| An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
May 26, 2011 An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away A wise person once said "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and for our health system this translates into tremendous savings. It is estimated chronic diseases related to lifestyle choices such as smoking, poor dietary choices and inactivity cost the health system up to $2 billion per year in costs. A healthy lifestyle means fewer visits to the doctor and a sustainable health care system for everyone in the future. To support healthy choices, the government will be providing a $50 subsidy to eligible individuals to make gym memberships and personal nutritional programs more affordable. We are also equipping doctors with tools and funding to work directly with patients to develop healthy living plans. Complimenting this will be new and expanded services to help individuals get information to help them lead healthy lives, including: • Physical Activity Line; • Dietitian Services at HealthLink BC; • QuitNow, a tobacco-cessation service and information resource; • Patient Voices Network peer coaching program; • Bounce Back: Reclaim Your Health program is a free, skill-building program for adults experiencing low mood or stress, with or without anxiety. Like brushing and flossing our teeth on a daily basis to prevent our teeth from falling out, taking small steps to improve our health will reduce the likelihood of chronic disease and let us live longer happier lives. | |
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