The Lifestyle Chronicles - Ask What You Can Do For Yourself

U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona views growing health care costs and declining health status as a health problem rather than an economic issue. Unless the focus is shifted to prevention, the suffering will continue to increase and no one can afford the cost.

Someone give that man a loud round of applause. He should lay out a specific plan of attack and the President should ask Congress to approve it. Nothing deserves more attention than a national initiative to improve health status by means of prevention, risk management and early detection. The "War on Terrorism" pales in comparison.

Fortunately, prevention is getting more attention. Tommy Thompson is still out there carrying the flag and his focus is on corporations where there is incentive to save money and increase productivity. And, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are directing attention (and, hopefully, priority) to prevention for Medicare. The American Diabetes Association is on the march and the American Heart Association has taken up the fight on trans-fat.

Ask not what your doctor can do for you, ask what you can do for yourself. Come on, up and at 'em. It is all in how we live each day. What's there to lose except lack of energy and limited perspective on life?

Technorati Tags: Lifestyle, Health, Prevention