1. HIV/AIDS and malnutrition in Africa
2. Public health (sanitation/immunization) and malnutrition South Asia
3. Dependency on, and cost of, pharmaceuticals in the United States

In the United States, we talk about the high cost of health care, or the lack of access to health care, and the high cost of medication…. These are just symptoms, not health care concerns. Why do most individuals need a medication, or a doctor, or surgery? Because they have a symptom. Why do they have the symptom? Because of the lack of preventative medicine/health care.

I feel the most important health care issue in the U.S. is the lack of a comprehensive preventative medicine/health care program. Here is just one illustration of where a preventative program would be more effective than the standard approach.

99% of medications only activate or suppress reactions within the body they do not rebuild or regenerate. One does a little so let’s look at it.

Let’s take the drug Fosamax for instance. It claims to rebuild bones in patients with osteoporosis. Why do most people develop osteoporosis? Most develop it because they are sitting more (non-weight bearing) and since the body remodels according to the stress placed upon it, and they are not placing stress on the hips and spine, osteoporosis develops. What is the more logical approach, advise the person to perform weight bearing exercise thereby increasing the stress on the weight bearing joints thereby promoting new bone formation? (and if you really want the hedge your bets, give the person some inexpensive Vitamin D, calcium and boron). Or, advise the person to continue with their sedentary lifestyle and just take a medication? The choices: exercise with all of its benefits and $5 worth of supplements or Bingo, a hip fracture and $30 worth of medication.

Just think if the government actually implemented a program that got people to eat right and exercise. That’s our universal health care program right there. It’s cheap, it’s easy to follow and there is almost no paperwork. Billions would gained in increased production and billions more would be saved by tax payers who don’t have to buy as many medications every month or spend money on co-pays. That saved money will now go right back into the economy.

I don’t know if it will ever happen but it would be nice if it did.

Marcus Ettinger DC, BS