Not all chronic illnesses are the result of "poor lifestyle choices."
I happen to be a young adult cancer survivor who is dealing with chronic illnesses as the result of late and long term effects from the chemotherapy received to cure my cancer. And I have met many other people who are struggling with chronic illnesses as the result of autoimmune and genetic disorders, infectious agents, chemical exposures and environmental factors.
I appreciated that the author "gets it": that the medical system is failing those of us with multiple chronic illnesses because it isn't set up to help us, at least not yet.
Living with chronic illness can be very hard. So I do agree that more needs to be done in terms of health education and behavior change to prevent more people from developing chronic illness from risk factors like unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use. I see chronic illness prevention as public health, behavioral health and preventative medicine problems. Unfortunately these are things that aren't done very well in the U.S.
SelenaMKIof CA11:18AM September 27, 2012
The chronically ill account for the largest part of healthcare costs. Chronic illness is driven by poor lifestyle choices, i.e., mindless eating, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. What is needed is behavioral change. This is more of a leadership problem, how to get people to change behavior than a medical problem who to treat the disease or condition. Both leadership and medical treatment need to be combined but the emphasis needs to be on leadership, not medicine.
Mike Holmanof OH9:04AM December 05, 2011
Very true that major brands do give out samples on their products, search online for "123 Samples" we just got ours today. You wont need CC.
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SelenaMKI of CA 11:18AM September 27, 2012
Mike Holman of OH 9:04AM December 05, 2011
kristybrent19 of TX 2:57AM July 19, 2011