wellness the quality or state of being in good health wellness is more than
in good health wellness is more than
in good health wellness is more than being free from sickness illness in
being free from sickness illness in
being free from sickness illness in various health conditions wellness is a
various health conditions wellness is a
various health conditions wellness is a dynamic process of change and growth we
dynamic process of change and growth we
dynamic process of change and growth we all know this saying that change is the
all know this saying that change is the
all know this saying that change is the only constant in life and growth refers
only constant in life and growth refers
only constant in life and growth refers to change in time and maturity if these
to change in time and maturity if these
to change in time and maturity if these statements are factual why is it that as
statements are factual why is it that as
statements are factual why is it that as we age we resist change and fear growth
we age we resist change and fear growth
we age we resist change and fear growth over the last 15 years we’ve seen a rise
over the last 15 years we’ve seen a rise
over the last 15 years we’ve seen a rise of medical costs and health care
of medical costs and health care
of medical costs and health care expenses
expenses
expenses across the United States we have also
across the United States we have also
across the United States we have also watched the fast-food chains become more
watched the fast-food chains become more
watched the fast-food chains become more of an every day and night convenience
of an every day and night convenience
of an every day and night convenience for the busy parent raising their
for the busy parent raising their
for the busy parent raising their children as a result of these poor
children as a result of these poor
children as a result of these poor nutritional habits we have actually made
nutritional habits we have actually made
nutritional habits we have actually made the United States one of the most
the United States one of the most
the United States one of the most unhealthy places to live we have turned
unhealthy places to live we have turned
unhealthy places to live we have turned Taco Tuesday into a national holiday and
Taco Tuesday into a national holiday and
Taco Tuesday into a national holiday and our children well they’ve come to
our children well they’ve come to
our children well they’ve come to glorify a Happy Meal we have watched our
glorify a Happy Meal we have watched our
glorify a Happy Meal we have watched our generation change from cattle raisers
generation change from cattle raisers
generation change from cattle raisers and farmers and homemakers two
and farmers and homemakers two
and farmers and homemakers two generations fixated on fast easy and
generations fixated on fast easy and
generations fixated on fast easy and cheap according to the American Heart
cheap according to the American Heart
cheap according to the American Heart Association children between the ages of
Association children between the ages of
Association children between the ages of 3 & 5 will not outlive their parents so
3 & 5 will not outlive their parents so
3 & 5 will not outlive their parents so I ask you now how do we reverse what
I ask you now how do we reverse what
I ask you now how do we reverse what we’ve created generations not knowing
we’ve created generations not knowing
we’ve created generations not knowing how to survive without modern technology
how to survive without modern technology
how to survive without modern technology and a drive through and how are you and
and a drive through and how are you and
and a drive through and how are you and I going to help to make generations
I going to help to make generations
I going to help to make generations better around us I know my mission may
better around us I know my mission may
better around us I know my mission may seem bold right some thin young
seem bold right some thin young
seem bold right some thin young millennial discussing health and
millennial discussing health and
millennial discussing health and wellness
wellness
wellness she has had some severe health problems
she has had some severe health problems
she has had some severe health problems herself although I may look like I know
herself although I may look like I know
herself although I may look like I know nothing about binge eating comfort foods
nothing about binge eating comfort foods
nothing about binge eating comfort foods or finding satisfaction in those
or finding satisfaction in those
or finding satisfaction in those late-night desserts
late-night desserts
late-night desserts I was once that girl I never had a
I was once that girl I never had a
I was once that girl I never had a severe weight issue but as a child I
severe weight issue but as a child I
severe weight issue but as a child I witnessed my father who was a truck
witnessed my father who was a truck
witnessed my father who was a truck driver and my mother a local certified
driver and my mother a local certified
driver and my mother a local certified nursing assistant everything was fast
nursing assistant everything was fast
nursing assistant everything was fast frozen or on the go all the time my dad
frozen or on the go all the time my dad
frozen or on the go all the time my dad Paul David Kennedy stood six feet four
Paul David Kennedy stood six feet four
Paul David Kennedy stood six feet four inches tall weighing around 300 pounds
inches tall weighing around 300 pounds
inches tall weighing around 300 pounds his nickname was Santa Claus and for
his nickname was Santa Claus and for
his nickname was Santa Claus and for good reason his on-the-go eating habits
good reason his on-the-go eating habits
good reason his on-the-go eating habits got the best of him and he suffered from
got the best of him and he suffered from
got the best of him and he suffered from diabetes most of his life I can still
diabetes most of his life I can still
diabetes most of his life I can still remember the day that I got the news it
remember the day that I got the news it
