For the past few months, I've tried to stay out of the political fray as much as possible. It's not that I'm uninterested. It's just that I've seen too many presidents come and go, and too many promises made and broken, to get especially excited about those things anymore. But while I listened to Mr. Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, I was encouraged by his call for increased discipline and responsibility. I felt hopeful about what that kind of attitude could mean for health care.
The system could use some updating, to be sure. But the real crisis in health care isn't about recordkeeping or access or insurance--it's our atrocious habits. And it's high time that people are called to account for them.
The truth is, we eat too much and we eat the wrong things. We don't exercise. We lack the skills to manage anger, heartbreak, and stress. Too often, we depend on caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol to help us get through the day.
As a holistic health practitioner, I'm lucky. I see patients who already understand that making good lifestyle choices is the best way to maintain good health, minimize heart risk factors, and prevent heart attacks. When I look at the rest of the population, though, I see a completely different picture. I see aging baby boomers, overweight young people, and a crush of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems that could easily overwhelm our ability to treat them.
If I could say one thing to our new president, it would be this: Please begin a national campaign about taking responsibility for your health. Too many people believe that their problems are beyond their control when, in fact, the opposite is true. Many health conditions can be reversed or avoided with proper nutritional support, a heart-healthy diet, exercise, and mind/body awareness.
The message may be a tough sell, but it's one that we literally can't afford to ignore.
Need suggestions for where to start? Tell people to stop eating processed and packaged foods. They're loaded with sodium and preservatives that drive up blood pressure. Ask them to pour out high-fructose corn syrup-laden sodas, which serve up empty calories and wreak havoc with insulin levels. Warn them that sugar contributes to arterial inflammation and the growth of cancer cells. Implore them to exercise--not only does it burn calories, it increases strength and mobility, strengthens the heart and lungs, helps you think more clearly, and works off stress and other negative emotions. Finally, publish guidelines for grocery shopping that emphasize whole foods, healthy fats, and other principles of good cardiovascular nutrition.
You see, the problem with health care isn't the system. The problem is that we rely too much on the system to treat problems that are nearly 100 percent preventable if only we make better, more responsible choices. I urge you to be part of the solution. Replace your bad habits with healthy ones. The change may not be easy, but your improved health will be well worth it.
For more information on healthy heart nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com.
The system could use some updating, to be sure. But the real crisis in health care isn't about recordkeeping or access or insurance--it's our atrocious habits. And it's high time that people are called to account for them.
The truth is, we eat too much and we eat the wrong things. We don't exercise. We lack the skills to manage anger, heartbreak, and stress. Too often, we depend on caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol to help us get through the day.
As a holistic health practitioner, I'm lucky. I see patients who already understand that making good lifestyle choices is the best way to maintain good health, minimize heart risk factors, and prevent heart attacks. When I look at the rest of the population, though, I see a completely different picture. I see aging baby boomers, overweight young people, and a crush of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems that could easily overwhelm our ability to treat them.
If I could say one thing to our new president, it would be this: Please begin a national campaign about taking responsibility for your health. Too many people believe that their problems are beyond their control when, in fact, the opposite is true. Many health conditions can be reversed or avoided with proper nutritional support, a heart-healthy diet, exercise, and mind/body awareness.
The message may be a tough sell, but it's one that we literally can't afford to ignore.
Need suggestions for where to start? Tell people to stop eating processed and packaged foods. They're loaded with sodium and preservatives that drive up blood pressure. Ask them to pour out high-fructose corn syrup-laden sodas, which serve up empty calories and wreak havoc with insulin levels. Warn them that sugar contributes to arterial inflammation and the growth of cancer cells. Implore them to exercise--not only does it burn calories, it increases strength and mobility, strengthens the heart and lungs, helps you think more clearly, and works off stress and other negative emotions. Finally, publish guidelines for grocery shopping that emphasize whole foods, healthy fats, and other principles of good cardiovascular nutrition.
You see, the problem with health care isn't the system. The problem is that we rely too much on the system to treat problems that are nearly 100 percent preventable if only we make better, more responsible choices. I urge you to be part of the solution. Replace your bad habits with healthy ones. The change may not be easy, but your improved health will be well worth it.
For more information on healthy heart nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com.
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