IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR HEALTH

Balboa Press

Chapter One

As you may already know, the population is aging, getting older and living longer. At the same time, we are seeing an increase in rates of obesity and diseases directly related to our lifestyle, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Many also are concerned about the current financial states of Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance plans. It feels like there is less coverage and increased out of pocket costs. Some even have to choose between paying for their medicines or other necessities like food or utility bills.

Things will likely not improve and possibly may worsen, simply because costs are increasing, the federal healthcare budget is already maxed out, and demand for services continue to increase each year.

These increases are due to several factors.

1. The numbers of elderly are growing and the population is getting older. In this population are included many who suffer from chronic diseases.

2. This increase is due in part to newer drugs and advanced medical technology, which is costly. Both are responsible for prolonging life and even curing some conditions that just a few years ago had no treatment.

3. In 2011, there will be 7000 people a day turning 65, and receive Medicare benefits, for a total of 2.5 million additional beneficiaries in 2011 alone.

4. We are experiencing and treating a wave of epidemics related to our lifestyle, such as obesity, heart disease, cancers, lung disease and diabetes.

5. There is currently no adequate government policy, aimed at solving the nations healthcare problem. A problem that will take significant time, bi-partisan agreement and some shared hardship.

These are just some of the many factors that contribute to our Nations increasing annual healthcare expenditures.

Medicare is the health insurance assistance program of the U.S. federal government for people over 65 years of age, and those suffering from kidney failure at any age.

There are different forms of Medicare. Part A, covers hospitalization and some nursing homes.

Part B, covers doctor office visits and some tests.

Part C, or Medicare Advantage plan, is healthcare that is managed by provider health plans and HMO's.

And Part D, covers prescription drugs.

Medicaid is a health insurance program, for low income individuals, managed and funded by individual States with additional funding by the Federal Government. Each State sets the income qualifying standards as well as benefits. Both programs were passed into law in 1965.

In 1980, Medicare expenditures totaled $34 billion dollars, or 6% of total Federal spending (TFS) of that year. By 1990, Medicare expenditure was $107 billion (9% TFS), in 2000-$216 billion (12% TFS), in 2002-$257 billion (13% TFS) in 2004-$300 billion (13% TFS), in 2007-$435 billion (16% TFS), and in 2008-$600 billion (20% TFS). Again these are just Medicare expenditures only.

In 2006, the Medicare prescription drug plan took effect to help with the cost of some common medications, which added another $49 billion dollars to the total Medicare expenditures of 2008.

The breakdown of healthcare payments for the U.S. population is as follows: 35% is paid by private insurance, 34% is paid by the Federal Government (mainly in the form of Medicare), 13% is paid by the individual States (mainly in the form of Medicaid), 12% of comes from our own out of pocket payments, and the remainder, from other sources.

Remember that the figures mentioned above, is of Medicare spending only. When you add the all the other payment sources just described that cover and pays for all medical expenses, the total final annual healthcare expenditure is even higher.

For example, in 2002, Medicare expenditure alone was $257 billion dollars. Add the other amounts spent to cover and pay for all healthcare costs that year, and the total expenditure on healthcare in 2002 was $2.1 trillion dollars, or $2,100, 000,000,000.00! No country in the world can continuously sustain these kinds of costs indefinitely. Without some form of compromise, reform and solution, the U.S. will eventually be bankrupt.

We all need to be aware of this reality and work together to try to contain costs and sustain a functioning healthcare system. To believe that you are immune and that none of this can or will affect you and your family is naive. We don't have to fear or get overwhelmed but it is time for all of us, from physicians and other health care providers to patients and their families, to take more responsibility and become pro-active for maintaining our own health.

Just four diseases are responsible for 60% of all the expenses paid by Medicare. Four! These diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma/chronic bronchitis (COPD) and depression. Diseases and conditions that can be modified or controlled by simply changing our lifestyle!

A change in lifestyle consists of improving our diets and nutrition, increasing our level of daily activity or exercise and smoking cessation. Changes that anyone can make and that in the long term is going to save us money by cutting down on medications, doctors visits, and improve chronic health conditions and our quality of life.

A balanced diet and exercise, in addition to taking your prescribed medications, is should be a routine and integral part of your health care.

The importance of our food and the diet in the prevention and treatment of diseases cannot be overstated. Food was used as one of the first medicines. For over 5000 years, food and nutrition has been an important part of ancient Indian medicine known as Ayurveda, as well as in traditional Chinese medicine, both of which continue to be practiced today in parts of the world.

Nutrition and disease.

The quality of food we have been eating as well as the amounts we consume has changed. We eat more processed, refined foods that are loaded with calories, sugar and saturated fats.

"Foods" that are very different from their components in natural form.

Because of these dietary changes, we have gained weight, and become a society suffering from an obesity epidemic as well as obesity related diseases.

It's as if eating, has become our favorite national pastime, while having forgotten the reason for eating in the first place.

Many eat not to satisfy hunger, but rather to fill and satisfy a void. We use food as our lover, friend, drug and entertainment. We even eat at times without being hungry all because we have easy access to cheap comfort foods.

Having recognized this, now is the time to try to change our bad eating habits.

Start by eating fewer processed, high calorie, high fat, sugary foods and snacks and instead, try eating more natural, less processed and fried foods. Eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and use olive oil instead of other fats.

Choose all kinds of healthy, fresh, natural foods including lean meats, fish and free range poultry.

Like changing any bad habit, it may take some getting used to.

Eat slowly.

It takes our brains about 20 minutes to think we full.

Drink plenty of water, as the neuro-signals of thirst, are similar to that of hunger and many times we feed ourselves when what our body really needs is water.

Eat smaller portions, throughout the day if possible. Smaller sized portions are used for energy, the...