It’s been said for years the good things are immoral, illegal or fattening. It seems you can add “causes cancer in rats” to that list.
“Immoral” makes most people avoid you, and the people who do hang around must be watched continuously, which takes a lot of time and effort (I’m too lazy to be immoral). “Illegal” carries its own penalty. I’m living with the results of “fattening.” And I’ve come to the conclusion that living “causes cancer in rats.” Since Death is inevitable, doesn’t that make how you live the important piece in this equation?
Living well is feeling good, doing good and being good. “Doing good” is just what it says. Most of us know what that means. Others, well, see “immoral” above. “Being good” means living what you believe. I’ve met some people who want you to join their church, but don’t follow the teachings of their own religion. Or else their statement “love thy neighbor as thyself” means they hate themselves passionately.
“Feeling good” is applicable both physically and emotionally. I feel pretty good emotionally, thanks to modern medicine. But my physical health needs attention paid to it (the ravages of age and all that). I’ve taken up Morris dancing. Because I’ll live longer? Because my joints are telling me they don’t like the extra weight. Pain makes me grumpy. Grumpy makes people avoid me. Healthy feels better, for me and for the people around me.
On the other side of that, depriving myself completely of the things that I like to eat would make me grumpy. Grumpy makes people avoid me…. You see where this is going.
Ice-cream-and-maybe-cancer vs. no-ice-cream-and-maybe-no-cancer. This is a choice? Bring on the ice cream! Just make the scoop a bit smaller.