Imagine a scenario whereby you could eliminate 60% of your expenses and still maintain your lifestyle.  Better yet, improve it.  That is our opportunity with healthcare.  Sixty percent of disease and illness today is preventable with a healthy diet and exercise.  That includes cancer.

In a recent article by Dr. Otis Brawley published on CNN, he openly noted the link between cancer and obesity, poor nutrition,  and a lack of exercise.   At first glance,  it may beg the question,  how are those separate? They are all the same.  Well, they aren’t all the same, but they are intertwined.   If you exercise and eat well, you are less likely to be obese.  Obesity leads to all sorts of health problems.   The most common being heart related diseases.  It is unlikely that many people considered being sedentary and eating poorly to an increased risk of cancer.  That in and of itself should be reason enough to make lifestyle changes to support good health.  However, for many it does not.  Which brings us back to the beginning and this being preventable in 6 out of 10 cases.

Changing gears for a moment, healthcare is the biggest expense of our country’s gross domestic product, or GDP. Seventeen cents of every dollar spent in our economy is spent on healthcare.   If we could prevent 10% of these preventable cases, think of the money that would be saved and redirected towards non-preventable health problems.  We could help all of the sick and have additional money left over for other programs.  A budget surplus and a better quality of life for all.  

Now this is not to say that everyone should run out and hire a personal trainer,  but it does suggest everyone should have a plan for better health and activity.