t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

10.14.2009

Headline: Utah Leads the Nation...

...In Prescription Pain Medication Abuse.

This afternoon I walked on my quiet street, to my quiet mailbox and found my community newsletter. This was the glaring headline. It is so troubling to me. I also often hear Utah is number one in anti-depressant use. Why? What is going in on in our homes, communities, and I dare say culture, that feeds this?

possible food for thought...but based on nothing

our eating habits. too much sugar. too much refined everything. busy moms making "busy mom day" meals from boxes and cans

not enough exercise. too many episodes of the office, oprah or
whatever is deemed relaxation tv


lots of postpartum from lots of babies

looking outside of family for validation

trying to be moderate in all things...but forgetting we don't need to include everything, isn't it okay to eliminates some things instead of moderate, when we are trying to sift through good, better and best

not enough TLC with hubby, i'll keep this g-rated, but it bears mentioning i think, whoa take a deep breath

I really don't know. I just never want to add to anyone's problems. If you get depressed reading my blog, please stop reading. In all seriousness. I don't try to be depressing. Instead I just try to share the things I'm doing and my family is doing, as a family record, but also to share ideas.

You can see I do a great deal of gear shifting. I learn. I change. I learn some more. Change some more. Try. Fail. Try. Succeed. Try. Fail again.

When I taught school, I found some teachers were so possessive of their lesson plans and good ideas. I never understood that. I spent hours developing curriculum and tried to share it with anyone and everyone who was interested. Not because I thought I was an amazing teacher, only because I wanted others to benefit from my efforts.

I guess that explains a lot of my blog too. I don't blog because I think I am better or an amazing mother but only to offer up some of the little gems I find to others to take or leave.

If I can help someone be a little better by sharing the things I learn...that matters to me.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I have also heard about our state being very high in use of prescription drugs. As an exercise instructor, I too find this hard to understand.
I think your blog is a very good read. I enjoy your outlook on things and I love that you share your knowledge with all of us. Thank you

Sarah said...

hey. i'm that new girl from your ward. so glad you told me about your blog!

i agree with you on this. it really is sad that we resort to drugs instead of just taking better care of ourselves!

i'm excited to learn from you and any others that i can about cooking healthy food for my family. i had never been interested in cooking until i thought of it in this way. so, share away!

EmJay said...

My belief of why our state is the highest in PDU is due to the fact that most of Utahn's (those that are LDS) believe that illicit drugs are against the word of wisdom. When presented with a "legal" but equally as strong alternative, they're hooked. They really don't believe that what they are doing is wrong - legally or morally. Utah is lower than most states in illegal drug use and dealing, but the prescription problem is just as scary.

Rebecca said...

Good point on the illicit versus prescription. You would think we would get the point and everything wouldn't have to be spelled out word for word. It is not mete that we be commanded in all things. That's why we have brains right?

Erin said...

I love your blog. I don't think you're bragging. Just cool. You think a lot like I do, btw.

HanksFam said...

Good post, Rebecca. I, too, agree with a lot of it. And I thank you again for the use of your lesson plans when we taught together. Honestly, I couldn't have made it through that year without you!