Jun 11, 2010

It's not easy being short...


I saw a headline this morning and it was the first thing I read:

"Short people at risk for heart problems"

As if we don't get enough warnings about all the things we can control in our lives such as diet, exercise, sleep...now we are supposed to worry about what we cannot do anything about.

Apparently statistics now show that if you are 5'3" or under (that would be me), you have a 50% greater chance of dying from heart trouble. "We don't want to scare short people, but perhaps they should be extra cautious about their lifestyle" said one professor, who wasn't even connected with the study.

Here are the potential reasons for the greater risk:

1) perhaps short people are poor and undernourished - Well, I'm certainly not wealthy but in comparison to most of the world I am certainly not poor or undernourished. Seems like it used to be that potential heart problems were of special concern to the "over" nourished!

2) short people may have a hormone imbalance - Oh my. The report didn't say if they were picking on women in particular, but they better watch it!

3) short people have smaller arteries and therefore are more susceptible to artery clogging and high blood pressure problems - This possible reason seemed to make the most sense, theoretically speaking, but I'll tell you, we have a lot of short people in my family's lineage, but we also have a lot of longevity.

One spokesman stated that cardiologists need to be careful at drawing conclusions that short people are more susceptible to heart problems, that it would potentially unfairly stigmatize them. This is the scary part to me. How unfair it would be for insurance companies and employers, for example, to discriminate against short people on the grounds they could possibly be at greater risk for heart problems.

Just what the world needed, another report coming out to scare people about health hazards! While I definitely think it is a good idea to use common sense and apply wisdom in trying to take care of the bodies we have been entrusted with, the fact remains that we will not live in these bodies forever! Something will wear out or fail us eventually.

I refuse to live a life of fear over something I had no control over. Yes, I am short. In fact I'm an inch shorter than what I was when I was younger! But my times are in His hands, the One who created me and determined how long I would live before I was even born. Read all about it in Psalm 139. And live each day to the fullest!

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

8 comments:

Nellie's Cozy Place said...

Amen Jacquelyn,
Sometimes you do wish they would give it a rest, it is one thing to tell you about things you can do something about,of course I guess it is good from the standpoint if you know you are more at risk for a reason you are more likely to have those things checked on regularly,
to nip it in the bud earlier. But I am with you our lives are in God,s hands and we are not going anywhere one minute before the Lord says it is time for us to go home to be with him.
Ilove the scriptures you used, they are some of my favorites too!

Thanks for stopping by today and for the sweet comments. Also thanks so much for your prayers for us and for Aly and her Mom.

Nothing happening so far on the job front, he has sent out a lot of resumes but you get no response. We know that when God's timing is right or when He decides to show us another path things will start to happen. We were praying for a scripture from the Lord for this time, as he gave us one last time. Last week he gave hubby the one in Isaiah 40:31 about those who wait on the Lord.......

It is always so comforting to have a word from the Lord.
Thanks for being such a great sister in the Lord.

Am so glad the Lord has blessed you with all that Joy with your adorable grandchildren. That is
such a blessing in and of itself.

Have a sweetly blessed weekend
Nellie

Holly, the Old Western Gal said...

Well my dear how would you like to be an towering giraffe like myself? lol. You'd think we'd all be about the same height, but when they called out "height" I guess I went thru the line twice. My mother, sisters and even brothers were all very short. Don't know where I came from.

Jess said...

Hi Friend,
I love this post! Especially the reminder that GOD has every day of my life written in His Book. HE truly knows the beginning and the end of time, including the days ordained for my life!
I need to remember that truth and not let fear nag at me so.
Enjoying my precious family up here in Louisville. =)
Have a wonderful weekend...much love, me

Pat said...

Oh dear, I'm one of those short people too! Like you, I've lost almost an inch since I was young! I will just call myself petite instead of short, and let life roll on!
HOw reassuring to know that God has the number of our days already figured out...and to rest in that knowledge!
Hugs!

Wanda..... said...

I'm another petite person, Jacquelyn...I won't worry about the article though...just eat right and exercise, what more can one do...but think positive!
♥...Wanda

Anonymous said...

Great post and I love what you wrote at the end. Fear, I would think, is the greatest health hazard as it prevents us from fully living and probably does more damage to our hearts from all that worrying(just my opinion). Have a great day! :)

Rebecca said...

Great attitude, Jaquelyn! And I love that Dick, Jane, and Sally picture at the beginning of the post!

Crown of Beauty said...

Thank you for this post, Jacquelyn. I appreciate the insights. The schoolbook picture at the top made me nostalgic for my early gradeschool days when we would read about them in our English Grammar readers.

And the scientific predictions for short people? That may be only partly true, not for all. My pastor's wife who was only 4'10'' lived to be 85 and never had any heart issues. Of course she ate healthy stuff.

Can't say the same for my mom, though. She was 4'10'' too and she had a stroke when she was 57, and died when she was 60.

I love what you said about not being fearful of anything. Our times are in His hands, yes I say Amen to that.

Thank you for the comments you left on my blog, I too have enjoyed the writings of Walter and Ingrid Trobisch. I have most of their books too, including Hdden Strength. I found out that Ingrid Trobisch Youngdale had coauthored a book entitled On My Way Home with her daughter Katrine Stewart.

I had also discovered just today, prompted by your question about Katrina, that she had married a US Diplomat and has lived in many countries like Romania, India, Germany, Pakistan, the Bahamas, and Mexico. She has five children and now lives out her Godly calling to build bridges of faith, friendship and culture.

I have loved it each time I visited your blog places. Loved the recent posts you have written about your grandchildren, hiding clutter, buying affordable clothes, teaching them to help prepared meals! Loved the photos you shared!

Come by my blog place anytime you can. I love hearing from you.

Love
Lidj