Did you see the “We can’t wait” article in the April 22 New York Times?

As I read about the Obama administration’s new unilateral efforts (no Congressional approval necessary), I found myself thinking about our dilemma of overhauling our massive “disease care” business and transforming it into a true health-promotion business.

No politics, I promise. Let me be clear—I do not wish to introduce politics into this blog, but I did find this article interesting and thought that it might even inspire some of us to take more action on our own. By taking charge of our own health—and sharing that experience with others—we can hasten the pace with which our dysfunctional disease-care system will go the way of the dinosaurs of old. The article (See link below) by Charlie Savage began thusly:

WASHINGTON — One Saturday last fall, President Obama interrupted a White House strategy meeting to raise an issue not on the agenda. He declared, aides recalled, that the administration needed to more aggressively use executive power to govern in the face of Congressional obstructionism.

“We had been attempting to highlight the inability of Congress to do anything,” recalled William M. Daley, who was the White House chief of staff at the time. “The president expressed frustration, saying we have got to scour everything and push the envelope in finding things we can do on our own.”

Increasingly in recent months, the administration has been seeking ways to act without Congress. Branding its unilateral efforts “We Can’t Wait,” a slogan that aides said Mr. Obama coined at that strategy meeting, the White House has rolled out dozens of new policies — on creating jobs for veterans, preventing drug shortages, raising fuel economy standards, curbing domestic violence and more.

Does your doctor know how to reverse heart disease? if not, then find a new doctor.

Tired of waiting for our politicians to fix our disease care system? How about this? Rather than just harping on what the “system” should be doing, let’s focus on what we can do. What can we do on our own? Here’s my top ten list off the top of my head:

1. Take charge of our own health.
2. Teach this life-saving and planet-saving approach to our children and everyone else who is open to listening. (We can do this without proselytizing).
3. Find out if your primary care physician knows that you can reverse heart disease and type 2 diabetes with a simple change in diet.
4. If he/she doesn’t know, tell them how they can earn continuing medical education credits by learning how to incorporate powerful plant-based solutions their practice.
5. Also tell him/her that you will eventually find a primary care physician who will partner with you in promoting your health—not just search for and treat symptoms.
6. Write a note to all of your state and federal legislators and ask them the same question that you asked your physician about their knowledge of plant-based nutrition. (See #3).
7. Make it known that your vote will be going to the legislator who wants to learn how to truly promote health—thereby addressing our nation’s single biggest problem—the cost of health care.
8. Encourage those legislators to read our book and The China Study and to also consider taking that same plant-based nutrition course.
9. Bring in speakers to your club, church, environmentalist study group, place of business, etc. and help educate others.
10. Start a blog, write a book and make some noise—you don’t need anyone’s permission.

The Bottom Line. This is not politics. This is a world on the brink of disaster if we don’t get serious about changing what we eat. As for my own politics, I am a registered Independent and tend to vote based on my own assessment of the following: integrity, leadership, trust, respect and track record.

Certainly, any political candidate who demonstrates that he/she “gets it” when it comes to the importance of what we eat—will stand a much better chance of getting my vote almost every time.

This politician “gets it.” The only politician that I have ever met who truly “gets it” about promoting health is Dr. John McDonough of the Harvard School of Public Health. Your can visit his “Health Stew” blog on the Boston Globe or you can all about his amazing background on this earlier post:

Introducing Dr. John McDonough — Harvard Faculty

The “We can’t wait” article – NYTimes.com — April 22, 2012

Want to find out how healthy your family is eating? Take our free 4Leaf Diagnostic Survey It takes less than five minutes and you can score it yourself. After taking the survey, please give me your feedback as it will be helpful in the development of our future 4Leaf app for smartphones. Send feedback to jmorrishicks@me.com

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J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

For help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4Leaf page or some great recipes at Lisa’s 4Leaf Kitchen.

Got a question? Let me hear from you at jmorrishicks@me.com. Or give me a call on my cell at 917-399-9700.

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Blogging daily at hpjmh.com…from the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

—J. Morris Hicks, board member, T. Colin Campbell Foundation