Hey All! I recently came across some interesting info. We've always been taught to expect certain health challenges as we age, especially Black Americans, but what if a lack a vitamins and minerals was the real cause. Make sure you are getting what you need on a daily basis at
www.fdisale.com. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis have reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. and around the world. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 133 million—nearly half of all adults—suffer from at least one chronic illness.1 Furthermore, chronic diseases exact a heavy economic toll: eating up nearly 78% percent of our healthcare dollars, or the equivalent of about 16% of our gross domestic product (this ratio is among the highest of all Western nations).2
Many people don’t even know they have a chronic health condition. According to government data:
A third of Americans has high blood pressure, hypertension (the so-called “silent killer”). Of those, nearly 20% don’t know they have it.3
Diabetes rates are soaring, afflicting nearly 26 million Americans adults. Of those, seven million are unaware they have it.4
About a third of adults and one in five children are obese, putting them at great risk for developing a chronic health condition.5
Doctors Lack Knowledge of Nutrition
As prevalent as they are, most chronic diseases are, in fact, preventable. They’re the result of years of poor lifestyle habits such as unhealthy diets and lack of exercise, which lead to obesity. The most obvious way to avoid, and in some cases—possibly reverse—is to make healthier lifestyle choices. But sadly, most of us don’t get much help in that area from our doctors!
In fact, a landmark survey published last year in American Medicine concluded that “the amount of nutrition education that medical students receive continues to be inadequate.”6
Among the key findings:
Of 105 medical schools, only one in four required a dedicated nutrition course
Overall, medical students received less than 20 hours of nutrition instruction during their medical school careers.
Similar conclusions were drawn in a survey of 114 internal medicine interns published in 2008 in the Journal of the Academy of Clinical Nutrition.7 Among the findings:
Only 14% felt adequately trained to provide nutrition counseling, even though 77% agreed nutrition assessment should be included in routine primary care visits, and 94% agreed that it was their obligation to do so.
Just more than half (54%) knew the correct answer to the following question: “How many calories are in a gram of protein?”
Only 35% felt knowledgeable about the role of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in heart health.
Fewer than half (46%) felt comfortable calculating BMI and waist-to-hip ratio, two basic indicators of obesity.
By contrast, nearly 90% expressed proficiency in discussing the benefits of exercise with their patients.
What Should You Do?
Alarming as these statistics may be, we aren’t suggesting you shouldn’t see a doctor to address your medical needs. However, they signal the need for each and every one of us to take charge of our health. Whether it’s by learning how to eat healthier, setting aside a half hour each day for physical activity, better managing our stress levels, or consuming dietary supplements to help our bodies function optimally—the responsibility for good health ultimately lies within each of us.
Posted By: Katrina Fountain
Monday, December 12th 2011 at 6:26AM
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