Health Care Costs Are the Result of Bad Diet Choices

The Cost of Our Food Should be Measured in the Total food, Health Care, Energy, and Environmental Costs of What We Choose to Eat. Looked at this way, it is insane how much we are paying and future generations will be paying for our unhealthy diet pleasures. Meanwhile, half the world is starving and the other half remain overfed.

It is remarkable that the American public, as tight as money is, is so fearful about some unexpected health crisis popping up, that we are willing to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars per family each month for health insurance, which may get cancelled at the last moment anyway. This is a perfect example of how we have been conditioned to fear things we don't understand.

Rather than taking the time to educate ourselves on how to eat to stay both thin and well, we allow ourselves to be manipulated by our fear of some nameless health catastrophe. And then, overcharged for high-tech solutions that treat only our symptoms. (To be fair to doctors, they can't control what we eat.)

And yet, for all the "protection money" we spend, we are unwilling in most cases to do the things we are told by public health agencies that will prevent many of the most feared diseases. We pay exorbitant charges for health care insurance rather than correct our personal risk factors.

This being January, the month when most Americans decide to get serious about dieting for a week or two, it may be appropriate to look at how insane our dietary habits are.

The diseases that trouble us the most are caused by the junk we eat. Most of them can be prevented by correcting our diet--once and for all--and learning to ignore temptation. We should recognize slick advertisers of unhealthy foods as the Devil's own representatives--and avoid their recommendations like the plague.

What we do instead, with the encouragement of our medical providers, is spend $70-100+ per month for a statin drug to allow us to go on eating bacon and eggs, meats, and ice cream, without worrying about our cholesterol levels. Would it not be simpler and healthier--and cheaper!--to stop eating extra cholesterol? But no, life in modern America wouldn't be worth living without being free to graze on all the delectable goodies that food chemists concoct for us each day--or so we appear to think.

So, because 68% of Americans are overweight, which should be an easy problem to remedy with a little self-discipline, we are prone to become diabetic, suffer from cardiovascular disease, and several cancers. This we know. What are we going to do about it this year? Another bout with the Atkins diet? Or will it be some new diet that is guaranteed to be a marketing success and a weight loss failure?

Weight loss is generally viewed as a simple math problem. Usually, we're given the old choice: We've either got to exercise a lot more or eat a lot less, but most dieters want to do neither one.

There is, however another option that most of us ignore with a passion. And that is changing WHAT we eat rather than limiting how much we eat. Specifically, we're talking about cutting out meats, eggs, and milk products.

That is the key that few of us want to use to unlock the weight loss riddle. More than being a problem of eating too much, weight gain is caused by eating the wrong kind of foods. Anthropologists point out that our digestive systems are not set up to be carnivorous. But since McDonald's and Pizza Huts even provide the food service in many public schools now--and have for some time--most of us find it hard to imagine life worth living without fast foods, fried foods, and junk snack foods.

We have been trained to eat the wrong foods and to expect someone else to solve the medical problems this creates. (And now, it looks like we will all be forced to buy health care insurance, whether we want it or not.)

Health care, as we currently see it practiced, is not the answer, though.

Until we are each able to see the part we play in allowing ourselves to be manipulated by advertisers to eat unnatural, unhealthy foods, we will not be ready to take the first step to permanent weight loss. Short term changes in what we eat, diet pills, and all the new crop of diet books will not produce the desired results until we learn to see how we have been duped by food processors and our government-subsidized industrial system of farming.

We need real food, grown in healthy soils, not colorful boxes of factory-farmed "foods" with minimal nutrients and maximal flavor additives. And, we need to stop eating animals and their by-products. The alternative is to continue to pay outrageous prices for continuing to eat as we do.

One option to the unrealistic expectation of converting the nation to organic farming methods overnight is to encourage everyone to supplement their diet with high-quality vitamin and mineral supplements. It makes sense that much of our overeating is an unconscious urge to get the vital nutrients that should be in our food but aren't, due to depleted soils.

If it seems extreme to suggest we stop eating meat, other animal products(milk, etc.), and processed foods, don't you think open-heart surgery, knee and hip replacements, kidney dialysis on a regular basis, chemotherapy, and Alzheimer's Disease are extreme, too? Countries where the populations live on simple, naturally grown foods, with little meat in their diets rarely get the diseases we do. We should learn from them.

If, as 45-year cancer researcher T. Colin Campbell tells us, our diet is responsible for 97% of the diseases we get, then it is up to us to stop offering ourselves up as prey for the health care industry. Change your diet and you can change your medical fate.

The irony of this whole milieu of sickness, obesity, and high health care costs is that we are doing it to ourselves by what we choose to eat. As soon as we realize that fact, we can start doing something to reduce our weight and our health care expenses.

As a happy side-effect, changing our unhealthy diet will take a huge burden off our environment and be a good example for the rest of the world.

