An Ounce of Prevention: Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

One of the key components of successful Health Care reform hinges on the ability of the American public to fully embrace lifestyle decisions that aid Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. While many of us understand the need to eat sensibly, maintain a weekly exercise regimen, and get a good night’s sleep, all too many people forego the routine steps needed to stay healthy over the long run. As life’s pace is ever quickening in the 21st century, it is imperative that we find the time to ensure that each and every one of us practices common sense preventive care techniques; thus, ensuring individual longevity accompanied with a sound baseline health status.

In the same manner that residents of Florida prepare for the onset of hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, my fellow Floridians and Americans are well-served by preparatory actions that will prevent the onset of chronic and catastrophic disease occurrences. For those of us who have survived Florida’s hurricanes, we are fully cognizant of the impending doom sensation triggered by the high category winds that besiege our state during “the season.” In essence, heart attacks, strokes, and various types of cancer are often accompanied by similar feelings of impending doom. Of note, one significant difference occurs when comparing hurricanes and health: Namely, there is nothing one can do to alter the course or intensity of a hurricane; however, one certainly has the ability to thwart a bad health outcome at its origins. It is quite simple, good preventive health practices positively impact the likelihood of maintaining a good baseline health status over a great many years.

Join me in making Health Promotion and Disease Prevention a central tenet of Health Care reform. For starters, I want all of us to eat sensibly, maintain a weekly exercise regimen, and get a good night’s sleep. Secondly, practice moderation. If you smoke cigarettes and have trouble quitting, at the very least reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke. If you tend to “clean your plate” at every meal, diligently reduce the size of portions on your plate. If you tend to burn the midnight oil on a regular basis, implement time management techniques that will increase your amount of uninterrupted sleep in every 24 hour period. Lastly, utilize common sense when it comes to your health. The human body has a way of letting us know when we need to make healthy lifestyle changes (e.g., smoker’s cough, pizza-induced acid indigestion, joint-stiffness experienced by coach potatoes).

As the former Chief Medical Officer of the State of Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, I have an extremely workable and achievable 14-point plan to logically and methodically solve the Health Care crisis that has deadlocked our Congress and caused extreme national controversy for months on end. A noteworthy portion of my approach is anchored by widespread adoption of Preventive Health techniques with the hope that each of us enjoys longevity marked by an enduring quality of life.

Join us at United We Stand: Let's Heal America to learn more about my plan for sound Health Care reform based on American know-how and ingenuity. United We Stand!

Sincerely,

Marion D. Thorpe, Jr. MD MPH

Cheif Medical Officer (former)
Agency for Healthcare Administration
State of Florida