With our country wrestling with tough economic choices, particularly in the delivery of health care, all services are under scrutiny from a cost/benefit analysis. Even procedures that have largely been given a free pass in the past are under the microscope…and perhaps the knife. Spinal surgeries are being compared to other less expensive options with a critical eye.
With the arrival of warmer weather comes one of my favorite summer activities- shopping for local goods and produce at the farmer’s market. For anyone who wants to make healthier eating a part of their lifestyle, this is the place to be! As an example, we have a wonderful market here in Maple Grove, Minnesota. I have watched over the past few years as the market has grown and gotten busier and busier. People are catching the “eat local” wave. This is good news not only for those of us who wait all winter long to get locally grown and produced food and other items, but for the farmers and suppliers. Our business keeps them in business!
We live in a increasingly toxic world. For example, in the US we use over one billion tons of pesticides each year. And don’t think it will improve easily as this is a $12.5 billion industry. However, if we want to maintain telomere integrity we need to be aware of this toxic world and protect ourselves from it.
I have met many of you who are aware you have osteopenia or osteoporosis and know you need to exercise to promote bone density. I am asked by many what exercises to do and why. You are not alone. Osteoporosis has become a serious public health problem. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation 10 million Americans over the age of 50 have osteoporosis and 34 million have low bone density or osteopenia. One in two women and 1 in 4 men over 50 will sustain an osteoporosis related fracture.
