Health is a function of participation.

Participation is a function of fitness. tm

     

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About Dr. Applebaum

  

Dr. Applebaum's National Fitness Initiative

Health is a function of participation.  Participation is a function of fitness. tm

I will make this brief.  As a physician, I am concerned about the current state of and trends in national fitness.  They are worsening.  Unfortunately, so is healthcare funding.  I see it daily.  I know it is happening.  As dollars are committed to other priorities, fewer will be available to care for you, for me and for the ones we love.

In the United States:

  • ·        Unhealthy eating and inactivity cause 310,000-580,000 premature deaths every year—similar to the number of deaths caused by tobacco and 13 times more than are caused by guns.  Alcohol is responsible for an additional 20%

  • ·        Almost two-thirds (61%) of American adults are "overweight" or "obese"

  • ·        "Obesity" rates in children have doubled in the last two decades.  14% of children and 12% of teens are now "obese"

  • ·        Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are major contributors to reduced quality of life and disabilities.  The number of Americans living with unhealthy diet- and inactivity-related diseases is 215,160,000

  • ·        Unhealthy eating and inactivity are leading risk factors for causes of 1,634,192 deaths annually

  • ·        Diet- and inactivity-related diseases are expensive.  The costs of diseases associated with unhealthy diet and inactivity total $617,000,000,000.  That’s 617 BILLION dollars!

These statistics are not mine.  They come from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.  You can visit them at:

www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy

Diseases associated with unhealthy eating and inactivity are easily preventable.

Here is the  initiative:

Think of this as the Wear 'Em Out Campaign tm. 

Put on your training gear and wear 'em out of the house.  This way you are not near your refrigerator, pantry and other temptations.  Also, try to wear 'em out from use so you will need to replace them.

For a mere three months, live the fitness lifestyle.  Eat properly, train regularly.  For me this averages to less than 30 minutes per day (about the time it takes to watch a TV show which you can still do while exercising, if you must).  Encourage your family and friends to do the same.  Create your own program if you want.  Have me or someone else develop one for you.  Just try it.  The worst that can happen is that it won't be right for you.  If it is right for you, keep at it.  Your participation in life's offerings will be enhanced, your life will be better and you will prevent or mitigate some really awful diseases that make life miserable.

Copyright 1998-2008, Michael Applebaum, MD, JD, FCLM.  All rights reserved.
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