Good morning, friends. Ever hear of the phrase “serious as a heart attack”? I thought so. But seriously, you cannot guess what I just found out about strokes and kids! According to researchers at the 2011 American Stroke Association’s International Conference “a stroke is to the brain what a heart attack is to the heart: part of the organ dies... [and there’s been] a marked increase in the rate of stroke in children ages five to 14.”
Here it is: When someone has a stroke, depending upon what part of the brain is affected, the functions controlled by that part die; they’re gone, kaput! It could be your ability to speak, walk, or even have relationships with other people. All gone in an instant. What are the biggest culprits? Fast foods, snacks, and sitting around texting or playing computer games! Think about it. How often do you snack while you’re online? How often do you jog while you’re texting? If the answer to #1 is "a lot” and the answer to #2 is “not” then you are living in dangerous territory.
Being the proverbial champion of young people and their loved ones, Amazon Sage dream-travelled to the conference to learn more. Most importantly, she wanted to know why this adult disease has started attacking children and teens? The results are disturbing. In truth, doctors don’t know exactly why, but they have some pretty good ideas and what they know does not bode well for an entire generation of kids.
Here it is: When someone has a stroke, depending upon what part of the brain is affected, the functions controlled by that part die; they’re gone, kaput! It could be your ability to speak, walk, or even have relationships with other people. All gone in an instant. What are the biggest culprits? Fast foods, snacks, and sitting around texting or playing computer games! Think about it. How often do you snack while you’re online? How often do you jog while you’re texting? If the answer to #1 is "a lot” and the answer to #2 is “not” then you are living in dangerous territory. Besides strokes, did you know that diabetes has also reached record high numbers in young people... not the old fashioned juvenile diabetes type, but the adult onset type that can make you blind and cause you to have your limbs amputated, one toe at a time!
So what to do? If you do not want to ignore your social networking duties., start a new fad and help save a life... or many. The first life you save will be your own. Instead of the same old texts: “S’up?” or “OMG” and other inane comments, dare yourself to be different. See how many ways you can move your body in between texts and shoot a short video to prove you're doing it; also, munch on carrots or apples instead of fries and chips; have a wii party where everybody tries to beat their own personal best; see fried foods for what they are, killers. Be the hero you were meant to be. Amazon Sage is doing her part. Now it’s your turn.
