Health Care Reform Begins in the Home

Health care reform should start at home. One of the reasons that the health care system is collapsing under its own weight is ... weight. The ranks of the obese have grown exponentially, and with it, a deluge of related medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems.

It's virtually impossible to pass a newsstand without seeing magazine covers devoted to dieting, exercise and health supplements. Plenty of people are buying the magazines, but are they really utilizing the information?

I was eating lunch with a group of strangers on vacation last year. A woman looked at me, sighed, and said dolefully, "You're so lucky. You're thin." This, while she was polishing off a cheesesteak and french fries.

Lucky? Well, no. I have to work at it, just like a job. I hate to exercise, but I force myself to do it. I don't belong to a fancy health club, either. Walking is free; so is taking the steps instead of the elevator. Joining the public library is free, and they have a multitude of books, tapes, and videos on every form of exercise, from yoga to weight lifting to tai chi. Good old fashioned situps and pushups work wonders for the upper body and abs; running up and down the basement steps provides plenty of aerobic exercise.

Healthy food is not necessarily prohibitively expensive, either. Oatmeal and shredded wheat cereal are reasonably inexpensive; canned and frozen vegetables are nearly as nutritious as fresh. Skim milk is usually a few cents cheaper than whole. There are also plenty of books and websites devoted to cheap and nutritious meal planning. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to slip into that fast food spot and gulp down a "dollar menu" sandwich instead.

Many communities have farmer's markets and local farm stands available, where fresh and locally grown produce in season actually costs less than at the supermarket.

We also owe it to our children to not only set a good example, but to put restrictions on their snack food intake and television and video game watching. It seems that more and more children are entering the health care system at a young age; this will mean a crushing burden on the health care system in future, as many will develop chronic problems and will be patients for life.

What would I like to see?

More money and resources invested in wellness programs; school meal programs which provide nutritious food options; more companies which provide incentives to employees who join company based exercise and wellness programs; more presentations in schools which teach children good hygiene habits, the benefits of exercise, and simple routines like proper dental care, posture, and safety.

So much money is being poured into correcting problems which already exist, but I would like to see individuals, health care organizations, and communities do more to work on preventative programs. It is far cheaper in the long run. But the fact of the matter is, we all,as individuals, need to step up to the plate and take charge of everything in our lives that we can control, instead of endlessly indulging ourselves, and then crying for help when the damage is done.