How Skipping the Doc Can Cost You Money

There are a million different excuses for skipping out on regular doctor’s appointments. A packed calendar, overbooked physicians, and a plain lack of desire to sit in that waiting room for an extra hour all top the list, but there is a new reason that people are cutting back on health care: cost.

Results recently published by Consumer Reports found that 48% of individuals were skimping on medication and other forms of health care, a 9% increase from last year. Additionally, 48% of people taking a prescription medication either delayed a doctor’s appointment, procedure, or medical test to save money. Within that group, 28% of individuals said they took a significant risk with their health by either not filling a prescription, taking an expired prescription, or sharing a prescription with someone else.

With the rising costs of life’s many necessities, as well as the consistently challenging economy, every family has to reconsider what is most important. However, your health should always be a priority. By skipping out on doctor’s appointments and necessary prescriptions, you could be costing yourself thousands or more dollars down the road in health care costs. Preventive medicine is meant to be just that, a means of preventing future ailments. But without regular visits to the doctor, it can be nearly impossible to stay on top of silent and expensive issues like heart disease and hypertension.

Taking a broad approach to your wellness can help keep long-term costs down. If you find yourself on medications to maintain cholesterol, heart health, or diabetes, take strides to work on weight loss and increased physical activity. The healthier you are, the lower your health care costs will be. A well-rounded wellness program ensures that you attack the health care issue from both sides – regular doctor’s appointments become a necessity, as does a healthier approach to life. Paying the upfront costs of doctor’s visits, a better diet, and regular physical activity will help you hit the jackpot later in life.

            

Exciting New Developments In the World of Nutrition!

Several exciting new developments have taken place in the world of the nutrition in the past two weeks! First, the American Dietetic Association announced their new name, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), at the annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in San Diego, CA. This name change, effective as of January 2012, was made to bring attention to the scientific research and expertise of the professionals in the field of dietetics. The inclusion of the word “nutrition” was done to help consumers more readily identify the primary goal of the academy: to translate and communicate nutrition-science to the public

As a registered dietitian, I am excited about this new development in our field. Our goal is to have an academy of educated professionals that you can rely on for nutrition information, and this name change clearly identifies AND members as the go-to experts for nutrition!

The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo provided an opportunity to hear about new developments in research and science within the nutrition field. A couple of the most interesting presentations:

A Fresh Look at Processed Foods:

·      Most of the calories in the American diet come from ‘Ready-to-Eat’ processed Foods (soda, candy, juice drinks, cold cuts).

·      In contrast, only about 300 calories a day come from minimally processed foods (milk, coffee, tea, eggs, chicken, beef etc). ? fruits, vegetables?? Where do they fit?

·      However, while processed foods make significant contributions     to nutrients we want to limit (saturated fat, sodium and sugar) they also make significant contributions to the nutrients we want to encourage (potassium, B12, folate).

·      The message: make smart decisions when choosing processed foods.

Satiating Effects of Taste and Texture:

·      It takes only 1 exposure to a food or flavor to develop a flavor aversion.

·      “Fullness” is a learned, internal cue – Individuals in France reported ending dinner when they felt full or food stopped tasting good whereas individuals in America reported stopping a meal when the plate was empty or the TV show had ended.

·      Satiety is affected by both quantity and quality of food – low quality, refined foods, even in high amounts, can feel less satiating and a balance of carbohydrate, fat and protein is key.

Finally, the ‘Nutrition and You: Trends 2011’ survey was released with some interesting findings about the American public’s views of nutrition. Some key highlights:

·      67% of those surveyed listed television as the most frequent source of nutrition information.

·      Registered dietitians were listed as “very credible” sources of nutrition information by 71% of respondents.

·      With increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, half of Americans still believe they are doing enough to achieve balanced nutrition and a healthy diet.

·      92% of respondents believe that whole-grain bread is healthier than white bread, however, only 48% had increased consumption since 2008.

·      82% of people who didn’t want to change negative dietary habits listed “I don’t want to give up the foods I like” as a reason for avoiding change (up 9% from 2008).

There were many more findings from the survey, which can be found here. Clearly, we still have many challenges to overcome in terms of healthful eating and making smarter nutrition choices. This survey is a motivating factor for our dietitians at Wellness Workdays as we continue to work hard to spread our nutrition messages !