remember the day that I got the news it was a typical Tuesday afternoon around
was a typical Tuesday afternoon around
was a typical Tuesday afternoon around 3:45 p.m. and I had arrived home from
3:45 p.m. and I had arrived home from
3:45 p.m. and I had arrived home from the school bus this is my surprise I
the school bus this is my surprise I
the school bus this is my surprise I seen my dad’s truck in the driveway
seen my dad’s truck in the driveway
seen my dad’s truck in the driveway he wasn’t home often during the week he
he wasn’t home often during the week he
he wasn’t home often during the week he ran routes from Miami to Jacksonville I
ran routes from Miami to Jacksonville I
ran routes from Miami to Jacksonville I thought he was home for some big
thought he was home for some big
thought he was home for some big surprise as I ran into the house my
surprise as I ran into the house my
surprise as I ran into the house my mother sat there with sadness in her
mother sat there with sadness in her
mother sat there with sadness in her eyes there is a weird worried fearful
eyes there is a weird worried fearful
eyes there is a weird worried fearful feeling in the room I ran to my father
feeling in the room I ran to my father
feeling in the room I ran to my father and he began to ask me the usual
and he began to ask me the usual
and he began to ask me the usual questions how was your day what did you
questions how was your day what did you
questions how was your day what did you learn how was school I knew at that
learn how was school I knew at that
learn how was school I knew at that moment there was something different I
moment there was something different I
moment there was something different I asked my father why are you home what’s
asked my father why are you home what’s
asked my father why are you home what’s the surprise at 11 years old you can be
the surprise at 11 years old you can be
the surprise at 11 years old you can be so naive my father told me he had a
so naive my father told me he had a
so naive my father told me he had a mandatory doctor’s appointment that he
mandatory doctor’s appointment that he
mandatory doctor’s appointment that he couldn’t miss typically the only time my
couldn’t miss typically the only time my
couldn’t miss typically the only time my family went to the doctors or if they
family went to the doctors or if they
family went to the doctors or if they were severely ill my father went on to
were severely ill my father went on to
were severely ill my father went on to tell me that he had been diagnosed that
tell me that he had been diagnosed that
tell me that he had been diagnosed that day with stage three pancreatic cancer
day with stage three pancreatic cancer
day with stage three pancreatic cancer at the young age of 11 I didn’t quite
at the young age of 11 I didn’t quite
at the young age of 11 I didn’t quite understand what cancer was I mean I knew
understand what cancer was I mean I knew
understand what cancer was I mean I knew it was an illness but I didn’t
it was an illness but I didn’t
it was an illness but I didn’t understand its power
understand its power
understand its power over the next year and a half my life
over the next year and a half my life
over the next year and a half my life would take a drastic turn for the worse
would take a drastic turn for the worse
would take a drastic turn for the worse as my afternoons consisted of giving my
as my afternoons consisted of giving my
as my afternoons consisted of giving my father insulin shots checking his blood
father insulin shots checking his blood
father insulin shots checking his blood sugar levels cleaning cooking and
sugar levels cleaning cooking and
sugar levels cleaning cooking and becoming a young adult at just 11 years
becoming a young adult at just 11 years
becoming a young adult at just 11 years old I began to miss a lot of school and
old I began to miss a lot of school and
old I began to miss a lot of school and my mother picked up a second job at the
my mother picked up a second job at the
my mother picked up a second job at the local Family Dollar to make ends meet it
local Family Dollar to make ends meet it
local Family Dollar to make ends meet it was to this day one of the hardest times
was to this day one of the hardest times
was to this day one of the hardest times of my life my father Paul David Kennedy
of my life my father Paul David Kennedy
of my life my father Paul David Kennedy lost his battle to cancer
lost his battle to cancer
lost his battle to cancer June 18th 1999 on Father’s Day I don’t
June 18th 1999 on Father’s Day I don’t
June 18th 1999 on Father’s Day I don’t tell you this for sympathy but I tell
tell you this for sympathy but I tell
tell you this for sympathy but I tell you this to share with you where my
you this to share with you where my
you this to share with you where my mission started oh I’m sure there were
mission started oh I’m sure there were
mission started oh I’m sure there were other attributes that contributed
other attributes that contributed
other attributes that contributed somebody the death of my dad but I know
somebody the death of my dad but I know
somebody the death of my dad but I know I know if my dad would have cared as
I know if my dad would have cared as
I know if my dad would have cared as much about his health as he did his cars
much about his health as he did his cars
much about his health as he did his cars and his clothes and all the other
and his clothes and all the other
and his clothes and all the other materialistic things his life would have
materialistic things his life would have
materialistic things his life would have been prolonged throughout the family
been prolonged throughout the family
been prolonged throughout the family tree history repeats itself as I watched
tree history repeats itself as I watched
tree history repeats itself as I watched my brother Jeffrey Kennedy passed away
my brother Jeffrey Kennedy passed away
my brother Jeffrey Kennedy passed away from a heart attack at the young age of
from a heart attack at the young age of
from a heart attack at the young age of 52 he was a local car salesman who
52 he was a local car salesman who
