Advanced Mediterranean Diet

The headline above accompanied a May 14, 2008, article in my local paper, The East Valley Tribune.  It’s an Associated Press article by Linda A. Johnson.

Data were collected by Medco Health Soultions Inc., a pharmacy benefits manager.  The numbers reveal that 51% of Americans with health insurance are taking one or more prescriptions for a chronic medical condition.  Such drugs are usually taken daily.  Sadly, drug users include one in four children and teenagers.  In the 65 or older category, three out of four are users; and 25% of seniors take five or more drugs regularly.

Popular drugs include those used to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol - problems linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Dr. Daniel Jones, president of the American Heart Association, said, “Unless we do things to change the way we’re managing health in this country…things will get worse instead of getting better.”  I’m sure Dr. Jones has specific helpful ideas, but none were mentioned by the article author.

Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer at Medco, said, “Honestly, a lot of it is related to obesity.”  “We’ve become a couch potato culture [and] it’s a lot easier to pop a pill” than to exercise regularly or diet.

Many common illnesses are caused or aggravated by overweight and lack of regular physical activity.  Examples include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, strokes, knee arthritis, several cancers, dementia, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and obstructive sleep apnea.

People are increasingly concerned about the escalating cost of healthcare and health insurance.  As the U.S. presidential election heats up, we will be hearing more from the candidates about their prescriptions for controlling healthcare costs.  Hillary Clinton may even propose a government take-over of the healthcare industy.

If we have free will - and I think we do - we can reduce the expenses of the aforementioned conditions by losing our excess weight and exercising regularly.  No politicians are needed for that, and we can start today.  If successful, we will spend less on drugs and other medical care while reducing suffering and prolonging life.

Sedentary lifestlyes and overweight are the elephants in the room that no politician will mention.  That would require a politically incorrect call for personal responsibility, which doesn’t win votes.

Steve Parker, M.D., author of The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer   www.AdvancedMediterraneanDiet.com