Swimsuit season?

Let's face it. America is overweight. It's not just us, though. Worldwide, 1 in 8 people are overweight and more than 890 million are obese. While everyone should be able to feel good about themselves, this is a staggering healthcare pandemic that needs to be addressed.

It is not enough to tell people to be comfortable in their skin anymore. Obesity is a risk factor for many other health issues. Hypertension, diabetes and osteoarthritis are just a few. Colon cancer is another example of health issues associated with obesity. Our government has a long way to go in addressing this issue and faces tremendous uphill battle against food manufacturers, big Pharma and health insurance companies. While these are long-term, strategic issues, the war against obesity will be won in the trenches, one battle at a time.

If you or someone you know is facing this enormous healthcare challenge, you need to know that there are ways to fight back. The best way to win the war is to avoid the fight altogether. Stay at a healthy weight if you already are and teach your children to do the same so they do not have to face the challenges associated with being overweight and obese. This is especially important during childhood, as this is an easy point for bullies to pick on and childhood habits are difficult to break when we get older.

Obesity is not a simple disease. It has genetic, dietary and social factors contributing to the problem. There is no simple solution that fits every case. While the simple equation, less calories in than calories expended equals losing weight, holds true at the end of the day, the reality is far more complex. Public education and private consultation with healthcare professionals goes a long way to improving individual's health. The information, however, has to be applied to personal life. This includes creating an environment conducive to healthy weight, keeping healthy foods in the house and keeping unhealthy foods out of sight to minimize their impact on your health. We need to put physical education back in school curriculums and support other exercise initiatives in the workplace to promote healthy lifestyle. Food processing needs to be reduced to improve overall health. We also need to switch from highly salted and sweetened foods to healthy, unprocessed foods.

It will take a united front between citizens and government to face off against big Pharma, health insurance companies and food manufacturers to provide healthier food alternatives, social and medical support in the weight loss journey. There are a number of very effective medications available for weight loss. Despite all the known benefits of losing weight which leads to reduced healthcare costs, insurance companies refuse to provide coverage to most weight loss programs medications. This is not an excuse to live in the status quo. Each and every one of us has to make a daily choice to live a healthy lifestyle and maintain a healthy weight.

Here at Rocks and Roses, we provide a whole person approach to healthy living. This starts with simple things like adequate water intake and sleep. We address simple but sweeping changes to diets and activity to improve your weight, body composition and physical fitness. We have a dietitian available for consultation and partner with local fitness trainers to help you find an exercise regimen that works for you. Additionally, we offer the medical support that has been shown to be highly effective and safe.

Call today to schedule your consultation and see how we can work together to improve your health.