The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation Fact Sheet

Today’s epidemic of overweight and obesity threatens the historic progress we have made in increasing American’s quality and years of healthy life. The hard facts:

  * Two-thirds of adults and nearly one in three children are overweight or obese.
  * 70% of American Indian/Alaskan Native adults are overweight or obese.
  * The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. more than doubled (from 15% to 34%) among adults and more than tripled (from 5% to 17%) among children and adolescents from 1980 to 2008.
  * An obese teenager has over a 70% greater risk of becoming an obese adult.
  * Obesity is more common among non-Hispanic black teenagers (29%) than Hispanic teenagers (17.5%) or non-Hispanic white teenagers (14.5%).

To stop the obesity epidemic in this country, we must remember that Americans will be more likely to change their behavior if they have a meaningful reward- something more than just reaching a certain weight or dress size.  The real reward has to be something that people can feel and enjoy and celebrate.  That reward is invigorating, energizing, joyous health.  It is a level of health that allows people to embrace each day and live their lives to the fullest – without disease, disability, or lost productivity.  To be a nation that is Healthy and Fit.

Key actions outlined in The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation include:

Individual Healthy Choices and Healthy Home Environments - Change starts with the individual choices Americans make each day for themselves, their families and those around them. To help achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, Americans of all ages should: reduce consumption of sodas and juices with added sugars; eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins; drink more water and choose low-fat or non-fat dairy products; limit television time to no more than 2 hours per day; and be more physically active.

Creating Healthy Child Care Settings - It is estimated that over 12 million children ages 0–6 years receive some form of child care on a regular basis from someone other than their parents. Child care programs should identify and implement approaches that reflect expert recommendations on physical activity, screen time limitations, good nutrition, and healthy sleep practices. Parents should talk with their child care providers about changes to promote their children’s health.

Creating Healthy Schools - Each school day provides multiple opportunities for students to learn about health and practice healthy behaviors such as regular physical activity and good nutrition. To help students develop life-long healthy habits, schools should provide appealing healthy food options including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, water and low-fat or non-fat beverages.  School systems should also require daily physical education for students allowing 150 minutes per week for elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for secondary schools.

Creating Healthy Work Sites - The majority of the 140 million men and women who are employed in the United States spend a significant amount of time each week at their work site. Because obesity reduces worker productivity and increases health care costs, employers are becoming more aware of the need to help promote health within the workplace.  Employers can implement wellness programs that promote healthy eating in cafeterias, encourage physical activity through group classes and stairwell programs and create incentives for employees to participate.

Mobilizing the Medical Community - Doctors and other health care providers are often the most trusted source of health information and are powerful role models for healthy lifestyle habits.  Medical care providers must make it a priority to teach their patients about the importance of good health. When discussing patients’ Body Mass Index (BMI), providers should explain the connection between BMI and increased risk for disease and, when appropriate, refer patients to resources that will help them meet their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs.

Improving Our Communities - Americans need to live and work in environments that help them practice healthy behaviors. Neighborhoods and communities should become actively involved in creating healthier environments.  Communities should consider the geographic availability of their supermarkets, improving residents’ access to outdoor recreational facilities, limiting advertisements of less healthy foods and beverages, building and enhancing infrastructures to support more walking and bicycling, and improving the safety of neighborhoods to facilitate outdoor physical activity.

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/

Nearly 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. are battling eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, while millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.

The peak onset of eating disorders occurs during puberty and the late teen/early adult years, but symptoms can occur as young as kindergarten.

More than one in three normal dieters progresses to pathological dieting.

Does this information surprise you? Does it sound familiar? You are not alone. Help is just a call or click away.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, NEDA is here to help. Call the toll free, confidential Helpline Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Pacific Standard Time: 1-800-931-2237. Our helpline volunteers will be there to offer support and guidance with compassion and understanding.http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/index.php

You are also always welcome to come by the Cornish Wellness Center or the Counseling Offices for more resources. http://www.cornish.edu/student_affairs/prevention_and_wellness/

NEDAOutlook_Feb2010.pdfNEDAOutlook_Feb2010.pdf

HOW TO DO IT:
When it is recognized that a break-up or separation is going to occur, it is suggested that:

• An open an honest discussion of the situation takes place between the persons involved.
• The individuals share making the decision that must be made.
• No matter who is leaving or who is staying, each must make his/her wishes known.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

When a relationship ends, whether the relationship is between lovers, friends, or a family member, a loss is experienced. Some of the emotions that are commonly experienced by someone suffering a loss are:

•   Feeling helpless, fearful, empty, numb, despairing, pessimistic, irritable, angry, guilty, relieved.
•   Thinking of suicide, experiencing a loss of concentration, hope, motivation, and energy.
•   Physically more fatigued, error-prone, slower in speech and movement, restless, changes in eating habits, sleep patterns, sex drive.

Any or all of these experiences are to be expected during and after a loss occurs. They need not be fought, stewed about or denied. They are part of the natural healing process of the mind and body.

HOW TO SURVIVE AND RECOVER:

A break-up and the accompanying emotions are neither insignificant nor terminal. They are a part of life and living. The length of recovery varies from situation to situation and from individual to individual. The longevity of the relationship as well as the intensity of the feelings impact the length of the recovery period. The three stages of the recovery process are:

1. Shock and Denial
2. Anger and Depression
3. Understanding and Acceptance

Everyone who experiences a loss will go through these stages. One is more likely to go through them faster if the feelings are allowed to be felt and if he or she can envision what it will be like once through the process.

