There’s been lots of discussion here about the importance of education, such as the type Whole Foods provides, to change attitudes toward food and health. But what happens when those you’re trying to education are part of your own family?
I’m actually in Florida now, visiting with a number of close relatives (who shall remain nameless) experiencing health problems that I’m convinced are primarily a result of poor nutrition (as well as insufficent exercise). They consume too much sugar and carbs and diet drinks, and not enough of the beneficial things, and then are surprised that they not only have various chronic conditions, but that the conditions worsen.
They do the doctor routine, visiting various specialists, who prescribe drugs, which of course fail to help. (These doctors never mention nutrition, which doesn’t help my cause; if the doctors aren’t speaking about it, after all, how important can it really be?)
I try different tactics. I bring articles about lifestyle changes that can help. I take them to Whole Foods and buy things that are beneficial, in the hope the relatives will continue the routine after I leave. I suggest small steps, as in "How about staying off the diet drinks for a month, and see if your headaches ease up." When they don’t, and complain later about the chronic conditions getting worse, I try to avoid reacting too much (as in, "If you just did what I tell you, you’d probably feel better!") When I follow up further as to why they didn’t stay with anything, the response is usually something to the effect that Whole Foods is too expensive or too crowded or whatever. It seems useless to say, "As I tried to show you and explain when I visited, you need to make some major changes in your lifestyle."
I suspect there are other tactics I might try…or maybe not. Perhaps I simply accept that this is the way it is, that their doctors won’t provide any support, that food represents too many things to them that are beyond my capability to change…
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