Health: Fate or Free Will?

Do we really have control over our health? The question of whether or not the events of your life are based on fate or free will is age old. And this certainly relates to how and when we leave this Earth.  When working and talking with people about their health and diet, a common response ties into this notion of the pre-destiny of our lives and our ultimate fate.  This type of response comes from either a) the individual with an absolute faith in a higher being that dictates all or b) the individual who falls back on a) because it sounds nice (and/or he/she really doesn't know) and realistically doesn’t want to change their eating habits at that point in time.  Inherent in the work that I do, I do feel that our health is determined by the choices we make everyday and our environment, but whether or not these choices are shaped by our fate or actual free will is beyond me.   

I do believe that when it’s our time to leave this Earth, it’s our time, but it’s hard for me to swallow that our fate might be subjected to the arguably immoral practices that exist in today’s food system--one based on greed and monetary profit over health and the betterment of all people.  In some cases falling on fate can instigate feelings of hopelessness in someone’s situation especially when it comes to health.  One could easily take on the feeling that "this is how life is, and this is how it will always be" in acceptance of poverty, disparity, and illness. Meanwhile, for some, fatalism may bring solace and comfort in knowing that a higher entity is looking out in their favor. Free will, on the other hand, can create a sense of security and power for those who feel the need to always be in control of their life. Conversely, free will may be a scary notion knowing that ultimately the responsibility lies on our shoulders.

It’s true that we’re all dealt a genetic deck of cards that set us apart from one another.  This, I believe, relates to our fate.  Meanwhile, how our game is played based on the hand that we’re dealt is another question.  Perhaps, everyone has the capability of getting close to winning the game if presented with the appropriate tools.  But unfortunately, it’s not as easy to focus on the game with so many distractions.  

I would consider the food system as it is today (either stemmed from fate or the free will of man) one of the distractions from how this game called life should be lived and how we were created to eat.  Because of the tide of society, the true meaning of “fruits” of our labor have become lost and disguised into a new form.  In fact, we have become disconnected from the true fruits of our labor.  We spend more time into having “things,” striving for some mysterious measure of success, moving here and there for the next fulfillment, and forget what the “fruits” of our labor really are. But is this disconnect a result of fate or the free will of man?...

Regardless of whether or not you believe in fate versus free will or vice versa, the bottom line is that you’re searching for ways to improve your health and that’s the underlying reason why you’re on this website in the first place.  Everything happens for a reason.  Fate or not, you are heading in the right direction!

If you haven't already, go back and read my first blog entry on "Taking Back Control."