What Regina Benjamin Could Mean to Women's Health

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It is interesting that many of the comments deal with Dr. Benjamin's personal health profile. The real story here is that we know too little about the sex/ethnic/and gender differences in health. Researchers need to include all those variables in their studies and all women should be encouraged and directed toward research, especially studies that look at preventable diseases and health behaviors. Often, women are interested but do not know where to go to find a study. The Institute for Women's Health Research at Northwestern has created the Illinois Women's Health Registry https:whr.northwestern.edu. Illinois Women 18 and older can join the registry on line (or call us for a paper version) by completing a confidential survey of self-reported health questions (no medical records needed). When a researcher comes to us looking for potential subjects we can screen our list to find women who match their study and who have agreed to be contacted if a match occurs. While this is only for Illinois women, other states are beginning to do this.
The power of women to make changes in health care is impressive and if we provide the tools they can change the world.!

Sharon Green MHA of IL 12:33PM July 31, 2009

Chief Executive Obama offered to make changes in appointment choices. Reagan appointed Ban-Abortion activists. He banned using our taxes to provide family planning, reproduction education, contraceptives, voluntary sterilization and abortion in other nations, the way he banned them here. He's on record, saying the pope guided his presidency. He's notorious for helping corporations have cheap labor here and overseas. He increased illegal immigration, and that helped bankrupt our state.
Clinical depression can cause obesity. She's worked hard to help flooded-out people and must have fallen asleep exhausted, much of the time. Obama is giving us public servants who are more like ourselves. Some of us had retirement funds but the crash wiped them out. I think he won the presidency because AT LAST, many formerly financially comfortable people saw their net worth was far lower than before. Give her a chance. "Many Americans are Obese." She represents them. Maybe with access to a better paycheck and more helpers, her own health will improve. .

auradawnveirs of CA 2:06AM July 15, 2009

Dr. Benjamin is a terrible choice for surgeon general! Have we become so politically correct that could have an obese person charged with this highest office:
"The Surgeon General serves as America's chief health educator by providing Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury." (from surgeon general web site)
I say this with great compassion. The site states that 61% of Americans are obese. 300,000 people die every year from obesity-related illness. How can an obese person educate a country on health? What does the word health mean? She's done fine on SICK-CARE but what has she done to promote being healthy?
It's like an oxycoton addict being surgeon general. With 7 million prescription drug addicts, that would be an outrage. Or having a pack-a-day smoker as the leader. Prevention and real HEALTH education is needed to resolve the coming bankruptcy in sick-care. We need real health, not just more efficient sickness management, drugs, and procedures for uneducated Americans.

Erol of CA 9:22PM July 14, 2009

Dr. Benjamin is certainly obese, which is defined as more than 20 percent over ideal weight. She obese and then some and may be morbidly obese. Morbid obesity is defined as being around 100 lbs. overweight. If you have seen Dr. Benjamin you would see she is VERY overweight, and her health is surely at risk. Not a good choice to provide an example for good health in this country. I can't think of a poorer choice.

Miss Jane Pittman of AL 4:03PM July 14, 2009

To Phil from Ca:
I suspect that if Dr. Benjamin has a weight problem, it is precisely because she listens to the "fat is bad for you" dogma spouted by the American Medical Assocation, American Diabetes Association and other government health organizations. There is abundant evidence from well-designed, well-executed scientific studies that demonstrate that the carbohydrates that make up the base of the Food Pyramid recommended by health experts is precisely what causes weight gain. Even the ADA has admitted that diabetics should not eat carbs, but they don't recommend a low-carb diet because they don't believe that people can stick to it! To find out how people can really lose weight, check out the following article:
http://weight-loss-motivators.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_right_way_to_lose_weight
For more information, read these:
http://proteins-carb-fats.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_not_to_eat
http://diet-trends.suite101.com/article.cfm/are_lowcarb_diets_safe
http://weight-loss-methods.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_start_losing_weight

Adrienne Larocque 7:36PM July 13, 2009

Reimann, you idiot the Internet is worldwide so now everyone has know how stupid some Americans like you are??? People reading please don't judge by the actions of one idiot.
Republican Senator Jeff Sessions
“I’m proud that President Obama has selected one of Alabama’s finest physicians, Dr. Regina Benjamin, to serve as the next Surgeon General of the United States.
Republican Gov. Bob Riley
"Dr. Benjamin's contributions to furthering rural health care and to public service are extraordinary. Her dedication to the state of Alabama and to humanity is a model for doctors everywhere,"
It is not republicans that are racist it is stupid people that are.

Sean Anderson of MD 5:14PM July 13, 2009

At a time when one of the #1 health emergencies in this nation is rampant obesity, it might have helped to choose a better representative for fitness. No disrespect intended, but if Dr. Benjamin is the tireless fighter for preventative medicine, a personal example would have gone a long way in this area.

Phil of CA 3:32PM July 13, 2009