Is Tony Abbot a fool or a tool? Because it’s one or the other.

Tony Abbot has a scheme to make life harder for people with disabilities.

Perhaps Mr Abbot would care to try living on disability pension?

For his information, disability pensioners have actual medical conditions which are, you know, like, disabling? Those I know on benefits spend most of their time going back and forth between doctors, hospital clinics and the like for treatments, and spend most of their money on necessities including medication. And they have only gone onto the benefit with extreme reluctance, preferring to hold down at least a part-time job while they still could manage it – sometimes even beyond when they could reasonably be expected to manage.

It is already hard enough for a well person to navigate the heartless Centrelink beaurocracy; why make the lives of people who have disabling medical conditions even harder?

(And I haven’t even started in on the idiocy of making it harder for people to access unemployment benefits in the middle of a Global Financial Crisis).

Another 5am post: Why I don’t like the term HAES anymore

Just posted a lengthy response to a post on HAES at Inner Thoughts, Inner Soul, but I thought I’d post a slightly edited version of it here, too. (Why the hell not?)

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Rather than following a strict Health At Every Size philosophy, I now practise just listening to my body (or you could simply call it self-care or being kind to myself) which is what I believe was the core of the original HAES/intuitive eating concept.

In recent months, I have seen:

a) people in the medical community who supposedly support HAES assert what amounts to a moral obligation for fat people to practice HAES, and

b) people whose underlying medication conditions don’t allow them to be in perfect health, feel excluded or judged by the moral imperative they believe is inherant in the term Health at Every Size.

I’m sure neither of these things were the intention of the people who coined HAES, but somehow it has been co-opted or twisted into an alternative diet philosophy with side-serve of puritan morality.

There is no moral imperative for health, nor is there a moral imperative to eat a certain way or exercise at a certain level.

I am a firm believer that one’s body knows what works best for it, regardless of your base level of health. There is nothing you ‘should’ be doing, only what you could be doing if it fits with what your body and soul needs.

So, I listen to my body about what and when I eat, and how and when I exercise. And I also to factor in my emotional and mental well-being into those decisions.

The goal then becomes not perfect health (or perfect compliance, because some days your body and soul WILL tell you to lie on the couch and eat chocolates), but living in the here and now in the healthiest body FOR YOU, which means the best health you can have with your underlying conditions.

I hope this helps.

Her crime? Eating while fat.

Over at MomGrind, the blogger is making unfounded judgements about a fat girl “overdosing on sugar” or some such nonsense. (Thanks Bri, for the pointer to the discussion). The comments on the post are now closed because some uppity fatties have been taking her to task (yay, team!) but I will not be denied my 2 cents.

Uh, this might get a bit lengthy, because I have a LOT of spare change.

Are you listening, MomGrind?

Does it really need to be said?

My blog, my rules. To whit:

3. Concern Trolling
Any post that has even a faint whiff of Concern Trolling about it will be deleted. No questions asked. No appeal.

Why it’s all a bit too much right now.

This is why I am a bit silent on the blogging front:

1. My hours have been cut and my pay with it – and there is a real risk of further job cuts
2. John’s health is precarious, as he has some complications related to his kidney disease, and he cannot work full time.
3. Financially struggling with basics like rent, food and medications. We have long since used up any ‘safety net’ we once had.
4. The house we rent is on the market, and we may have to move in the next 4-6 weeks. As the people inspecting the property seem to be mainly first home buyers, I think moving is pretty much a certainty.
5. My sister recently recovered memories of early childhood rape by a creepy uncle. Since he also abused me (although not to this degree), it’s somewhat triggering. I want to kill the cunt.
6. My step-father is terminally ill with brain cancer. He’s had surgery, but it’s not good. He’s deciding whether to cease treatment or not. (You may remember that I was estranged from him for various reasons. Of course, I’ve put grievances aside, and am there for him. )
7. Depression is once again rearing it’s ugly head. Not suprising considering the situational triggers.

Yes, I know this is a whingy, whiny, poor me post. My mother would have told me to be grateful for what I have. And she would have been right.

Blessings:

1. John
2. My cats
3. We aren’t on the street (yet!)
4. I still have a job
5. Family
6. The depression is still currently moderate, and I have managed to get through A LOT without falling into a non-functional void.