52 he was a local car salesman who worked 70 hours a week he had the
worked 70 hours a week he had the
worked 70 hours a week he had the beautiful house the lavish cars the ATVs
beautiful house the lavish cars the ATVs
beautiful house the lavish cars the ATVs and decades of hard work under his belt
and decades of hard work under his belt
and decades of hard work under his belt and when it came time to retire to enjoy
and when it came time to retire to enjoy
and when it came time to retire to enjoy it all he never got the opportunity to
it all he never got the opportunity to
it all he never got the opportunity to after watching my family suffer with so
after watching my family suffer with so
after watching my family suffer with so many health related illnesses I knew I
many health related illnesses I knew I
many health related illnesses I knew I had to make a change for my family and
had to make a change for my family and
had to make a change for my family and for my future I knew I had to break the
for my future I knew I had to break the
for my future I knew I had to break the cycle we see so many adults falling
cycle we see so many adults falling
cycle we see so many adults falling short of their true potential to live a
short of their true potential to live a
short of their true potential to live a life full of longevity and prosperity we
life full of longevity and prosperity we
life full of longevity and prosperity we watch as they buy their expensive
watch as they buy their expensive
watch as they buy their expensive clothes and beautiful homes and fancy
clothes and beautiful homes and fancy
clothes and beautiful homes and fancy cars yet invest nothing into their most
cars yet invest nothing into their most
cars yet invest nothing into their most promising asset their body the human
promising asset their body the human
promising asset their body the human body is one of the most adverse and
body is one of the most adverse and
body is one of the most adverse and dynamic mechanisms ever created
dynamic mechanisms ever created
dynamic mechanisms ever created it’s intricate workings between the 11
it’s intricate workings between the 11
it’s intricate workings between the 11 organ systems and trillions of cells are
organ systems and trillions of cells are
organ systems and trillions of cells are all apart of what keep us functioning
all apart of what keep us functioning
all apart of what keep us functioning daily if we do not take care of those
daily if we do not take care of those
daily if we do not take care of those cells those organs and those systems we
cells those organs and those systems we
cells those organs and those systems we begin to have health problems like
begin to have health problems like
begin to have health problems like cancer and diabetes and well heart
cancer and diabetes and well heart
cancer and diabetes and well heart disease just to name a few in my
disease just to name a few in my
disease just to name a few in my profession I get the question all the
profession I get the question all the
profession I get the question all the time why is it so expensive to eat
time why is it so expensive to eat
time why is it so expensive to eat healthy my response having a heart
healthy my response having a heart
healthy my response having a heart attack is expensive chemotherapy is
attack is expensive chemotherapy is
attack is expensive chemotherapy is expensive wait to get the bill for not
expensive wait to get the bill for not
expensive wait to get the bill for not being healthy that’s expensive by a show
being healthy that’s expensive by a show
being healthy that’s expensive by a show of hands in the room how many of you
of hands in the room how many of you
of hands in the room how many of you change your oil service your cars and
change your oil service your cars and
change your oil service your cars and shine your tires
ladies or gentlemen by a show of hands
ladies or gentlemen by a show of hands how many of you get a pedicure get your
how many of you get a pedicure get your
how many of you get a pedicure get your nails done get your hair done gentlemen
nails done get your hair done gentlemen
nails done get your hair done gentlemen you can talk up to how many of you can
you can talk up to how many of you can
you can talk up to how many of you can honestly say you spend more time money
honestly say you spend more time money
honestly say you spend more time money and effort preserving your self-image
and effort preserving your self-image
and effort preserving your self-image then you do your health
then you do your health
then you do your health I have watched our society fill their
I have watched our society fill their
I have watched our society fill their cars with the most expensive oils and
cars with the most expensive oils and
cars with the most expensive oils and best gasses and then drive those
best gasses and then drive those
best gasses and then drive those vehicles straight through the dollar
vehicles straight through the dollar
vehicles straight through the dollar menu as if what is manifested on the
menu as if what is manifested on the
menu as if what is manifested on the outside is worth more than the vessel
outside is worth more than the vessel
outside is worth more than the vessel that carries your soul I know this may
that carries your soul I know this may
that carries your soul I know this may sound silly but I know you only get one
sound silly but I know you only get one
sound silly but I know you only get one opportunity one chance in one voice to
opportunity one chance in one voice to
opportunity one chance in one voice to change the world as Martin Luther King
change the world as Martin Luther King
change the world as Martin Luther King jr. had a dream to save the world from
jr. had a dream to save the world from
jr. had a dream to save the world from racism I I have a dream to save the
racism I I have a dream to save the
racism I I have a dream to save the world from obesity I have a dream that
world from obesity I have a dream that
world from obesity I have a dream that one day our children will be free of
one day our children will be free of
