Why is a Healthy Body a BETTER Body?

As a society, we tend to associate certain bodies with "health" and others as "unhealthy." Usually this is related to obesity/weight/etc. We say that one body is "better" because she is "healthy" and another body isn't as good because she is "unhealthy." We make these judgments based upon appearance from the outside. I could write A LOT about the fact that thin bodies aren't always healthier bodies (and this is something I know about given the fact that i was anorexic), but I want to take a moment to address a bigger issue -

Why is it okay to judge other people's bodies in any circumstance? Why are healthy bodies better?

Imagine how that feels to those of us that are dealing with a chronic illness, or that have a disability, or are sick, when we constantly see messages that healthy bodies are better bodies? Does that mean that my body isn't as good? Isn't as worthy? Isn't as socially acceptable?

You might say - well, I am not talking about you...you have an illness. I am talking about people that are obese when they could do something to make their lives different! 

But that is a false distinction. People only know about my illness because I share about it openly.  How can we possibly know what is going on inside of another person? And even if a person is struggling with food addiction or some other cause of health/weight issues, does that make their body worthy of judgement?

For the first time in my life, I am living in an overweight body. As a former anorexic, this is my worst nightmare. Pictures are hard for me. Going out in public and LIVING in the midst of my current health situation is painful - why? Because I am subject to the judgement of others.

People can be cruel. And yet I am sick - There is nothing I can do to change my circumstances. The stress dose steriods are keeping me alive while they hunt for the cause of my acute pain.  Yet the steriods have left me swollen. As I walk down the street, people don't know this about me - as I encounter new doctors, they don't know what's happening with me.......they only see my body. And for some reason, we have made it socially acceptable to judge overweight bodies as "less than." 

I feel compelled to say that my body is not up for judgement. A healthy body is not a better body - If I were to allow this pervasive belief to become a part of my own personal consciousness, imagine how that would feel?

I walk with those that are suffering. People that live outside are my teachers. We judge them too. I suppose this is why I embrace my own personal journey. I am finally at a place where I am learning to love my body unconditionally. After years of forcing my body into societal ideals so that other people find me attractive, seductive, sexy, smart, intelligent, successful....I am finally learning to live in harmony with myself. Right now, my body is struggling and in pain and yes UNHEALTHY...And yet, I still LOVE my body. My body is the vessel that God has given me, it is a part of my human experience, and I am grateful.

Published in The Mighty
https://themighty.com/2017/08/adrenal-insufficiency-loving-your-body-despite-health-issues/