My Healthcare Plan

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Added: Tue. Aug 18, 2009 2:58pm
Posted in: Health

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Our national healthcare plan should start with each and every one of us taking control of and responsibility for our own actions as they relate to our health. I know, I’m dreaming. We’d much rather smoke and eat and argue.

I get that most Americans want to make their own healthcare decisions and don’t want them made by the government. But forgive me if I find a little irony in the passionate debate over the President’s healthcare plan.

Forget the fact that many of those arguing are not only uninformed but wrongly informed. What disturbs me is that while we battle for the right to make own healthcare decisions, we openly display a complete inability or unwillingness to manage even the most basic aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

While we argue over non-existent “death panels,” yet another study has quietly confirmed that a healthy lifestyle dramatically reduces the risk of chronic disease.

German patients who adopted four healthy lifestyle choices had a nearly 80% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Researchers focused on four factors: never smoking, having a body mass index (BMI) lower than 30, performing at least 3.5 hours per week of physical activity, and following a healthy diet.

The study enrolled men and women ages 35 to 65. For nearly 8 years, some followed no healthy factors, most had one to three healthy factors, and 9% followed all four. Those who followed all four healthy lifestyle factors had a 78% lower risk of developing a chronic disease than those with no healthy factors. The decreased risks of individual diseases associated with keeping all four lifestyle factors were as follows:

•   93% lower risk of diabetes
•   81% lower risk of myocardial infarction
•   50% lower risk of stroke
•   36% lower risk of cancer

The risk of developing disease decreased progressively as the number of healthy factors increased. These findings are reported in the Aug. 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Here’s the problem with healthcare in America. No for-profit company wants to insure someone who smokes, is morbidly obese, eats unhealthy foods, and refuses to exercise. The result is skyrocketing rates and health coverage unaffordable to just about everyone.

How much would our national healthcare costs be reduced if we took it upon ourselves to stop smoking, lower our body weight, get regular exercise, and quit eating crap? This is a proven healthcare plan that works and is all about individual control.

What do you think? Share your opinions in our GB Survey: What do you think of Obama's Healthcare Plan?

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Ginger!
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Posted 1:41am August 29th, 2009

There's something everyone seems to be forgetting: a health care plan is not only needed for diseases. You can do everything right....eat right, exercise, not smoke, not drink, not do drugs.... then go to the store and (God forbid) get in a horrendous car accident; fall and break a leg, hip, arm; get food poisoning through no fault of your own (like I did in 1991 and was in the hospital for 5 days); and any one of a million other things that could happen. Those things can cost tens of thousands of dollars in hospital/doctor/rehab services. Like the BCBS commercials say: a broken leg can cost as much as $15,000! So, yes....take good care of yourself, but let's also be prepared for the unexpected.
sherisaid
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Posted 7:45am August 22nd, 2009
Marc, I posted something very similar...I've been writing a ton of articles lately on diabetes and health, and one was about how you can have afforbale health care. I took the same tack you have: exercise, eat right, stop smoking, and your health care WILL be affordable, regardless of what happens with the government.
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Posted 12:49pm August 20th, 2009
I very much agree with Marc's comments in terms of healthy life style being the most effective preventative, but his political views are showing - as well as the previous comments on Marc's blog. I happen to one of those "mobsters" and "unamerican" protesters regarding ObamaCare. And, yes, I am one of those dreaded T.E.A bag people - Taxed Enough Already! I am a free-market, independent who thinks that personal responsibility is a primary motivator. Anyone who thinks that this plan (and I've read it, have you?) will not lead to a "single payer" plan, like Canada and England needs to get their head out of the sand. All those "misinformation" claims by this administration are almost ALL provable to be TRUE by just reading the bill. But more importantly to me is how the administration keeps changing it's tone and view. There are clear statements over the years, from Obama (several times made to of his primary support groups, namely A.C.O.R.N. and the SEIU "purple shirts") clearly stating that he is FOR a single payer plan. Barney Frank is another who let it slip that to get the bill passed is the only way to get to a single payer plan, eventually. If you love the way your government manages Medicare, Social Security, the USPS, and (state governments) the DMV, then you will LOVE ObamaCare. Be very careful of that for which you wish! Oh yes, even the President admitted that he has not read the whole bill! And we want to follow him? Give me a break. I think the nation is dealing with "buyer's remorse" since last November. My great hope is that he is a one-term president and that he does not do more harm than Jimmy Carter.
L J
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Posted 12:47pm August 20th, 2009

Dangerous indeed, keeping government out of running any business, and healthcare is a business, is not the answer. I do agree with Marc on creating a healthy life style for one self. This should be part of the school curriculum beginning in pre-school. Eating properly and staying fit will ultimately bring health care cost down. At 72 I have lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol and now off my meds. Let's begin educating good health at an early age.

