Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
He's My Brother
"Then I sent Moses and Aaron..." --Joshua 24:5
Read: Joshua 24
A great friend and mogul said to me yesterday, "I believe God puts people in your life to help show you where you're going." His statement couldn't have been more true about the day nearly seven years ago when I met then writer extraordinaire and future PrayFit VP Eric Velazquez. Little did I know that when I shook Eric's hand in the offices of Muscle & Fitness Magazine, God was showing me where I was going.
In the context of PrayFit, if I could humbly assign Eric a biblical counterpart, it would probably be Aaron. If you're thinking, "Aaron! Yes, of course! Aaron...wait...who's Aaron?" well, that helps my point. Aaron was Moses' brother. Often overlooked, but when Moses was in need, God sent Aaron. Moses stuttered, so God delivered. Aaron 'spoke well' and they became a team.
So please allow me to use the comparison to publicly acknowledge Eric and his selfless, often invisible, critical and fantastic work he does day in and out. If it weren't for Eric, there would be no daily message. If he's not writing amazing articles for the biggest fitness magazines in the country, or inspiring people to grow closer to the Lord and healthier in the process, he's smoothing out my stutter. He's my brother, and we're a team.
If you've been following PrayFit for any length of time, please help me in publicly thanking Eric for who he is and what he means to us all.
--Jimmy Peña
HEALTH FACTS, BY THE NUMBERS The AHA's most recent report on obesity and its ties to heart disease
149,300,000 - Number of U.S. adults (age 20 and older) that are overweight or obese
33.7 - Percentage of U.S. adults (age 20 and older) that are obese
23,600,000 - Number of U.S. children (age 2 to 19) that are overweight or obese
16.9 - Percentage of U.S. children (age 2 to 19) that are obese
33 - Percentage of U.S. adults that report doing no aerobic leisure-time activity
71 - Percentage of U.S. adults with cardiovascular disease that were overweight or obese
1 in 3- Deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease in the U.S.
Source: American Heart Association Statistical Update on Heart Disease and Strokes (2012)
STAND YOUR GROUND
June 29, 2011Read: Ephesians 6
"Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground." -- Ephesians 6:13
Looking at today's passage more closely, you'll notice something great. Of all the armor Paul talks about, not one item is mentioned to protect us from behind. From the breastplate of righteousness to the shield of faith, God teaches us that we're in for a frontal attack. We'll never be surprised or blindsided. In other words, He's got our backs.
When it comes to our crusade for greater health, most of our fights are frontal. The battle comes straight ahead. Whether it be with choices on the lunch menu, to setting the alarm early for a morning workout, the blows are before us and in plain sight. Today, decide that your health is worth protecting. If you see can see it coming, pick a fight. When attacked, go to war. After all, it's not the health battles we lose that should bother us...it's those we don't suit up for.
--J.P.
STUDY: DIABETES ON THE RISE Deemed a “silent killer,” diabetes gaining foothold in heavier, older populations
The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has more than doubled since 1980, with almost 350 million now affected, according to a new study published in The Lancet medical journal. Scientists from Imperial College London and Harvard University analyzed the blood sugar of 2.7 million people aged 25 and over across the world and used the results to estimate diabetes prevalence. The number of adults with diabetes more than doubled from 153 million in 1980 to 347 million in 2008, according to the study.
Diabetes is caused by poor blood sugar control and can lead to heart disease and stroke and can damage the kidneys, nerves and eyes. High blood sugar levels and diabetes kill three million people across the world each year.
The researchers said two of the strongest factors in the rising diabetes rate were increasing life span and body weight, especially among women.
>> For the full story on Yahoo! Health News, click here.