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Physicians Ask Patients to Take Charge of Health

Dec. 30, 1999

AMA physicians offer several recommendations on maintaining good health in the new year.

Despite all future developments, Americans will have to take many of the same precautions against poor health and disease in the next millennium that they have taken in this one.

For those who haven't been taking those precautions, there is no better time to start than now.

The American Medical Association (AMA) said the best way for individuals to begin improving their health in the Year 2000 is by establishing a partnership between their physician to help them take charge of their health.

To get started,

Begin the new millennium as a non-smoker. Unfortunately, none of the new technology or medical treatments that we anticipate will reduce the harm nicotine causes the human body. Tobacco causes more than 400,000 deaths each year and results in annual cost of more than $65 billion in direct medical costs.
Eat right and keep the pounds off. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, 60 percent of American adults are not physically active on a regular basis -- and 25 percent of them are not active at all. A combination of good nutrition and good exercise can not only prevent obesity, but it can reduce the risk of a number of diseases.
Be cautious of the health information you get on the Internet. When it comes to health information, your most trusted source is your physician. Talk to your doctor about any information you get from the Internet -- especially information about medication, treatments or surgeries.

For more information on good health practices for the year 2000 and beyond, visit the AMA Web Site at www.ama-assn.org

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.