Weekly Wellness News

May 8, 2006

Feature: Americans Less Healthy than British Peers

In the May 3, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is being reported that Americans are far less healthy than their British peers. Specifically, they looked at adults in late middle age, comparing rates of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, lung disease, and cancer. The study was designed to take into account differences in risk factors (such as smoking and obesity) and still shows a strong prevalence for these diseases in the US.

This is especially interesting since Americans spend over twice as much on healthcare. We have the world's greatest technology and some of the most "advanced" research facilities anywhere. So why are we less healthy? This is a question we should be investigating.

Suggestions for possible explanations include different stress levels and too little exercise. It's also possibly a function of our nutrient-depleted food supply in this country, or the high levels of effort put into making food "pretty" by using preservatives and pesticides at different levels than are used elsewhere. However, no single factor stands out clearly as a likely culprit.

The National Institute of Health has a more complete article abstracttt [jama.org].

Other news

• More and more research is showing links between manufacturing facilities and long-term health problems in the local population. Recently, rise in cancer linked to former industrial site [msnbc.com].
• Trying to lose weight? 'Energy density' of food key to satisfying cravings and weight-loss [msnbc.com].
• As we approach summer, keep in mind protecting eyes from UV rays is more than a fashion statement [healthday.com].
• Feel like you're too stressed but don't know what to do about it? Here are some simple stress-reduction techniques and suggestions [consumerhealthdigest.com].

From the editor

Long-term health is a function of decisions you make every day. Simple choices regarding or affecting diet, exercise, supplements, sleep, and stress levels add up over months or years to put you where you are. Want to be healthy as you grow older? You need to start now.

In our culture, it is common to seek 'immediate gratification' answers to our problems: I'm in pain, so I take a pill. Our bodies are very complex machines, however, and simple fixes often mask deeper issues until it's too late to address them. I've maintained for years that it takes a holistic approach to stay healthy, that the body does a very good job of indicating problems but we teach ourselves to ignore the signals. In many cases, the pill we take does more harm than good because of the cumulative effects over years of masking these signals from our bodies. In some cases, western medicine is actually a step backwards.

Often the solutions are as simple as eating right (mostly fruits and raw vegetables, only small amounts of concentrated food sources), getting some exercise every day (walking, being active throughout the day), and getting enough sleep (do YOU get eight hours sleep a night?). These steps alone can make an enormous difference. Learn as much as you can about non-traditional answers to your ailments. Listen to your body. Put a little effort into your health every day now, so that you can enjoy life that much more in the future.

Healthy thoughts,
Jeff

Copyright 2006, Jeffrey Eliasen. Do not forward or reprint without express permission from the author.