Oh, Paula

This made me crazy: Paula Deen on the Today Show

Drugs don’t cure diabetes. She’s led herself down this path, is tempting others down this path then is selling a “cure” that is no cure at all. It’s just one more lie about how to care for your body. She’s perpetuating the problem with her apparent ignorance or just disregard. Towards the end of the interview she insinuates that to be healthy you have to starve. And that taking care of your body is a form of punishment. ::massive eye roll::

I love food. Like, really really love food. I spent ten years fluctuating between 250 and 300 pounds. I’m still hanging out at 200. But here’s the deal…my kids are really important. *I* am really important. I need to be at my full capabilities for all the things I want to give to this world and my family. I refuse to get diabetes, period. I watched it rob my dad of most of his eyesight and a large part of his health for a long time. A bone infection in his foot cost him a toe. His eyes required laser surgery every couple of months for two years about a decade ago. Endless bills for medications and doctor visits. Early retirement due to physical disability. I could keep going on and on.

I’ve recently made a few minor changes that will make a long-term drastic improvement in my life. (I will write more about that in weeks to come.) Paula could have done that, too. She could have been a platform of change. Paula Deen has influence. I had/have a great respect for the obstacles she overcame as a single mom and a person who struggled with mental health issues. I related and was incredibly proud of her accomplishments, no matter how many sticks of butter she peddled. I was raised by a poor, single mom. I am a single mom. I’ve struggled with depression and watched other close to me struggle with way worse than my worrying nature. I get it and was proud of her for rising above.

I read in a USA Today article yesterday morning when the story finally broke that she was consulted about her disease by Dr. Mehmet Oz. I’m certain that Dr. Oz talked to her about changes she could make to halt and reverse this disease. She could have been a revolutionary in educating the benefits of true health and how delicious and invigorating it can be. Instead, she’s pushing a pill and cashing a check.