Super Bowl Food for Thought

And I’m not just talking about eating healthy snacks, either.

With the Super Bowl XLV (45) around the corner, I thought you all needed to hear my take on things. Ok, so it’s fun. Especially if your team is playing. But to what cost though? When researchers found out that a lot more people are dying after their team loses, I had to weigh in on this subject. So here goes:

It’s just a game, people

The whole point of getting together and watching the Super Bowl is to have fun. This recreational activity is shot if fans who happen to be older end up on the losing team’s side and *BAM* they suffer something serious. If family members help calm the older fans – there’d be less suffering. Really, all you have to do is remember that the outcome has no real impact on your life at all. It really is just a game.

No need to bet all your life savings away

Yes, I realize what the word “gamble” means, but come ON! Do we need to waste away hard-earned money on a game? Why not donate it to a good cause? Or better yet, SAVE it. Now, THAT’s a novel idea! Honestly, I don’t see any good in betting on the result of a Super Bowl game (or any game for that matter).

Don’t act all immature – this isn’t High School.

Serve foods that are relaxing, especially during the second half of the game. And I know for some of you it will be hard to have NO booze on that Sunday, but try your best to get everyone to drink less. Alcohol is one of the biggest stressors on your body and the way it makes you act out, along with how you feel with the results of the game you’re watching, can mean some bad things if you’re not careful! Why stress yourself and the people around you? Keep it simple and drink less!

The older you are, the harder you’re hit.

If there are people who call you ‘Grandma’ or ‘Grandpa’, or if your shopping cart has a bottle of Geritol in it, then you need to be careful about stress from the outcome of the game. Research has shown that stresses from a lost game in older people have meant they have more of a chance of going through serious stuff like a fatal heart attack. The risk of that is certainly there – and, I mean, is a game worth it? So curb that stress and don’t let your body succumb to something that is really meant for entertainment only.

Don’t be hitting on your lady.

It’s no surprise to me that there are a lot more reports of domestic violence during major sports events like the Super Bowl. If you are one of those types that get all excited and lose your self-control, you need to do what it takes to NOT let that happen. Obviously, stay away from the alcohol. Maybe going to hang out with friends to see the game and not being together might help you from letting things go too far. Volatile partners are NOT cool and if it means her going to see the game with her girlfriends, then so be it.

The Super Bowl is NOT “all that AND a bag of chips”!

Just because it’s a once-a-year event doesn’t mean people need to get all excited and bust out tons of nasty junk food. Fruit is an awesome way to snack during the game. Healthy granola bars, trail mix that isn’t loaded with hundreds of milligrams of salt or chocolate, healthy juices, caffeine-free soda pop – the choices of healthy foods are endless guys – you just have to make that choice. The other thing is that I don’t see how the outcome of the game should affect how you eat.

So to put all this together in one thought: Shouldn’t your body, mind and soul be much more important than just a game? You need to care about what you put in, what comes out (nasty words or hitting your girl are bad outputs) and you need to care about the things that really matter in life, like your relationships, finances or health/weight.

Anything else would make me wanna call it the Super-FICIAL, not the Super Bowl.