Many of us may remember a commercial showing a woman saying, “I have fallen, and I can’t get up.” Well, this became my reality a few months ago, when my 86-year-old father fell and couldn’t get up. I was able to come from behind him to help lift him to his feet. He said, “Oh, you are strong!” My father weighs about 150 pounds.
I have a goal of lifting heavier weights because I know that lifting weights will not only help me get stronger and strengthen my bones, but it will also allow me to be able to help my father. Since I am his caregiver, I must take charge and make sure I am well-equipped to handle it. Thus, I will need to continue to gain knowledge and strength.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, like his teacher, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, has given us knowledge on improving our health. Isn’t it a blessing to have a Minister who is concerned about your total health:
Mind, body, and spirit? Please take the time to read the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s articles on “The War Against Obesity (Fat).” In a previous issue of The Final Call, one of the subtitles of the article says, “Exercise to Stay Alive!”
If we want to stay alive and thrive, we do need to exercise. What stops us from setting and achieving a goal? Maybe it’s a lack of knowledge, or maybe it’s the presence of pain. Read “Self-Improvement:
The Basis for Community Development,” the Study Guides by the Honorable Minister Farrakhan, and engage in self-examination, self-analysis and self-correction to identify what is stopping you from improving your health.
In Study Guide No. 6, “Building The Will Pt. 2,” it states in part that “Desire is the food source of the Will. In addition to nourishment, the Will needs direction and support.” It also explains that we “exercise” the will by “overcoming resistance.”
Out of love and gratitude to Allah (God) for our life, we should strive to “actively” preserve and care for the body that He has given us. We take care of our cars and the homes that we live in; we should also take care of our bodies. Take action by praying to Allah (God) and then setting a goal.
After you set a goal, take a little step toward your goal each day. Start with daily goals. For example, if I have a goal of working out each day, I am going to do some form of exercise to keep my body in good condition.
Minister Farrakhan teaches that desire feeds the will. Not only do I desire to look good, but I want to feel good also, and be able to go up a few flights of stairs without feeling like I can’t breathe (smile).
Remember your intention or goal before you hit that snooze button. Ask yourself, “Is going back to sleep going to bring me closer to my goal or away from it?” Keep the goal of, as we are taught, “weighing properly” in mind. Remember, being overweight or obese can lead to other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other problems.
We are encouraged in the Study Guides to use “practical application.” In Study Guide No. 5, “Building the Will Pt. 5,” it states, to break a habit that is destructive to our will. An example of this would be breaking the habit of sitting down for most of the day and not exercising.
Every day, we should work on disciplining ourselves, eating one healthy meal, and intentionally engaging in some type of exercise. May Allah (God) bless us all with good thoughts, peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.
Sister Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at [email protected] and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.
Take charge of your health today!