CDC Calls Obesity "A Major Public Health Threat"

Ten years ago the Federal government set a national goal of reducing the rate of obesity in the US to 15%. Not a single state has met that goal; in fact, we are rapidly heading in the opposite direction. Instead of declining the rate has doubled and the rate of increase is accelerating. Obesity is strongly linked to numerous chronic and life threatening diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

But as this NPR report explains, this issue is far more complex than just people eating too much.

Missouri Voters Reject Federal Health Insurance Mandate

By a margin of 3::1 voters in Missouri yesterday approved Proposition C, which changes state law to bar any government entity from fining a person for failing to buy health insurance - a key provision of the "healthcare reform" bill passed by Congress and signed by president Obama in March. Since the mandate does not take effect until 2014, there will be no immediate impact from the MO vote. If implemented, the measure is certain to be challenged in court. Regardless, the outcome of the MO vote is one more indication of the growing unpopularity of the reform bill and the margin by which the measure was approved has to elevate the importance of the issue to the November mid-term elections.

Irrespective of your position on healthcare reform, the whole issue is bringing into focus the erosion of States' rights and the steady usurpation of powers not granted by the US Constitution to the Federal government. As of now 11 States are suing in Federal courts to overturn the entire bill on that basis alone. Its been 148 years since we fought a brutal war over the States' Rights issue. Apparently it wasn't as settled as we assumed.

Study Quantifies Statin Drug Risks

Back in April I alerted readers to the FDA's approval for AstraZeneca to begin marketing its best selling statin drug Crestor to an estimated 6.5 million Americans who have no cholesterol problems and no sign of heart problems (as a "preventive" measure). But a new study published in the British Medical Journal this past May may put the brakes on AstraZeneca's ambitious plans to move as many as 1 in 2 Americans onto statins over the next decade. For perhaps the first time, the researchers have quantified the level of harm posed by the cholesterol-lowering drugs. If you don't have the inclination to read the actual study, here is a good summary of the results from the Daily Mail newspaper.

Non-profit Gym Attacks Low Income Obesity

Obesity is epidemic in America. More than one in three of us are obese today and another third of us are overweight and "growing" in the wrong direction. Being severely overweight leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cancers and a host of other chronic problems. Besides the well established negative consequences of obesity on our health, the sheer scope of the problem poses possibly insurmountable challenges for our ability as a society to provide affordable healthcare.

The obesity problem is especially serious in lower income neighborhoods and among lower income populations. In such locales fast food is ubiquitous, healthy eating choices are often limited and the genuine and demanding challenges of earning a living often move nutrition and exercise "off the table". The problem is compounded by the fact that such neighborhoods are often intimidating or even unsafe for people who might want to take up an outdoor exercise program, and gym facilities are either too expensive or simply not available.

Healthworks, a non-profit organization in Boston, MA, dedicated to promoting the health and empowerment of women and children through fitness outreach and community-based efforts, has stepped up to do something about this. And their efforts are making a huge difference in the lives of women in one of the city's economically challenged neighborhoods. For as little as $10 a month (or free with a doctor's recommendation), women are provided with access to a safe, secure, fully equipped fitness facility. And its changing lives. Check out the entire story here.

Without a doubt the world has its share of lazy, stupid people. But we sometimes attribute those characteristics unfairly to people who are bound by circumstances and conditions beyond their control. The Healthworks story demonstrates that, given a chance, people can and will step up and take responsibility for their own wellness. And for all our sakes, we'd better.

Some Good Advice from the Sales Training Experts

In the corporate world, Miller-Heiman is among a very few companies that represent the gold standard of sales training. They bill themselves as "the sales performance company", but they aren't about closing tricks, manipulation or plaid jackets. The Miller-Heiman approach to selling is all about building solid, long-term relationships based on mutual win-win transactions. And while their system targets larger companies who face complex sales and long selling cycles, their advice holds much of direct benefit to us in the network marketing world. Their classic book on the dynamics of effective sales meetings, "The New Conceptual Selling", belongs on every network marketer's bookshelf.

Sooner or later, everyone in network marketing joins the NFL (No Friends Left) Society. That's when we realize that, just like the big boys, prospecting is a critical (perhaps the critical) component of our long term success. Unless we can identify and locate people who will benefit from our product or service and, equally important, who may be interested in it, all our enthusiasm and great information and amazing products will never produce a sale. So if you intend to become a student of effective prospecting (and you better), here is an interesting perspective from the folks at Miller Heiman. Something they call "Working Backwards". While you are there, go ahead and subscribe to their eNewsletter. It rarely arrives without at least one good, actionable idea.