Leading a Healthy Lifestyle
One of the key components of successful Health Care reform hinges on the ability of the American public to fully embrace lifestyle decisions that aid Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. While many people understand the need to eat sensibly, maintain a weekly exercise regimen, and get a good night’s sleep, all too many people forego the routine steps needed to stay healthy over the long run. As life’s pace is ever quickening in the 21st century, it is imperative that we find the time to ensure that each and every one of us practices common sense preventive care techniques; thus, ensuring individual longevity accompanied with a sound baseline health status.
In the same manner that residents of Florida prepare for the onset of hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, my fellow Floridians and Americans are well-served by preparatory actions that will prevent the onset of chronic and catastrophic diseases. For those of us who have survived Florida’s hurricanes, we are fully cognizant of the impending doom sensation triggered by the high category winds that besiege our state during “the season.” In essence, heart attacks, strokes, and various types of cancer are often accompanied by similar feelings of impending doom. Of note, one significant difference occurs when comparing hurricanes and health: Namely, there is nothing one can do to alter the course or intensity of a hurricane; however, one certainly has the ability to thwart a bad health outcome at its origins. It is quite simple, good preventive health practices positively impact the likelihood of maintaining a good baseline health status over a great many years.
As this is the first installment of “An Ounce of Prevention,” I will focus solely on the first steps of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. For starters, eat sensibly, maintain a weekly exercise regimen, and get a good night’s sleep. Secondly, practice moderation. If you smoke cigarettes and have trouble quitting, at the very least reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke. If you tend to “clean your plate” at every meal, diligently reduce the size of portions on your plate. If you tend to burn the midnight oil on a regular basis, implement time management techniques that will increase your number of sleep hours in every 24 hour period. Lastly, utilize common sense when it comes to your health. The human body has a way of letting us know when we need to make healthy lifestyle changes (e.g., smoker’s cough, pizza-induced acid indigestion, joint-stiffness experienced by coach potatoes).
May each of you enjoy longevity marked by an enduring quality of life.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marion D. Thorpe, Jr. MD MPH
Chief Medical Officer (former)
State of Florida
Dr. Marion Thorpe is the former Chief Medical Officer for the State of Florida, a position in which he fought strongly for HMO reform and for the introduction of preventative health care as an integral part of all treatments systems. Dr. Thorpe is now a candidate for United States Senate and. has begun a statewide listening tour for ways to provide better and more effective health care while strengthening physician choice and diversity of options. For more information on his platform and initiatives, please visit www.marionthorpe.com or www.healamericawiththorpe.com.
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