Before retiring I was a small business owner in Central Florida, my wife and I paid our own way and ask the government for nothing. If you want to be doted over by big brother then your against all that the United States stands for. Our National Government's purpose is to protect our borders from forgein powers, now we have become a society with our hands out to the politicians. When everyone has their hand in the till, where will the money come from?
MIKIE
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Posted 12:30pm August 20th, 2009
It's dangerous a government that dictates to the people of a republic/democracy.Our elected officials of that republic/democracy should function as a representation of the people, by the people and for the people. The people do NOT want government run health care. What is happening is sobering and should be stopped by those who represent the people. The question is WHEN??? MPW USA
Jackie (JCB)
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Posted 8:20pm August 19th, 2009
Having just been verbally attacked from all sides in this south Georgia town, I am encouraged to hear intelligent, positive contributions to the war on health care. I have picked myself up again after reading Marc's post and the comments from Ginger and Sirman. There is definitely an organized campaign to defeat ANY plan of the present Administration that does not fit the mind-set of ultra conservatives, who, among other indices, are willing to believe Sarah Palin's assessments and appear to be thinking only of themselves. Ridding myself of anger, my purpose here is to say that yes, we can be responsible for living a healthy life. WE MUST. My belief, as to the political fire, is that we need to support our President who is caring and extremely intelligent. He tends to think globally rather than in the narrow sights of many of the malcontent. Thank you Marc, Ginger and Sirman. Jackie (JCB)
Ginger!
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Posted 1:20pm August 19th, 2009

I agree with both Marc's post and the comments made by Tom and Slrman. First, Tom mentions the never-ending media blitzes trying to convince all of us to eat food that we really shouldn't. Admittedly, I indulge in this type of food sometimes, but the operative word there is 'sometimes'. I refer to the old (but quite right) adage: moderation in everything. I'll also go a step further by saying that it's totally confusing trying to figure out what's good and what's bad for us when the studies comletely contradict each other. Case in point: you always hear that you should include spinach and nuts in your diet for good health, but a few weeks ago I was listening to the John Tesh radio show and he said that eating too much of those can result in kidney stones! One study says eat or drink this or that and the very next day another study says no, no, no....it's bad for you. ???? Make up our minds!

And Slrman hit the nail on the head regarding us providing healthcare for other countries, while tens of millions in our own country go without. I say: at least this administration is TRYING to do something about it. And until it's finalized I wish all these partisan-hateful-fear-mongers would find something in their own life to concentrate on, as I'm sure they would have no lack of problems to address!
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Posted 10:34am August 19th, 2009
As someone who has been in the fitness program for almost 40 years, I agree with you totally. what is so disappointing to me is that a healthy lifestyle is really so easy.

It doesn't require hours in the gym, special diets, expensive machines, giving up everything you enjoy, or becoming a "fitness freak". What it does require is an awareness of what's good for you and avoiding excess of anything.

As far as universal health care, we provide that for the entire populations of Iraq and Afghanistan, paid for by the American taxpayer. I wonder why we don't hear them complaining about "death Panels" and "Bureaucrat Health Care"?
Tom Ratcliff
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Posted 9:44am August 19th, 2009

I agree with your assessment Marc - we need to take personal responsibility for improving our personal health in order to lower our health insurance costs. But, how does the average, uninformed and unmotivated American do that when they have been TRAINED by TV advertising/marketing to eat really unhealthy "fast-foods"?

Our 16 year old eats healthy because we eat healthy. We used to preach to him the virtues of a "non-processed”, fruit, lean meat and vegetable diet. NOW, he makes good choices on his own.

Honestly, I don't hold out much hope for the average American to "Wake-Up" and take personal responsibility for their future healthcare. Parents have to instill these virtues in their children early-on for them to take root in adulthood. Or, the adult has to somehow find the motivation to see beyond the McDonald's advertising and do it on their own.

My 73 year old father-in-law and mother-in-law quit smoking years ago, now eat a healthy diet, and exercise because they made themselves aware of the health consequences later in life. BUT, the difference is they keep themselves INFORMED daily via the internet and reading

I hope Americans do wake up. I have been discouraged, however, by watching the ridiculous and child-like behavior by attendees at the publicized town hall meeting the past couple weeks. Their behavior is an embarrassment to the rest of us.

Tom Ratcliff

Orlando

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Marc Middleton