The economic burden of obesity in the United States is under-recognized. Even though our nation is more aware than ever of the growing
size of our people—which adds hugely to the burden of disease—we seem paralyzed to stop this trend. Perhaps understanding the economic impact will focus our attention.
Allen S. Weiss, MD, FACP, FACR, MBA
Recent posts by Allen S. Weiss, MD, FACP, FACR, MBA
2 min read
There's an App for that on Your Smartphone
The health care frontier has gone through a revolution because of computer technology. The way we obtain information about conditions or diseases that are of personal interest has changed dramatically due to the ability of all of us to navigate the internet. Of the one million plus apps for smartphones, there are thousands related to health, healthcare, medications, and disease.
As of 2020, 84 million people have used healthcare apps.
Topics: Bulletin
2 min read
Soothing Massage as a Stress Reliever
Massage has evolved from just a “feel good” experience to accepted therapy for some muscular-skeletal ailments. Massage has generally been considered as part of complementary and alternative medicine. Increasingly, massage is being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations—according to a recent
Mayo Clinic communication.
Topics: Bulletin
3 min read
Shifting from Sedentary to Active
Many of us spend a great deal of time in our chairs—at work or home—living a sedentary life. With our desire to live longer, happier, and healthier lives we can be more creative as we add exercise and physical activities to our daily work and home patterns. These newfound activities are good for both fitness and productivity.
Topics: Move Naturally Bulletin
3 min read
Adult Vaccinations
Focusing on the prevention of adult illnesses such as COVID, shingles, Hepatitis A and B, some forms of pneumonia, human papillomavirus (HPV), and flu is important for each of us individually, and collectively as a society.
Topics: Bulletin
2 min read
We Are What We Think We Are…or How to Avoid Aging
A famous experiment in 1981 had a group of frail, elderly men step out of their surroundings and back into the past with a time warp designed to conjure up 1959; it made the point that environment matters. This experiment was “re-reported” in 2014 in the
New York Times Magazine with great fanfare.
Topics: Bulletin Right Outlook
2 min read
A Missing Element in Total Population Health
The Blue Zones Project, currently in eighty communities helping 5+ million people, has proven that prevention is more efficient and effective than traditional approaches anchored on acute fixes and chronic repairs. Moving “upstream” to address the causes of illness, both clinical and non-clinical, is not only financially sensible but also ethically prudent.
Topics: Bulletin
4 min read
Interested in Cutting Your Risks of Cancer in Half? Please Embrace Four Behaviors
Preventing about half of all cancers with lifestyle modification was a subject discussed with Blue Zones Founder Dan Buettner and colleagues in the past but is still relevant today.
Topics: Bulletin
4 min read
Interested In Adding Three Years of Life Expectancy for Everyone? Learn From Scandinavia.
Sharing best practices, understanding other folk’s cultures, and aspiring to improve by assimilating positive attributes can be an important benefit of travel—whether local, regional, national, or international.
A thoughtful professional colleague spent a year in Norway, shared some thoughts, and in the process stimulated a desire to visit and learn from the three Scandinavian countries—Sweden, Copenhagen, and Norway. Finland and Iceland are part of the
Nordic Countries which include all five but due to historical, cultural, and language evolution are not formally Scandinavian.
Topics: Bulletin
2 min read
“Smart Pills” and Newer Technologies in Healthcare
Technology is changing almost every aspect of our lives, and this is no more apparent than in healthcare. Three recent and rapidly advancing technologies are wonderful examples of what is happening now. The future is here, just not evenly distributed, as we still hold onto some older and less effective methodologies.
