Tolukanni
“How to Pursue a Healthier Lifestyle” by Kate Atkinson Read the…
“How to Pursue a Healthier Lifestyle” by Kate Atkinson
Read the following reading selection carefully, annotating the text according to the
guidelines.
For many years, doctors’ prescriptions have come in the form of pills, syrups, tonics. For example, it has been easy for doctors to tell patients who are overweight to go on a diet or patients who are chronically short of breath to stop smoking. Now, armed with advances in research and medical science, more doctors are helping patients understand the many factors that influence their health. In fact, some doctors have begun moving beyond a simple “prescription medication” approach toward a holistic type of treatment that looks not only at the patient’s body, but also at his or her family, home, and community. In this new approach to leading a healthier life, doctors recommend diet and exercise, help patients manage their stress levels, and refer patients to community-based programs that are intended to raise the well-being of an entire city or neighborhood. For these patients, becoming healthier is not a simple linear process of taking a pill one day and feeling better the next; rather it is an ongoing process of managing their lives to make healthy choices that will benefit them in the short, medium, and long run.
Many doctors believe that the two keys to health (for people who do not suffer from debilitating diseases or disabilities) are diet and exercise. Yet it is difficult for many peopleespecially poor people who live in neighborhoods filled with fast-food restaurantsto find healthy food or get the exercise they need. The Centers for Disease Control report that 69 percent of adults over the age of 20 in the United States are considered overweight or obese, thus increasing their likelihood of developing diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and certain cancers. According to a study by Dr. Uri Ladabaum for the Stanford University School of Medicine, Americans have become increasingly sedentary over the past two decades, and their health is suffering as a result (Ladabaum). In the land of desk jobs and pizza parlors, many Americans find it difficult to find time to work exercise and healthy food choices into their daily lives.
The first step that people must take in their quest for better health is to seek help from a medical professional who can help them achieve their goals. More and more doctors are becoming aware of the challenges of treating those individuals who have little money, and they are coming up with creative solutions to help them get the food and exercise they need to lead a healthier life. In her article “How Being Poor Makes You Sick,” Olga Khazan highlights a recent experiment in Boston that seems promising. Some doctors have teamed up with Hubway, the city’s bike-share program, to help people get more exercise. Doctors can prescribe bike shares at a significant discount to patients who can’t afford one or who live in neighborhoods where a bike is likely to be stolen. These bikes have a sturdy design that will accommodate the overweight patients who need exercise the most. For example, the bikes have thicker handlebars than traditional bikes and wider seats for a more comfortable ride. They also have thick, puncture-resistant tires and a light that is powered by the pedals, thus making the bikes safer to ride at night. In terms of helping patients gain access to more nutritious foods, Khazan discusses the work of the Boston Medical Center, which operates a food pantry for families whose access to healthy foods is limited or nonexistent (Khazan).
After seeking help with food and exercise, low-income individuals must also learn how to better manage the stress in their lives, for leading a healthier life isn’t simply a matter of finding the time to ride a bicycle and eating fewer processed foods; it’s also about managing stress. Science has shown conclusively that poverty causes illness, and stress underlies many of these illnesses. The anxiety caused by facing scarcity in one’s daily life can actually change the way people think and lead to “toxic stress.” In fact, one study determined that “the anxiety of living in poverty is a stronger predictor of mental health problems than going to war” (Khazan). Toxic stress makes it difficult to make good decisions and plan for the future. For all these reasons, doctors have begun to teach stress-reduction techniques, such as deep-breathing and relaxation methods. Because money is often a source of stress, doctors recommend free seminars that teach people how to manage and save moneyfor example, by setting up a budget, conserving on their utility bills, and buying generic medications (acetaminophen costs about $1.99 for 100 caplets, while Tylenol, which is just a brand name for acetaminophen, costs about $9.99 for 100 caplets).
Another step that individuals may take in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle is to seek help from community agencies. Many doctors are partnering with community agencies to make healthy lifestyles a priority for the entire community, not just for the individuals they treat. When you visit a community-oriented doctor’s office, you will often find pamphlets, leaflets, and advertisements for community agencies to which patients can turn for additional support. Many of these community agencies are overseen by doctors whose area of specialization is public health. In New York City, for example, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has started a public health poster campaign to get people to take the stairs more. The bright posters, which have been distributed in over 1,000 buildings in the city, tout slogans such as “Burn Calories, Not Electricity. Take the Stairs!” (Lichtman). The campaign acknowledges the fact that technological advancement has resulted in millions of workers sitting at computer screens in high-rise skyscrapers for eight to ten hours a day. As a result, not only have jobs become more sedentary, but also elevators and escalators have created an easier, quicker alternative to stairs. Climbing stairs burns calories and promotes muscle tone; riding an elevator does not. The campaign is part of the “active design” movement, which aims to design buildings that use less energy and pro-mote health at the same time (Lichtman).
My cousin Rosalyn provides a real-world example of the steps to improve one’s health, and her story shows how a patient, a doctor, and a community can all work together to promote a healthier lifestyle. Rosalyn is 32 years old and full of life. She was raised by a single mother who did her best, but they were never healthy eaters. As a result, Rosalyn has been very overweight since she was a little girl. About a year ago, Rosalyn was not feeling well, and although she did not have a lot of money to spend, she finally decided to go to a medical clinic for help. She was diagnosed as being very close to having Type 2 diabetes. Her doctor told her that the best way to prevent herself from becoming diabetic was to lose weight. He then took her down the hallway to meet with a nutrition and diet specialist. The specialist talked to a friend who works at a local health club that offers discounted memberships for people who have to lose weight for medical reasons. Embarking on an exercise regimen was a big step for Rosalyn. Realizing that she couldn’t do it alone, she searched the Internet and found a local sup-port group for people who are trying to prevent diabetes, and at the group she made several friends who made a pact to help one another keep exercising and keep losing weight. Rosalyn is now 30 pounds lighter, and her doctor says her blood sugar is under control.
Ultimately, Americans today face a number of obstacles in achieving good health, and the poor typically face more challenges than those who are middle-income or wealthy. Not everyone can afford a gym membership and three-square meals a day. But as doctors begin to take a more holistic approach to health with all of their patientsthe poor and the wealthyit is likely that the overall health of Americans will improve. By leading patients through a series of steps that teach the importance of diet, exercise, stress management, and community support, doctors are leading the charge in giving patients the control they need to take charge of their health and their lives. Just as life is a journey, not a destination, so is healthy living a process, not simply an outcome.
