Today we’re kicking off a review of the new Book Club selection – The Culprit & The Cure. If you’d like a refresher on why we chose this book, please visit Dr. Tony’s blog.
In Chapter 1 (Introduction) we learn what this book is going to teach us. The chart on page 6 looks at how different lifestyle behaviors affect lifespan (for example, eating nuts 5 times per week adds 2.5 years to one’s lifespan and maintaining a normal weight adds 11 years). However, Dr. Aldana’s perspective is that it’s not just about lifespan and delaying death, it’s about living healthier for longer without health events.
He provides a noteworthy refresher about how Americans got where we are in terms of our health: basically, there was a move away from physical labor jobs and walking places toward using machines to do labor and driving. He says that we don’t make changes because we don’t learn how and the book will offer the skills, ideas and practical experience to help us make changes.
Chapter 2 (Let Science Be Your Guide) offers up Dr. Aldana’s philosophy of using science to guide us (you’ll see footnoted research throughout the book). He offers information on three kinds of studies and it’s clear we will hear about many of these throughout the book: a cohort study, a case control and a randomized clinical trial. He reminds us that there are thousands of studies running all the time, but that only a small number are published and reported on, which means the average consumer only sees those seen as newsworthy. Dr. Aldana considers all kinds of research in this book, but reminds us that even his findings may change over time. Currently he believes the best research supports exercising 30 minutes per day at moderate intensity and eating per the current food pyramid recommendations (found on page 11).
The title of Chapter 3 (I-don’t-care-it is) is a clever term for “individuals with no interest in adopting a healthy lifestyle”. He says that we change a dangerous behavior when we learn the negative consequence (for example, falling off a bike we ride too fast). However, in health, the consequences of our dangerous behaviors (not eating healthy and not exercising) are much more far removed – so in essence, it’s not as clear until we’re older that we need to change our behaviors. He closes the chapter by offering a physician perspective on the US health care system – that it is treatment-based (vs. prevention-based), since that is how doctors are taught. He believes that as consumers, we need to think about the long-term consequences for our health when we make daily choices.
This Thursday, Dr. Tony will offer his unique perspective on Chapters 1, 2 and 3. And next Tuesday, we’ll delve into Chapters 4, 5 and 6.
And don’t forget that you can still vote in the Health Poll (until October 31) for a chance to win one of 10 copies of the book!
Kerry
