From Your Health Journal…..”A great article today in Men’s Health by Denny Watkins about 3 things Americans do best. Now, from the title, you would think the articles would include positives, but actually, negatives about what Americans do best. The article reminds us the United States is the unhealthiest industrialized nation in the world, and seems to be getting worse. While the richest Americans have access to the best medical care, lower income Americans can’t afford even the basics. But money doesn’t make you healthy. The article continues by mentioning how the US has more medical innovation than most countries, domination in the Olympics, and has more paying gym memberships than any other nation—more than 51 million. Yet, with all this, obesity is rising! Please visit the Men’s Health web site (link provided below) to view the complete article. I love their site, and always try to direct traffic there, you won’t be disappointed.”

From the article…..

It’s no secret that Americans are unhealthy—and a new study from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) just rubs it in: The United States is the unhealthiest industrialized nation in the world, and seems to be getting worse.

Researchers compared health measures for 17 countries including infant mortality rate, injuries and murders, heart disease, obesity, and sexually transmitted disease, and the U.S. landed in last place. It’s probably due to a combination of factors, says Steven Woolf, M.D., M.P.H., chair of the IOM study group. The U.S. leads the world in hours spent watching T.V., substance abuse, and percentage of people taking legally prescribed drugs. (Hey, so we did come in first in something!)

Another reason for the health issues: income disparity. While the richest Americans have access to the best medical care, lower income Americans can’t afford even the basics. But money doesn’t make you healthy. Those big houses on cul-de-sacs in the suburbs may have nice lawns, but that that style of living makes you more dependent on your car and less likely to walk places, the researchers say. In fact, the study found that people living on a cul-de-sac are, on average, 10 pounds heavier than people living on a grid of streets.

And that’s pretty bad, but it’s not all so grim. So cheer up, America! Here are three key—and actually positive—areas where the United States does excel:

1. The U.S. produces more scientific and medical innovation than anywhere else on the globe.
Of all the scientific papers published in the world, 27 percent come from the United States, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF). In second place: China, with just 9 percent. The NSF also notes that research in the United States leans heavily toward life sciences and medical fields.

To read the complete article…..Click here