SURVIVING/HEALING/GROWING

• Work towards accepting the loss; it happened, it’s real
• Try not to run away from your pain; you need to hurt so that you can heal. FEEL IT NOW. Your pain needs your attention, just like a physical injury does. Treat yourself with the affection and love that you would give a friend who needed your comforting.
• Don’t punish yourself with “If only I had…” thoughts, and try not to blame yourself for what has happened. Remember that you are a wonderful, whole, lovable person who is hurting and who needs your comforting.
• The healing process is a natural process with a beginning, middle and end. Give yourself all the time that you need, and be gentle with you.
• Just when you start to feel better, you’re likely to feel great pain all over again. That’s how we heal – our pain ebbs and flows with lots of forward and backward movement. Trust that it is supposed to happen this way.
• Go softly; get lots of sleep, meditate, pray if it suits you, let your emotions rest sometimes. It is also helpful to stick to your schedule as much as is comfortable for you. Being productive at times and focusing on other tasks can be a good way to give yourself a break from your intense feelings. A balance between feeling the pain and giving yourself a break from it by doing other things is the most efficient way of healing.
• Keep decision making to a minimum. Your judgment will be clouded for a while and keeping additional changes to a minimum will give you some sense of constancy.
• Try to let others give you comfort and support. It’s okay to need help. And it takes courage to ask for it and to accept it.
• Sundays and holidays can be the hardest. Plan good things for yourself for these days.
• Thoughts of suicide after a loss are a natural symptom of the pain and there is no need to act on them – the feeling will pass. If you start to feel that the suicidal thoughts are growing out of control, however, you should get help immediately. Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone.
• Giving up the final hope of restoring the relationship may be the most painful and difficult part of the healing process. We try and keep our pain at bay by hoping; and when hope is gone, we feel the pain full force. When hope creeps in, gently remind yourself that the relationship really is over; that this is the way it is going to be between the two of you. Don’t get mad at yourself or berate yourself when you find yourself hoping again; that’s just a way we try and protect ourselves from pain.
• Put away “mementos” of your relationship if you feel they are binding you to the past. If they help you grieve, use them.
• You will feel depressed and angry for a while. Try and let those feelings flow freely and express them in a safe environment. Direct you anger outward, not in at yourself. Yell, scream, punch pillows, cry, talk with people you trust. Write your feelings in a journal.
• Eat well, try to get some exercise, sleep as needed, and avoid addictive substances (overeating, excessive alcohol use, drugs, cigarettes). Try not to set additional rules for yourself – do what feels best to you. Pamper yourself through this difficult time. Remember you are more vulnerable right now.
• Beware of “rebound” romances.
• You are not obligated to feel the pain any longer than it is really there. They length of time you are in pain is not proof of the depth of your love.
• Let yourself heal at your own pace. You are entitled to take as much time as you need.
• Keep telling yourself that thins will get better – because they will! It just takes time.
• One of the final stages in the healing process is forgiveness – of both you and the other person. When the time is right, forgive the both of you.
• It’s an old cliché, but it’s true! You are a better person for having loved even though you lost. Be proud that you had the courage to love someone and to give yourself so deeply. That is a gift.
• Be open to what lies ahead for you in life. You will survive; you will love again; you will be wiser, stronger and deeper for the experience. Nurture yourself. Trust yourself. Love yourself.

—From How to Sruvive the Loss of Love, Colgrove (1976)

Explore and experience science firsthand

Join us to gain a glimpse into the science conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Our “Science for Life” series will break down the concepts, skip the homework and offer a chance to interact with world-class researchers in a fun, informal and hands-on atmosphere.

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The Evolutionary Arms Race - February 4
Evolutionary change is driven by competition between genes and proteins with opposing functions. As viruses and bacteria develop new ways to outwit the immune system, the immune system must adapt and fight back. By looking at rapidly evolving DNA, Dr. Harmit Malik identifies and studies the changes in our ability to fight infections and diseases like cancer. Come hear about the fascinating mysteries this evolutionary biologist is unraveling.

A Twofold Miracle: Cord Blood - February 11
The miracle of childbirth also has the potential to offer a miracle of another kind-a cure for cancer. Umbilical cord blood is rich with healing stem cells that can cure leukemia. Dr. Colleen Delaney has developed a way to multiply cord blood stem cells 150-fold, making cord blood transplants a viable treatment for desperately ill patients, including those of mixed ethnicity who often have difficulty finding a matching donor. Join her as she talks about this ground-breaking research, and how it is saving lives.

Your Immune System vs. Cancer - February 18
What if we could harness the power of our immune system, enhance it, and then target it directly at cancer? The Hutchinson Center’s Dr. Ollie Press is doing just that. Join this internationally recognized expert in the field of immunotherapy as he discusses his research and how it is changing the face of cancer treatment.

Keeping Tumors at Bay with Vaccines - February 25
For many patients, winning the battle against cancer is more complicated than surviving a first diagnosis—the chance of recurrence can be high. Dr. Nora Disis, Hutchinson Center researcher and University of Washington professor, is working to develop vaccines that boost the immune system to prevent recurring breast and ovarian cancer. Come hear the promise of early results that give new hope to those at high risk for recurrence.

For questions about the program please call Sarah Tribolet at (206) 667-4211.

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