We went from Saint- Soldiers to FAT-sofa breakers.
The Punjabi people have a tradition of great pride when it comes to physical well being. We fought many wars and were ranked as some of the bravest and fittest warriors. Even the British thought highly of their Sikh regiments. But in 2006, if you look around, you will see pop tummies and fat slobs amongst our community.
Reasons for obesity rise in out community:
- Not enough activity, i.e. exercise, sports, walking (due to cars)
- Diet. Most our food contains ghee (butter and oil, these have a lot of cholesterol and cause damage to the heart. We are eating too much junk; people don’t have the time to prepare a healthy meal. We are eating too much; more calories are consumed then used.
How this affects our community:
- Quicker death rates
- Less chance of fleeing from an attacker
- Ruins image of saint- soldier
- If we are unfit and can’t defend ourselves, how are we meant to stand up for an old lady on the street getting mugged by thugs? So we are unable to even help others, this is so anti-Sikh. A Sikh is supposed to be a sign of hope, not just stand there help-less because they can’t move their body.
We all need to sort this out, just because you are skinny doesn’t mean you are fit, try running for 10 minutes, let’s see if you last.
Solutions:
· Redesign our diet
· Start gatka, yoga or martial arts
· Buy a running machine, or join the gym
· Go for group walks in the park once a week