Paul H. Kemp is an entrepreneur, writer, and amateur athlete.

For more information on how to reduce your personal health care expenses, while improving your health, visit his Web site: http://www.HealthyPlanetDiet.com

Texas Considers Alternative Fuels In The Face of Oil Prices - A Run-Down of Choices

The dramatic rise in oil prices over the past few years has generated a lot of attention for alternative fuels and alternatively powered vehicles. Environmentalists hail it as the beginning of a revolution and a natural consequence of using non-renewable resources with abandon. The public health benefits that would result from a major increase in those using alternative fuels is almost immeasurable. Even Texas, second only to Alaska in the amount of oil produced per year, has biodiesel stations in Austin, Houston, Dallas, and many other parts of the state.

All the major car manufacturers are coming out with hybrid models, and prototypes are in the works for an American release of a mass-produced, plug-in electric hybrid vehicle as early as 2009. These models promise up to 150 miles per gallon, and that's just the beginning of what this technology can do. More and more Americans are planning to buy an alternatively- fueled vehicle as their next car or truck.

While sticker prices for these alternative vehicles is currently higher than their conventional petroleum-based counterparts, manufacturers claim long-term savings in fuel costs and reduced environmental impact. Price will also most likely go down in the future due to economies of scale. Logically, then, public health stands to improve as their usage increases and fuel emissions decrease, making most of us -- from the single students at Texas A & M, to health insurance company executives -- look forward to the change.

Now, telling all of these alternative fuels apart is an altogether different challenge. "What exactly is biodiesel again?" And, "I know hybrids are supposed to be a good thing, but...er, what are they?" To make life a little saner, here is a basic run-down of the most popular current and upcoming technologies:

Hybrid Vehicles

Technically, a hybrid vehicle is simply one "using two or more different types of devices for propulsion." This can be as simple as a sailboat with an onboard motor, wind is used when available, and a petroleum fuel-powered motor, or otherwise-powered engine, when it is not. Hybrid vehicles use the same idea, only with a more complicated technology.

A variety of drivetrains are possible with hybrid vehicles, but those currently on the market are usually hybrid electric, such as the Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Honda Insight. These use internal combustion engines powered by petroleum fuels (such as gasoline or diesel), combined with rechargeable electric batteries to power electric motors. Most major cities across the U.S., including Dallas, Houston, and Austin, have thousands of hybrids already on the road.

The idea behind these hybrids is that the internal combustion engine can switch to an electric motor when the conditions are right. The greatest advantage over conventional vehicles is the better in-city gas mileage. Most of these models, however, use a fairly inefficient internal-combustion engine -- and petroleum-based fuels -- while on the highway, like any other conventional vehicle.

Some vehicles currently marketed as hybrids are not actually hybrids at all, such as the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid pickup truck, which uses a conventional, oversized starter motor in which the engine turns off while the car is coasting, braking, or at a stop. The motor then restarts quickly. This process can save up to 10% in fuel, but this is a low percentage in comparison to other hybrid models. If searching for a hybrid, the best thing to do is look closely at fuel efficiency and environmental impact.

Hybrid models have actually been in use for some time. Trolley buses, for instance, are hybrids. They switch between on-board diesel engines and overhead electric power sources. Many mass transportation companies are also using a mixture of alternative power sources and bio fuel additives to run their fleets.

Other types of hybrids include flexible-fuel vehicles, which use a mixture of input fuels in one tank, usually petroleum-based and biodiesel. Gas and bioethanol is a common flexible-fuel combination, as is diesel and biodiesel. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) use a combination of traditional fuels and electric power.

Electric Vehicles:

These are not always technically distinguishable from hybrid models, as most electrically powered vehicles have a back-up system that runs on petroleum-based, biodiesel, or ethanol fuels. For the purpose of clarity, however, the term "electric vehicles" here refers to those vehicles that run primarily on electric power.

While small numbers of electric vehicles have been used for quite some time, and while hybrid conversion models are available, mass-produced models are expected to be released within the next few years. The most common model under prototype is the PEV, or the "plug-in electric vehicle," also referred to as a "grid-connected hybrid." They are much what they sound like -- vehicles that are literally plugged into an outlet to recharge the batteries on which they run. The main difference between PEVs and PHEVs is in the ratio of electricity to fuel used to power the engines. Urban areas known for their environmental policies, such as Davis, California, have had power stations for electric vehicles in place for several years already.

Electric vehicles reduce air pollution, dependence on oil, emit fewer greenhouse gases, and increase national energy security. An all-electric operation in California would reduce fuel costs by three-quarters.

Ethanol:

Ethanol, or grain alcohol, has come into the spotlight in recent years due to the increasing volume of corn ethanol produced in the U.S. While there is some controversy over the use of corn ethanol -- the unimpressive EROEI, or energy returned on energy invested, and the inability for the country to produce enough of the product to supply demand -- the idea is that of a clean-burning fuel made from renewable resources.

