How is St. Sukie de la Croix healthy?

Health to me is about being comfortable in my own body, physically, spiritually and mentally. I don’t stay fit because of other people, I do it for myself e.g. I don’t control my weight to be attractive, or because it’s more socially acceptable to be thin, I do it because I feel more comfortable in my clothes. I am a star and not a satellite or a moon around someone else’s planet. I believe that everyone is a star in this vast galaxy called life.

Physically: I don’t drive a car because there are enough crazy people on the road without me adding to the chaos. I love to walk and take public transport, that way I get to observe and interact with the human race. In a car you drive past so many interesting things that can inspire and enrich your life. Being outdoors is sometimes difficult in Chicago weather, so I’ve taken to exercising with a Wii for half an hour a day. In the summer I wear a pedometer and walk everywhere – I try for 10,000 steps a day. A gym doesn’t work for me – they look like torture chambers. I find communal sweating repulsive. I exorcised many poisons from my body three years ago; now I never, ever use alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. I am very strict about my diet, almost fanatical – tedious even; I’ve been vegetarian for over 35 years. I gave up eating meat, fish, etc. because when an animal is killed for food it’s body fills with adrenalin and fear. I can’t live my life on another’s fear. That’s just me … I’m not evangelical about this, I don’t care what other people eat. I also cook every day, and I’m careful about ingredients and where I buy them. I’m not a fast food person. I’m mindful of what I put into my body and that goes for food and sex.

Spiritually: My periods of meditation are taken while gardening or staring out at the snow and planning my garden. It’s important for the Pagan in me to take time out from this plastic reality of TV, iPods and gadgets to touch base with Mother Earth. Sorry to sound like an old hippie … but that’s what I am. I need those private times to gather the spiritual tools to enable me to get through the day. It’s a tough world out there.

Mentally: As a writer my mind is all over the place. It’s a place where I have little or no control over what happens. You’ve seen the movie “Yellow Submarine” … that’s the way I’m thinking all the time. I can’t stop it. In my opinion, suppressing creativity and dreams leads to mental and physical illness. I think Tourette’s of the mind is a natural state of being for everyone. I truly believe that most physical and mental illnesses are brought on by the stress of worrying what other people will think. I don’t give a flying fuck what other people think of me.

And I’m in pretty good shape for 57.

-- St. Sukie de la Croix
Chicago

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