Diet

      To lower your health care costs, you must first learn the correct lexicon. All such arcane subjects have their secret key words. The healthcare secret words are:  education and prevention (brushing, flossing, and diet). Prevention is something we can all do; it's something that is common and readily available. And prevention is worth more than a thousand dollars of cure. Remember: we are what we eat. And, the computer axiom: garbage in, garbage out.

     The keys to the kingdom of health are: eat fewer sweets, especially sugar sweetened carbonated beverages such as Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and all the new sports energy drinks that are loaded with salt and sugar.  Less sugar sweetened gum, candy, ice cream, pastries, and cookies. Eat more fruits and vegetables, grains such as whole grain breads, cereals and pasta. Eat less meat and whole milk products such as butter, cream and cheese. Oh, one more of my big bugaboos are potato chips.  Bert Lahr was right, when he made the potato chip commercials years ago. "Bet you can't eat only one." n. Potato chips are too darn fatty; fried in saturated oils. Pop corn and pretzels are by far a better substitute snack. Fruits and vegetable, especially raw, uncooked are better and healthier than any red meat. 

     Prevention in medicine and dentistry centers on diet, habits and home care. More stress must be placed on proper diet in the schools to offset the commercials for improper diet, fast food establishments. Diets, habits and health can be immeasurably improved. It just takes conviction and action.