.... remember "Twisted Sister"...??

I don't even remember the year, but I remember every word to the song...

"We're not gonna take it, no we aint gonna take it, we're not gonna take it ... anymore"

Sung with the passion of angst ridden teenagers around the world the song became and anthem for the generation ... for at least a good week or two.

Then, as is the way with human nature, we slipped back into our 'normal' lives and continued to 'take it'.

This morning as I trained my very energetic and enthusiastic  6:30am client we discussed pretty much every topic you can imagine from lamenting the political decisions that are undermining our public health system to the desperate need and guilt ridden indulgence of a chocolate coated dried apricot in the late hours of last evening.

The end result, a conclusion that perhaps we should start singing passionately the words of Twisted Sister again.

Now they weren't that pretty, but they did get the juices flowing and even now as I think about how it felt to sing it, I feel myself energised, wanting to go out and make change in the world.

The catalyst for the conversation was a song "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" and a comment "not like 10 litres of coca-cola a day", which you may recognise as the lethal self administered dose of a new zealand woman found slumped in her toilet and dead yesterday at the tender age of 30.  Leaving behind 8 unhealthy children ... and who knows what else.

I have so much to say on this issue, but it can be summarised in one simple question ... when did this woman start to believe that a coca cola diet was the best choice for her?  Lack of energy, an early morning vomit (daily) and probably morbid obesity should have been signals that something wasn't quite right.  Then look down the line to 8 children without teeth, because they had rotted out ... and probably destined for a short future of junk food, health problems, and general misery.

People ... I find myself greatly saddened by the passing of this young lady, not because I knew her or because she has left behind a family ... these things happen around the world every day ... but rather because as a society we find it easier and more acceptable to criticise her circumstances and point the finger of blame at a multinational corporation, than to recognise that as a society we are failing.  We are failing to educate people on the best choices for a healthy, prosperous and energetic life; we are failing to empower individuals to make great choices themselves for their own life; and we are failing our future generations because with all the research, knowledge, technology and smarts that we have, we are still forgetting to love ourselves and each other in a way that enables us to enjoy each and every day to the full.

Today is valentines day ... share the love and make a better choice for your life today!!!