Emphasizing Preventative Health and Wellness
What does it mean to be healthy? Health is more than just avoiding sicknesses, it is a lifestyle choice. In fact, 40 percent of premature deaths in the U.S. are the result of poor habits. A healthy lifestyle largely avoids chronic disease, especially heart attacks and diabetes, and emphasizes personal wellness by eating right, being physically active, limiting high-stress levels, and staying at a healthy weight.
Maximizing HealthDr. Atkinson is an expert at helping people make meaningful change in their professional and personal lives. She cuts through the clutter of information, health research and media hype, offering both practical advice and inspiration. Learn more.
Read Dr. Holly Atkinson's essay: "Key Steps for a Healthy Nation"
Endnotes & References
Exercise regularly, reduce your stress, stop smoking, and eat healthier
Why? Taking these 4 simple steps slashes your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. 7 out of every 10 deaths in America are the result of these chronic diseases.
Q. What if obesity rates were cut significantly?
A. In America today 1 out of 3 children and 2 out of 3 adults are obese. In 1980 obesity wasn’t even on the list of top costs in healthcare, between 1987 and 2001 it accounted for 30 percent of healthcare spending growth.
Q. What if we all lived healthier and dropped the rate of chronic disease in America?
A. The Center of Disease Control estimates that 75 percent of all healthcare spending in America is to treat chronic disease. If you consider how the savings would affect Medicare and Medicaid spending, we could exercise our way out of the budget crisis!