Knowledge is Power, Right?

I was once told that there's a key difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is simply being in the possession of information. Wisdom on the other hand, is not only having knowledge, but then acting upon that knowledge (information) to do the right thing. Wouldn't it make sense then that the opposite of wisdom is foolishness....having knowledge but refusing to act upon it or refusing to do the right thing with the information given?

Swallow that for a minute (it'll be the most nutritious thing you do today)! I hate to go against current trends, but I disagree with the notion that knowledge is power. Simply knowing something isn't enough! It's what you DO with that information that's powerful! I know many individuals who hold high degrees and yet they seem to make very foolish decisions in life. So knowledge per se hasn't done anything for them, other than maybe put them in a higher pay bracket at work! But it's the individuals (and not necessarily those with higher degrees!) who take knowledge and apply it that seem to benefit the most. So I think a more accurate statement is "Knowledge that is followed through with correct action is power." How's that?!

Okay, so what does this have to do with diet, fitness, health, etc.? Well, let me list a few statistics to arm you with, um, knowledge.....

1. "An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can increase your chances of getting heart disease, cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis." (women'shealth.gov)

2. "Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers." (AOLbody)

2. "For most women, carrying extra weight around their waists (larger than 35 inches) raises health risks like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer more than carrying extra weight around the hips or thighs. Obesity can also affect medical care. Too much fat can obscure imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For example, in an ultrasound, the beam may not be able get through layers of fat to get an image of a person’s appendix, gallbladder, or kidneys. Too much body fat can make it harder for a doctor to make a medical diagnosis and treat a patient." (women'shealth.gov)

3. Of women in the U.S. 20 years old and older, over 64 million are overweight and over 34 million are obese. Body mass index (BMI) measures obesity based on weight and height with relation to body fat. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. (women'shealth.gov)

4. In 2005, the leading cause of death among women was heart disease (28.6%) and cancer (21.6%) according to Women's Health USA.

5. "Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to Europeans, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)

6. "Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States. The United States spends significantly more per capita than any European country on health care, about $2 trillion annually, or 16 percent of the gross domestic product." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)

7. There is no one cause for type 2 diabetes, but it seems to run in families, and most people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight. (women'shealth.gov)

8. You can reduce your risk (of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, etc.) by eating heart-healthy foods, getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. (women'shealth.gov)

Which would you rather be: wise or foolish? You now have some knowledge about women's health.......what will you DO with this knowledge???