one day our children will be free of sickness and illness I have a dream that
sickness and illness I have a dream that
sickness and illness I have a dream that one day our clinics will no longer be
one day our clinics will no longer be
one day our clinics will no longer be full of unhealthy people but instead our
full of unhealthy people but instead our
full of unhealthy people but instead our parks will be full of people living a
parks will be full of people living a
parks will be full of people living a healthy active lifestyle I have a dream
healthy active lifestyle I have a dream
healthy active lifestyle I have a dream that one day our community will thrive
that one day our community will thrive
that one day our community will thrive and be able to educate communities
and be able to educate communities
and be able to educate communities around us on better ways to make
around us on better ways to make
around us on better ways to make healthier choices see I can’t do this
healthier choices see I can’t do this
healthier choices see I can’t do this alone it starts with you you you you and
alone it starts with you you you you and
alone it starts with you you you you and even you and me it starts with all of us
even you and me it starts with all of us
even you and me it starts with all of us making a conscious decision to take care
making a conscious decision to take care
making a conscious decision to take care of what matters most let’s make the
of what matters most let’s make the
of what matters most let’s make the decision to educate our children to
decision to educate our children to
decision to educate our children to choose the Apple over the cookie
choose the Apple over the cookie
choose the Apple over the cookie let’s make the decision to enhance our
let’s make the decision to enhance our
let’s make the decision to enhance our eating choices at the grocery store or
eating choices at the grocery store or
eating choices at the grocery store or at the restaurant let’s make the
at the restaurant let’s make the
at the restaurant let’s make the decision to enjoy cooking at home as a
decision to enjoy cooking at home as a
decision to enjoy cooking at home as a family
family
family perhaps you start a crock-pot before you
perhaps you start a crock-pot before you
perhaps you start a crock-pot before you leave the house preparation is key to
leave the house preparation is key to
leave the house preparation is key to success in all areas in life and right
success in all areas in life and right
success in all areas in life and right now we need to be prepared more than
now we need to be prepared more than
now we need to be prepared more than ever I am so grateful so grateful that I
ever I am so grateful so grateful that I
ever I am so grateful so grateful that I had those experiences as a young adult
had those experiences as a young adult
had those experiences as a young adult with my father and my brother I know in
with my father and my brother I know in
with my father and my brother I know in my heart that all of those things I went
my heart that all of those things I went
my heart that all of those things I went through as a young child have brought me
through as a young child have brought me
through as a young child have brought me to this moment this point here with all
to this moment this point here with all
to this moment this point here with all of you you see no matter what time
tick-tock tick-tock
tick-tock tick-tock time is going to pass it’s up to you to
time is going to pass it’s up to you to
time is going to pass it’s up to you to say I am done making excuses it’s up to
say I am done making excuses it’s up to
say I am done making excuses it’s up to you to say I am worthy of more it’s up
you to say I am worthy of more it’s up
you to say I am worthy of more it’s up to you to make the decision to just
to you to make the decision to just
to you to make the decision to just choose smarter eating choices smarter
choose smarter eating choices smarter
choose smarter eating choices smarter eating choices the time is now there’s
eating choices the time is now there’s
eating choices the time is now there’s never been a better time I mean let’s be
never been a better time I mean let’s be
never been a better time I mean let’s be honest how many of you in here aren’t
honest how many of you in here aren’t
honest how many of you in here aren’t feeling your best on a daily basis you
feeling your best on a daily basis you
feeling your best on a daily basis you can change that
can change that
can change that we can change that imagine the impact we
we can change that imagine the impact we
we can change that imagine the impact we could have our generations to come think
could have our generations to come think
could have our generations to come think about your grandchildren and their
about your grandchildren and their
about your grandchildren and their grandchildren what kind of culture what
grandchildren what kind of culture what
grandchildren what kind of culture what kind of future is going to be left for
kind of future is going to be left for
kind of future is going to be left for them I pray that your daughter gets the
them I pray that your daughter gets the
them I pray that your daughter gets the chance to walk down the aisle with her
chance to walk down the aisle with her
chance to walk down the aisle with her father because I won’t get that chance
father because I won’t get that chance
father because I won’t get that chance and I pray that she’ll be able to go to
and I pray that she’ll be able to go to
and I pray that she’ll be able to go to the daddy-daughter dance because I never
the daddy-daughter dance because I never
the daddy-daughter dance because I never did I know together we can make the
did I know together we can make the
did I know together we can make the world a healthier and happier place to
world a healthier and happier place to
world a healthier and happier place to live for generation
live for generation
live for generation to come and I know together we can break
to come and I know together we can break
to come and I know together we can break the cycle thank you
”
Be First to Comment