The Real Health Care Crisis…

As I write this, I am sitting on the beach in Jamaica staring out at the ocean. The moon is just above the horizon and is about half full and a burnt orange color. It shines off the ocean and provides the perfect tranquil setting. I just finished a Red Stripe beer, as is my tradition when I visit Jamaica, and I’ve been having a conversation with one of the locals about USANi Bolt, who is now a Jamaican and world icon. This is life, eh? I love visiting other countries and interacting with people from those countries. I am intrigued with the way others live their lives and what we can learn from them. In the first days here, I was struck with how fat Americans visiting Jamaica are. If I see a fat Jamaican or fat European it is a surprise and the exception, but I have yet to meet an American here who is not fat. In fact, sadly I can tell the Americans from the Europeans by who is fat. I am not talking about the extra five to 10 pounds we all struggle to keep under control. I am talking about really fat. I am also not talking one or two people. I am talking about the vast majority of Americans here in Jamaica. It is embarrassing. I often forget when I am in the states how fat Americans are becoming. I think because we are surrounded by obesity in the states, we become tolerant and almost complacent. But when I travel and see my fellow Americans outside of the states, our problem with obesity becomes so much more apparent. It makes me wonder why we have allowed ourselves as a nation to become so morbidly obese and be ok with it. The irony is Americans live in the most abundant nation on earth (part of the problem) with access to the healthiest diets available and the best nutritional supplements money can buy. Despite that, we are a nation of excess fat. We have decided that if a little is good, a lot must be better. If I can Super Size for only 39 cents more, why wouldn’t I? I find it interesting that we worry about our young girls looking at magazine covers and thinking they have to obtain the perfect body. While that may be a minor problem, the opposite is a much bigger problem. We now accept being fat as if it were normal. When I was young, the fat kid in school was the exception, usually about one per class of 30 kids. Now, when I go to my kids activities at school, it is almost the norm. Everyone seems ok with it. There are many who think this may be the first generation where the life expectancy decreases instead of increasing because of obesity. If there is one thing Americans are good at, it is solving a crisis. Well this is a huge crisis, and we seem to be ignoring it. We are debating health care reform at the highest levels, but we may be missing the most important part of all…the necessity to teach our nation about having a health lifestyle. Steven Covey describes this as cutting at the branches of the problem while ignoring the roots. Obesity may be the number one cause of health problems in the United States. It increases rates of diabetes, cancer, back problems, heart attacks, and stomach problems, in addition to a myriad of social and psychological problems. So what can we do about it? I have a few ideas that might help. 1. Take control of your own life. Decide that you will not fall victim to our culture of over consumption. Formulate a Health Plan for Life. I am in the process of writing a book on this very subject, but don’t wait for the book. Look back at some of my previous advice on eating healthy (85/15 rule, health plan for life). Educate yourself on nutrition including exercise, healthy eating, supplements, and good health practices. 2. Teach your children health practices as well. If you have an obese child, help them now. Meet with your pediatrician or other trusted provider and create a plan for them. Remember you are the parent; it is your responsibility to teach them to be healthy. 3. Get involved! Become an active part of your communities and your schools to make sure the things they serve at school and social events at least offer a healthy alte ative. Can you improve what they are teaching in schools or add some teaching? Encourage schools to increase the amount of physical activity our kids get every day. 4. Contact your representative. Let your public servants know you are conce ed about having health initiatives in health care legislation. We need to let Congress and the Senate know we are not just interested in who pays when we are sick, but we are also interested in developing national programs to keep us heatlhy. Ok, my rant is over. I am going to get back to enjoying my time on the beach. The sun is actually up now and the first of the bikinis are out. Wow, some of them need to put on some clothes!