Brazil has taken this concept to new levels. Ethanol made from sugarcane is the largest national fuel industry of that country, and all gas distributed there must be at least 20% ethanol. Half of all cars in Brazil are able to use 100% ethanol as fuel, which includes vehicles with ethanol-onlyand flexible-fuel engines.

Efficient sugarcane processing made this possible. With 30% more sucrose than corn, sugarcane ethanol is not only more efficient, but much easier to extract. The biomass waste from the plant, "bagasse," is then used as fuel in electric power plants.

Biodiesel

Biodiesels are "alkyl esters made from the transesterification" of vegetable oils or animal fats. In laymen's terms, biodiesels are processed, organic oils to be used as fuels.

Biodiesel is, perhaps, the most promising alternative fuel available today. It can be made from any number of vegetable oils, used in most modern diesel engines without modifying them, is biodegradable and non-toxic, wears less on the engine than conventional diesel, and "produces 60% less net carbon dioxide emissions than petroleum-based diesel because it, itself is produced from atmospheric carbon dioxide" via plant photosynthesis. Consumers have reported up to 70 miles per gallon, and, if you learn how to process waste oils yourself, it's virtually free.

The fuel can be purchased at select stations, even in big oil states like Texas, though it is generally a bit more expensive than conventional diesel. This will likely change, however, as demand increases. German fuel stations customarily have a biodiesel option, and as the fuel is so popular there, it's actually cheaper than petroleum-based diesel.

It almost seems too good to be true. The problem? Most passenger vehicles in this country don't use diesel engines. With increased awareness, however, this problem could be quickly solved.

Mass-produced, alternatively fueled vehicles are an exciting delivery of technology. Particularly with the price of petroleum-based products skyrocketing, it's a welcome change for consumers and environmentalists alike. The positive effect on public health and the environment, and the reduction in dependence on foreign sources of oil could literally change the face of energy consumption, as well as the future of domestic and international relations. Our biggest responsibility as citizens then, is to educate ourselves and take advantage of these opportunities -- both for our own health, and for the health of future generations.

Alternative fuels can have a positive effect on both our own, and on public health. Being aware of your health, and what you can do to safeguard it will certainly affect you as you age, and eventually your wallet as well.

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Making the Right Choices in Insurance Lead Generation

In everything we do, we are bound to make choices. And there are times that we mistakenly choose the wrong ones. Well, we cannot avoid that, especially that it is our human nature to make errors. The same is true in insurance lead generation. Insurance companies cannot escape making mistakes nor they can't prevent inevitable forces from happening. That is why as much as possible, they have to make the right choices in all the decisions. If it is only easy to choose right from wrong, there will not be problem at all. However, reality does not work that way. Every single option needs careful analysis and other factors should be weighed.

Generating insurance sales leads requires a lot of decision-making processes. And since it is an indispensable function of marketing, special attention in picking decisions should be observed. Always remember that you will not be able to know that you made the wrong move until you see the results. By that time, you cannot undo what has already been done. And mind you, the cut can be too deep to handle. Better select the best options before programs start to run. Here are some of the things you need to account for:

The Target Market. Or, who are going to buy your products? You cannot expect all the people, even in the local area, to purchase your goods or services. When you create your produce, you should have known by then who will need it. Specify the criteria, e.g. age, company size, income. Here's the danger. If you have set an incorrect targeted prospects, you will not be getting the expected results even if you have the best offerings. Otherwise, you will be enjoying abounding sales.

The Marketing Medium. Next up is the marketing vehicle. This is quite important since the choice will dictate how cost-efficient and effective you are in reaching prospects and getting responses from them. For obvious reasons, select an instrument that has a high reach and response rates. Why settle for something that is slow in getting you in front of potential customers? Among the mediums we have, always include an online and offline tools. You have to cover both online and offline markets to get the best results. There are a lot of business opportunities on both sides. Do not miss the chance of getting some from both.

The Business Contact List. Another thing to consider is the type of business contact list. The target market and the marketing medium are some of the factors that will influence your decision. If you market to the whole nation, then you should obtain a database of prospects within the country. If you want to run a telemarketing campaign, then generate a calling list. What you need to check is the freshness and accuracy of each business contact information.

To outsource or not to outsource. Another crucial thing to consider is the possibility of outsourcing. Although the first option has always been in-house, there are times when outsourcing is a better solution. There are a lot of elements that affect a final decision. These include the related costs, manpower, expertise, experience and technology. If you think you have all the resources and it would cost you less to do it onsite, then you can greenlight an in-house campaign. If not, it is better to think otherwise.

Kurt Walters works as a business intelligence consultant. She is inviting you to visit http://www.ledgerleads.com to learn more about lead generation and appointment setting for accounting, tax and financial services.