Walk With the Doc Saturday February 18th, 8:00 am Lifestyle Can Be Good Medicine Living a healthy lifestyle is good medicine. For most, it’s the best medicine. Certainly this isn’t news. What’s new is an increasing realization that we are living longer and need to remain healthy longer. Unfortunately, lifestyle choices have resulted in a country with escalating healthcare cost that is unsustainable. The percentage of people unnecessarily disabled by lifestyle choices is at a historic high and growing. For the good of all, change is needed. Changing a nation will require a political consensus, time and leadership. My goals are far more modest. My plan is to help you discover healthier choices that you may have overlooked. In the coming months you will hear more from me about opportunities for exploring healthier choices. For those unsure of how to make the best choices in the produce isle, I’ll be offering an opportunity to join me at local stores for time to explore healthy food choices. In the Spring and Summer I plan to offer Saturday morning opportunities for you to join me for healthy food cooking demonstrations. Look for more about these opportunities in upcoming newsletters. Doctors emphasizing healthy lifestyle choices are not new. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, is credited with saying “Food is Medicine” almost 2500 years ago. More recently, “Exercise is Medicine” has become the mantra of organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association. Even prestigious institutions like Harvard now offer training for doctors in Lifestyle Medicine. Till next time, keep physically active, keep making wise food choices and with the warming days enjoy an extra walk outdoors. A walk outdoors is medicine for the body and soul. Indeed, a February morning can be quite inviting when dressed warmly with hat, mittens and scarf. Have doubts? Join me Saturday. I’ll make you a believer. Nancy Neighbors, MD About Dr. Sabgir In 2015, David Sabgir, an Ohio cardiovascular specialist, was featured as a ‘CNN Hero’ in the news item titled “Doctor ditches white coat for walking shoes.” Dr. Sabgir discovered he was spending extra time during appointments, listening and giving advice on how to live a healthier life but in the end not having the success he wanted in encouraging patients to get physically active. As an experiment, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to meet him in the park for a walk. Since then, more doctors have come to recognize the merits of a “Do as I do prescription.” Dr. Sabgir’s medical practice is in Ohio which means I will probably not have an opportunity to join his walks. However, if you should have a chance to join one of his walks, tell him he’s my hero for his dedication in raising awareness for better health through life style choices. The Flu is Still Going Around Influenza activity is still rising in the U.S. and is expected to continue rising for several weeks. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. This season's flu vaccines are reducing risk of illness by nearly half. Anyone who has not yet gotten vaccinated this season, should do it. Let’s take a walk Date: Saturday, February 25th Location: Jones Family Park (see map) Time: 8:00 am (Meet in front of Yogurt Mountain) Yogurt Mt. is the last store at the end of Valley Bend Shopping Center). If cloudy, bring an umbrella, we walk come rain or shine. Click here for Dr. Neighbors’ 2017 news page |
