MEDICAL FA

The closest thing in medicine to a “magic bullet” can be summed up in one word: exercise. “Use it or lose it” is not just a pithy saying. It refl the reality that being sedentary is unhealthy. So, here is an action plan in one word: MOVE!

You have heard that “you are what you eat,” but did you know that you also are what you eat eats? Beef from cows that are pasture-raised and grass-fed has much healthier fats than that from cows raised in feed lots on corn and grain. Organic fruits and vegetables grown in healthy soil have up to 40 percent more nutrients than the same fruits and vegetables grown in soil that has been treated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Good reasons to buy local and organic when you can.

A calorie is a unit of energy. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the energy required to heat one gram of water one degree centigrade. It is a measure of the energy stored in food. A calorie is the same whether it comes from fat, protein, or carbs. Your body handles excess calories only one of two ways: if you take in more calories in a day than your body’s metabolism can burn, it can store a little of that as a carb, glycogen, in the liver and muscles. After that, it’s all fat, baby. Ignore this fact of physiology and you end up with a U.S. population where more than two-thirds of adults are overweight and half of those are obese.

All name-brand, high-quality sunscreens work. The best sunblock is the one you use. Sun protection factor (SPF) values higher than 30 are unnecessary. Most people use too little, apply it too late, and don’t reapply frequently enough. Apply enough to cover your skin liberally; 1 ounce (about a shot glass) total for exposed areas. Apply to dry skin at least 15 minutes before you go out in the sun. Reapply no less than every two hours and more often if you sweat or get wet. It’s best to stay out of direct sun as much as possible. Tanning—any tanning—is unhealthy.

Despite widespread education, media campaigns, and more options than ever to protect yourself from