of the year.“
Do you remember the make poverty history movement from the mid-2000s? A movement of the rich countries for the poor countries in the world. The idea was that 1.2 billion people should not have to live on less than $2 a day. The movement failed its goals. I used to live in Ethiopia for two years and I learned that any necessary change has to spring within the people. It’s useless to come from the outside and try to make a change.
I want to make a change though. I want to make overweight history. What a crazy idea. However, I can only spread awareness and teach a healthy diet. The real work has to be done by you, by the people. With a healthy diet we can heal our bodies and our planet. That’s what I see myself doing in 2021. I am going to spread awareness of the problem and awareness of an alternative path to safe lives.
What do you see yourself doing in 2021? Do you want to have a positive impact in the world?
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