October 20, 2004

• ~*Appearance Matters*~

  
  

  I was listening to radio this morning on my way to work and they were discussing liposuction and people’s need for this in today’s society.  One of the disc-jockeys was having this procedure done and was inquiring about the amount of recovery time.  It made me think of why is it so important to people today that we all exude perfection?

  
  

  Think about it. From television commercials to magazine covers to shows and movies. Everywhere we look today we see girls and guys starving themselves or striving for the “perfect body”.   So much so that it’s the reason as to why America has the highest obesity rate.  If you don’t have the “perfect body” you’re more than likely obese.  Most people have some form of an eating disorder whether it be anorexia or bulimia, or overeating, bingeing…something.

  
  

  It’s truly sad if you ask me, that we all feel some need to portray the “perfect body” image to the rest of society.  I’m sure that it’s not who we really are.  Now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be healthy or make healthy choices in our diets…I’m saying that we shouldn’t go from one extreme to the other.  I, for one, am overweight…and have been for as long as I can remember.  I’ve never been what is considered “thin” by society’s standards.  I’m sure that I will never be that either.  However, I do strive to be healthy.

  
  

  Being healthy is a completely different concept than “dieting”.  It’s one thing to have a surgery done like bariatric surgery because one is “morbidly obese” and it’s necessary to save one’s life…it’s another to have tons of plastic surgery done in order to feel that one fits in with the image of society.

  
  

  Take actors for instance, these people are the ones that usually set the “image” that most have in their minds as the “perfect body” in society.  But how healthy are these people and how much plastic surgery do they have? Most of them aren’t as healthy as they’d like you to think and let me just say that we all know of at least one actress that literally paid for her body.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent to make Demi Moore (who I personally think looked better before her surgeries) look like she does today (right) as opposed to what she did only a few years ago (left).

  
  

  

  
  

  It’s not as if she really needed to have all of the surgical work done for health reasons now is it? Umm…I think not.  It’s totally an image-factor here.  I’m not against people having plastic surgery…I’m merely questioning why we as a society feel the need to do it SO much. There are people who go in every year for “maintenance”.  That to me is just sad.

  
  

  Maintenance? Isn’t that what we do for our cars? Maintenance checks? Yeah…so when did our bodies become that of equality with machinery? Today’s society is so shallow minded that people are putting their bodies through countless unnecessary surgeries in order to “look better’.  Everything from breast implants to tummy tucks to liposuction to butt implants…our society has become high maintenance and an asset for profit in the medical world.

  
  

  Now I can’t speak for everyone, I’m merely speaking for myself…but I had a surgery just one year ago that I wish I’d never had to receive.  However, I’m glad that I did because I’ve been able to be active again and haven’t had to live each day in pain due to severe endometriosis.  That was a necessary surgery…and one that was long overdue. 

  
  

  Would I go under the knife for plastic surgery? Umm…not for implants and definitely not for more than a one time thing.  After having four children, my once perky breasts are now well…not so perky anymore.  I do believe that my weight contributes to that factor however, if I ever did get to my goal weight and this was still an issue…I might consider a breast lift…but not implants.  Would I consider bariatric surgery? At the weight that I’m currently at I would actually be a candidate for that surgery and have thought about doing so…but, financially I can’t afford it and to be honest…I’m not what a doctor would consider “unhealthy” even though my BMI (body mass index) is way above the normal range for a female with my measurements.  I do have hypothyroid however, which affects my weight drastically.

  
  

  Primary Hypothyroid

  
  

  Primary hypothyroidism occurs when disease of the thyroid gland prevents it from producing adequate amounts of thyroid hormone. Symptoms may vary from mild to severe and from nonspecific to very specific. In general, all metabolic processes slow down. Patients are often fatigued, and may also have depression, decreased intellectual function, and, rarely, overt psychosis. Patients frequently complain of cold intolerance, dry skin, and constipation. The heart rate is often slowed, as is the relaxation phase of deep tendon reflexes. There may be high cholesterol, mild anemia, and high serum enzymes, including CPK.

  
  

  I’m on constant medication for this disorder, however we’ve not yet been able to quite get it under control.  It’s frustrating and my doctor has mentioned the bariatric surgery to me as a last resort if it continues to worsen.  I still, however, am not what I would consider to be an unhealthy person.  Weight wise I’m not as healthy as I should be…but I’m active, I’ve got normal blood pressure, my cholestoral isn’t high, and I try to eat somewhat healthy.

  
  

  However, as previously stated several times…by today’s social standards I’m obsese.  There is always pressure to have the better body…especially if you’re female.  I personally find it disheartening.

  
  

  I am who I am…and am loved by many people, not for my outward appearance, but for who I am…and how I make others feel when in my presence.  Isn’t that what social standards should be?

  • 11:22 am
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