"The Carrot or the Stick"?
Americans. Free thinking mavericks with wills of steel. We are brilliant and independent thinkers and we are stubborn to the core. These are a few of the traits that have gotten us where we are today. We want what we have worked hard to have and we don't like being told what to do. When it comes to our health as a country, we are now presented with an epidemic that is clearly one we have collectively decided to ignore. Obesity is killing us, it is killing our children, and it is costing us billions of dollars every year, yet obesity rates continue to rise every year in almost every state, including California and Nevada.
A controversial program is being considered in Arizona which would charge medicaid patients $50 a year if they smoke or are overweight. At the same time, taxes may be imposed (or increased) on fast food restaurants, sodas, and cigarette sales with the intent that this money be filtered into programs which promote healthy eating and lifestyle choices. Many Americans are up in arms about this "intrusion of government into their lives". In a recent survey, most Americans acknowledge that obesity is a serious health concern but are ambivalent about the role government should play in fighting obesity. Most people support initiatives such as improving awareness through media campaigns and requiring restaurants to list nutritional information on their menus, but oppose special taxes on junk food. Unfortunately, the knowledge that obesity is deadly, and increases ones risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer (and the list goes on and on) is not enough, because we "mavericks" are getting fatter and sicker every year. Apparently we want to "have our cake and eat it too." Here is the good news: many health insurance companies will now lower your insurance premium if you do a few things: lose weight, exercise, and quit smoking. The fact is, people who are overweight and/or have high cholesterol or blood pressure are more likely to develop serious, life-threatening health conditions and therefore pay higher insurance premiums. Smokers are automatically bumped to a higher premium pay scale because it is a fact that smoking causes sever illness and death. It is time for Americans to take our health crisis seriously or we will be hit right where it counts....in the wallet.
There is help available to you if you are seeking the financial benefits a healthier lifestyle can and will provide to you. At Rutley Chiropractic and Weight Loss Lake Tahoe, we provide a medically designed and doctor supervised weight loss protocol, and we are helping people lose weight and save money every day. Our members lose an average of 3-5 pounds of body fat per week (5-7 pounds for men) and we are watching cholesterol and triglyceride levels dramatically drop as a result of the loss of body fat. Call us when you are ready for a positive change at (530) 546-5190.
