Affordable (And Practical) HealthCare For Everyone

Don't worry, this isn't some rant about Obamacare. There's enough of that nonsense on Facebook. Besides, I'm not a lawyer or a Constitutional scholar, and I doubt that you are either. But I do know some things about health. And I can tell you this: your health is YOUR responsibility! It's not anyone else's. Don't pretend like it is. Take responsibility for your health and your life. Over 68% of adults in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. The numbers are almost as bad for children. That fact that we even need to have obesity stats on children as young as 2-5 years old (and that it's over 10%) is just mind-boggling. Being overweight/obese is just asking for health problems. These are just some of the diseases that are associated with obesity:

Type 2 (adult on-set) diabetes
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart attack
Heart failure (congestive heart failure)
Cancer (certain forms such as cancer of the prostate and cancer of the colon and rectum)
Gallstones and gall bladder disease (cholecystitis)
Gout and gouty arthritis
Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) of the knees, hips, and the lower back
Sleep apnea (failure to breath normally during sleep, lowering blood oxygen)
Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face, underventilation, and drowsiness)
(For more info, click here).

Sadly, large numbers people suffer (and many die) from these diseases, yet they aren't difficult to prevent. It's just a matter of deciding to take responsibility. Yes, it's easy to blame the food industry for making so much cheap junk food, but there's plenty of healthy food in the store too. YOU have to decide to buy and eat it. It's also easy to say you can't exercise because of an injury or disability, but there's almost always an alternative to whatever exercise you don't think that you can do. YOU have to look for a way and make it happen.

(Tell Kyle Maynard about your disability that keeps you from exercising)

Look, I know getting started can be tough. And admitting that you have to be responsible for yourself can be tough too. Not everyone is going to understand why you're doing it. Not everyone is going to be supportive. But your health is your responsibility, so it's up to you, not them. Don't try and completely change your life all at once though. Pick somewhere small and start there. Try some (or all) of these:

*If you smoke, stop.
*If you drink alcohol, drink less.
*Eat less sugar.
*Drink more water. Also, cut out sodas, juices, and sugary energy drinks.
*Eat more veggies.
*Eat less carbs. I'm not saying you need to stop completely. Just eat less. No one needs 300g of refined sugar a day.
*Look at the ingredient list on your food. If you can't pronounce (or don't know) everything in your food, you probably don't need it.
*Buy foods that have ingredient lists that match the product name. For example, a carton of egg whites should just have egg whites in it. Why would it need anything else?
*Look for foods that don't have/need labels (apples don't usually have nutritional info on them).
*Research healthier ways to eat. I like the paleo type diets, but it's not the only way to eat healthy.
*Get more exercise. Walking, jogging, pushups, jumping jacks, etc. don't require any equipment. Plus, they're free.
*Join a gym. Make sure that you go if you do.
*Hire a personal trainer, especially if you're unsure about what you should be doing at the gym. They can be great for motivation, plus it makes it a lot harder to skip your workouts if you're accountable to someone else.
*Find a friend to exercise with. It's more fun, and it can be motivating. A little friendly competition can be a good thing. Plus, accountability.
*Buy a kettlbell. Learn how to properly use it. (Come on, you knew I'd mention kettlebells sooner or later. Look at the page you're on.)

The statistics for obesity in America are scary.
• 58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
• 8 out of 10 over age 25 are Overweight
• 78% of Americans not meeting basic activity level recommendations
• 25% completely sedentary
• 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 since 1990 Obesity Related Diseases
• 80% of type II diabetes related to obesity
• 70% of Cardiovascular disease related to obesity
• 42% breast and colon cancer diagnosed among obese individuals



But the scariest statistic is this one: Obesity is the #2 cause of preventable death in the United States.

Look, I'm not saying anything new. "Eat healthier, exercise more" isn't groundbreaking stuff. Unfortunately, there's been a lot more "groundbreaking" in cemeteries all over the country because people can't (or won't) follow some simple advice. Your health is your responsibility. Don't be a statistic. Use your head. Eat things that are good for you. Throw out the processed junk food. Move around and get some exercise. THAT'S how you get practical, affordable healthcare.