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Friday, June 17, 2011

Let's Move to Good Health

Today is a rest day so I’ll take a rest from running talk and blog about something just as important.
Yesterday, our nation released the first ever National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy (National Prevention Strategy). According the government, “this strategy is a critical component of the Affordable Care Act, and it provides an opportunity for us to become a more healthy and fit nation.”
This is an enormous step for our nation to develop a comprehensive approach to encourage health prevention and access to healthcare. Let’s be proactive versus reactive and teach people how to make affordable, healthy choices so they can make better decisions and be armed with...

nutritional knowledge. I say affordable because I cringe at the prices of healthy foods whenever I go to the food market. This is without going to the organic food section, so I can empathize with people who struggle to afford healthy food. Even though quality foods are more expensive than canned and boxed processed foods, there are ways to change the way we eat and keep it affordable. Maybe I’ll talk about that later.
Although the wording in the Strategy is nebulous and there are no grant dollars tied to the Strategy, hopefully the $15B prevention fund earmarked in healthcare reform will be available for initiatives.
This is another excerpt from the Strategy which is close to my heart:
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: Let’s Move!
Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation. Let’s Move! has sparked national awareness and attention among all sectors of the nation. This past year, groundbreaking legislation ensuring all children have healthier food in school was passed; Walmart announced a Nutrition Charter to bring healthier and more affordable foods to their stores; national sports leagues are operating clinics across the nation to encourage children to be physically active for 60 minutes a day; and Let’s Move! has also released new public service announcements to help parents make healthier food choices and be more physically active with their families. More than 500 communities across the nation have signed up to be a Let’s Move! city or town committed to improving the health of their residents.
Healthy lifestyles begin at home so let’s start with ourselves. Now, if I can only pull my son away from pancakes and maple syrup; there’s a battle.
Here's the link to the entire Prevention Strategy document:
http://www.healthcare.gov/center/councils/nphpphc/index.html

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