case study: 10 year-old with severe abdominal pain

another healthcare recommendation down the tubes

First it's heart catheterization as a treatment for heart disease is no better than medical management. Then agressive management of diabetes increases the risk of death. Now, the Achives of Internal Medicine tells us:

"Despite important reductions in nonfatal MI, aspirin prophylaxis in people without prior CVD does not lead to reductions in either cardiovascular death or cancer mortality. Because the benefits are further offset by clinically important bleeding events, routine use of aspirin for primary prevention is not warranted and treatment decisions need to be considered on a case-by-case basis."

And this was not just some small single trial. This was an analysis of nine well done studies to get the big picture on what the aspirin recommendation should be. The only benefit was in the reduction of nonfatal MI (the ones that don't kill you), and 162 people have to take aspirin for one to get this benefit. There was no significant reduction in cardiovascular death or cancer mortality.

Bottom line: If you have not had a heart attack, taking aspirin does not help your prevent cardiac death.
I suspect the recommendations from most providers won't change though. It's really hard to change long held beliefs and what you were taught in medical school, even when the evidence refutes it. In this case, it was not just one research study. So put down the bottle of aspirin (if your healthy and trying to prevent cardiac death).

before you fill that script

Did you know that in a 5 year study, people who had their diabetes more aggressively managed with medication had a greater mortality?

Wow. Yet all the system knows to do is to keep writing scripts and increasing doses. Sure your A1C is down, but so is your life expectancy.

Time to get off the meds. You gotta give your doc a reason to do this. Start here:

1. Eliminate grains. All of them, for now. Eat vegetables, nuts, beans, eggs, non-breaded meat and fish from good sources without counting calories or worrying about amounts. Remember that anything from this list is better than a processed grain that spikes your blood sugar. Fruit in moderation.

2. Start with simple exercise that works muscles. Something like this workout.

3. Get a vitamin D level checked and start taking fish oil. I like 1 tbsp of Carlson's Lemon Oil

4. Rinse and repeat

keep your kids off the chart

The chart below shows the unheralded rise in pediatric obesity (not overweight, just obesity!) over the last 40 years. Outrageous, and downright scary. Kids today are flocking to multi-billion dollar pediatric centers for adult-onset diabetes, heart disease, joint replacement and bariatric surgery. This too little (but definitely not too cheap), too late approach is literally killing us. The generations behind us are not only impacting the expense of healthcare, but consider what it's doing to our national defense. One in four young adults signing up for service are unfit to join. This is going to get worse before it gets better.

It's blatantly obvious that the answers will not (actually, they cannot) come from our government, from our food industry nor from our community's healthcare system. It has to come from inside the home. The more you rely on the grocery store to feed your family, the greater chance your kids become a number on this chart. Recently, Hostess filed for bankruptcy. Good. If you're not part of the solution, you are the problem. And making organic mac and cheese won't do it either.

We have to model the right behaviors and start connecting with entities that are committed to truly nourshing the body. Focus on live foods, even if they are frozen or canned. Frozen veggies and fruits are generally inexpensive and they are likely in better condition in winter than the fresh stuff. Most frozen produce is picked fresh and immediately frozen. This is opposed to the tomato in the produce section that was picked green and allowed to turn red on the boat coming up from Chile. It's likely that your local community has winter CSA or Farmer's Market where fresh produce is greenhouse grown. Again, beats a shipped product any day.

Although Georgia's childhood obesity messages are harsh, they are true. Too true. Watch this video: Stop Childhood Obesity. It's not too late to prevent or even treat the problem. Learn about whole, real food and clean out your pantry. Fill up the fridge and freezer with food that could rot (try to eat before it gets there).

Your kids are going to bellyache and complain. Likely you will too. But what is satisfaction? The two seconds of enjoyment your child has gulping down his ice cream, or the lifelong gift of health and vitality? The ability to engage in any and all activities, never having joint pain or stiffness, and a sharp mind until a ripe old age. That's satisfaction to me. My kids aren't old or mature enough to make the satisfaction decision. That's my job, I'm a parent. I have to model the right behaviors and provide the tough love so that they do too. That way, they never make it onto this chart.

Have a comment or an idea on how to improve your family? Share it below...