Rahm Emanuel now encouraging ALL city employees to follow his lead

A triathlete himself, he says plant-based eating has helped him improve his times.

Not only is he the mayor of one of America’s largest cities, he served in the first Obama White House as the President’s Chief of Staff. Now, as Chicago’s mayor, he has teamed up with Rip Esselstyn as he begins to reduce his city’s $480 million/year cost of healthcare.

He is encouraging personal responsibility among all employees and is providing incentives for them to accept the challenge. Apparently, there has already been a reduction in those costs. A few of his words from this 3-minute video:

The third biggest item on the city’s budget is healthcare costs—and it was going up at 10% a year. Just because we’re now doing a better jog of managing it doesn’t mean that each individual shouldn’t do a better job of managing it as well.

I’m a firm believer in personal responsibility; I want the incentives in there so you do the right thing. I’m not telling you what to do, but you have choices to make and there are consequences both to your health and your healthcare costs. He adds that by encouraging healthy eating that the city could cut that $480 million healthcare bill in half.

LEADERSHIP. This is exactly what I am talking about—when the top executive in any enterprise thinks something is important, it becomes important throughout the entire organization. Take a look at what’s happening with those macho firemen in Chicago:

You may want to forward this blog to your mayor and to the big boss where you work. These kinds of initiatives are tough to implement without the genuine support (leading by example) of the most senior executive. But with that support, the results are remarkable—just like we’re seeing in Chicago.

Obama listening to then Chief of Staff Emanuel; think what would happen if he listened to him NOW about FOOD.

We can help. We’re ready to help your city or business get healthy, save a lot of money and do some wonderful things for the environment at the same time. We’re even paying referral fees for introductions that lead to consulting work. Our approach and all the details are explained in this blogpost: Slashing the cost of health care in businesses.

One more thing. Now that Rahm Emanuel is onboard the Plant-Strong train, he needs to reach out to his former Chicago buddy, President Barack Obama—as he begins that all-important second term and doesn’t have to worry about getting elected again. Just imagine the impact if Barack and Michelle started doing for the nation what Rahm is doing for the windy city. —My 709th consecutive daily blog—

• Did you know that Obama really “gets it” about food? (with compelling video)
  
• J. Morris Hicks Consulting Credentials (for lowering healthcare costs in businesses)

Handy 4-piece take-charge-of-your-health kit—from Amazon.com

• The movie that’s changing the lives of millions: Forks Over Knives DVD 
• Healthy Eating, Healthy World, The “big picture” about food (our book)
• An essential scientific resource: The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
• Dr. McDougall’s new book, The Starch Solution, with lots of great recipes.

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