The Hunger Games

Before I get into the obvious reason why this week’s blog is so entitled, I have been wanting to discuss the fact that 1 in 6 Americans go to bed hungry.  That is a shocking statistic when 2/3 of all Americans are either overweight or obese.  That would mean that there is only 1 in 6 Americans who are of normal weight.  That is a sobering thought and makes me rather sad.

Oh, and here’s another thing this week that made me incredibly sad – Camille will no longer be on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  I hope they recast with someone new and not one of those tired women on there – like Eddie Cibrian’s very bitter ex-wife whose name I can’t remember (Yes, I could google it but it would ruin the spontaneity of writing.)

Let’s talk about The Hunger Games – why not? Everyone else on the planet is.  I read the books and became obsessed with them perhaps 2 years ago.  Yes, you all know that trapped inside this XX year old successful physician is a 14 year old girl when it comes to pop culture.

But, THG had this hold on me for reasons that were unexplainable.  I would go back to the books and read certain parts of it and after having seen the movie and reread the book, I now know why.

Katniss embodies the spirit of what I speak about all the time.  She comes from District 12 where the food is very expensive so she risks her life everyday to go hunting in the woods with her friend Gale.  She is a good hunter which will bode well for her in the games; but, she is able to provide meat for her family and to sell some in the market to make some extra money for other foods like local and seasonal organic vegetables in order for the family to survive.  She is therefore eating fresh, local, and organic meats.

Her mother is actually a healer who uses only natural medicines from the herbs she gathers in the woods surrounding her district.  The family does this because they have to, not out of a desire to be holistic but because medicines from the evil Capital district are just too expensive.  For one example, they use snow to coat and heal burns.

The Capital district is where all the rich, spoiled and gluttonous people live.  They are unable to do anything for themselves and have servants to do everything and thus enjoy watching people from the rest of the country attempt to kill each other on television until there is just one survivor.

It is the ultimate reality TV program!

Yet, because of the way Katniss grew up, combining her survival instincts and her humanity, she was (spoiler alert) able to not only become the winner but to save the other tribute from the same district, Peeta, who has always been in love with her.  Granted, I can’t condone this union since he is the baker’s son and you know how I feel about carbohydrates.  Yet, Katniss manages to triumph in the face of overwhelming odds.

And somehow, people can’t give up chocolate (or whatever their vice may be) – it’s too hard!  There are so many people on the planet without enough to eat and as I pointed out at the beginning of our journey to another time, there are millions who are starving in our country; and still we continue to be obese and furthermore think there is nothing we can do about it.  We have eaten ourselves so now the leading causes of death and disability in this country are caused by the amount of food we stuff into our throats.

It makes me angry but what doesn’t make me angry is what may perhaps be the craziest new show on the air: Long Island Medium –check it out on The Learning Channel and make sure you go see The Hunger Games – it may just inspire you!

Until next time…


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