Dr. J on the Vuvuzela
Contributor: “Dr. J”Dr. J offers his irreverent, slightly irrelevant, but possibly useful opinions on health and fitness. A Florida surgeon and fitness freak with a black belt in karate, he runs 50 miles a week and flies a Cherokee Arrow 200.
I hope everyone is getting the opportunity to watch the World Cup and cheer on your favorite team. I’ve been watching it on different channels — each in a different language — and enjoying the cultural uniqueness of the goal celebrations.
One of the more unusual variations of this year’s World Cup is the constant background buzzing drone of the vuvuzela.
This monotoned trumpet type instrument, well known to the South African football fan, is a new experience for many of the other countries, fans and players. Not all of the reviews have been favorable.
I suppose if given the choice, I would prefer not to hear it during the matches. I like the cheering crowd and variety of sounds that, in my opinion, enhances rather than dulls down the experience of the excitement. The BBC is even considering using white noise technology to offer a vuvuzela free broadcast for those less sturdy fans. Of course we all have the option to mute the sound if the din becomes too overwhelming.
Your Life and the Vuvuzela
Can you imagine if your life was filled with something like this? I don’t mean tinnitus or that constant ringing that people get from too much exposure to loud sounds of s variety of other causes, but rather something that constantly dulled down your experience of life with its oppressive, consistent, negative crushing effect. There is a saying, “A healthy person has many wishes, a sick person only has one.”
Being obese does that to your life. Every aspect, whether the physical or mental, is affected by this condition, just as surely as that vuvuzela’s drone. If this applies to you, why do you want to live your life this way? If you don’t want to, then make the necessary changes to change the tune. It can be done. Others have done it. There is hope, but that change must start with you.
You can find your own way that will work for you. Perhaps this will not be the tune you choose, but it’s still a lot better than that vuvuzela!
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Mark!
Very nice!! Thank you for that comment!
Wow – I just stumbled upon these posts while I was searching on vuvuzela. But I wholeheartedly agree that excess weight eventually becomes a death sentence. I dropped my pounds some 16 years ago and have never looked back. I’ve listened to the positive sounds (instead of the negative drone) and played tennis and soccer ever since to stay heart-healthy. May the rest of you join us !
Carla!
Hard to play “O Canada,” on the vuvuzela I’m guessing :-)
Sagan!
Thank you, college graduate!!!
Hell, even being just a little bit overweight affects all aspects of your life, never mind being obese! Nice analogy.
If my boyfriend watched sports, the sound of that thing would probably drive him crazy… he’s 29 and he can STILL hear the buzzers in malls that only teenagers are supposed to hear (so that they don’t loiter), hehe.
Great analogy. Sometimes the negative thoughts in my head are just as annoying as that instrument. We have them here in Canada – the kids blow them at hockey games and it drives me nuts! :)
Mary!
Thank you for your supportive comment!
Very very interesting post. Being obese definitely affects the rest of your life, whether you think it does or not.
The answer is to learn the new instrument by practicing new habits, and to not play the old habits any more, POD. This will strengthen the new tune, and help you forget the old. It’s not a question of hard or easy, it’s a question of either you do it or you don’t.
Ah, as usual, you make it seem as it not using food as a drug of choice is as easy as playing the tune on a vuvuzela.
Though it is a great analogy, the obnoxious tune in the back of one’s mind constantly blaring. Guess i have to fire the band!
Hey Brandon!
“…if your body isn’t happy, you’re not happy.” Sweet!
Jody!
Thank you!!!
I love that song!
What a fantastic analogy!!! You always do that! Sometimes I wonder when I see people that are overweight & it is obviously inhibiting their abilty to walk or do things, why is that not enough to make them change.. if you can barely walk.. I know some may have other conditions but some don’t…
I know it is complex in thought.. easier said than done.. but such a great post Dr. J!
if only those horns could motivate the US to play better in the first half…
bu seriously, the constant droning of life can sometimes block you from seeing the changes you truly need to make. When that happens, take a step back and stop listening to the drone and start listening to YOU. Simply put…if your body isn’t happy, you’re not happy
Roy!
Thank you so much!
Eleanor!
Great point, thank you!
Bobbie!
You are setting a great example for others, thank you!
Diane!
Fear can be a serious motivator. I’m so glad that you are now listening to a much healthier distant drummer!
I often say that when you are obese it affects every area of your life whether you realize it or not. For me, the obesity drum wasn’t loud enough for me to make a change until I really got frightened about where I could end up. Then I heeded the droning and got to work.
Great point Dr. J. There’s a distinct difference in KNOWING you need to make a change and MAKING the change. Why it’s so hard to get from point A. to point B. I will never know. Maybe there is fear of failure involved. Maybe it’s a lack of willpower, I’m not sure. But I am sure that living your life trapped inside a fat body is no life at all…
Interesting concept! Our minds are kind of like vuvuzelas – just a constant drone from morning until night. Worries, judgments, hopes, fears. We all need to find healthy ways to filter out this noise, whether it’s exercise, meditation, taking a nap, or listening to music.
What a GREAT metaphor! I am so sick of that noise. More annoying though, was carrying around an extra 80 pounds of hip and ass lard — which dulled out my life completely. Very nice column Dr. J!