It seems that the United States government is finally realizing that it is worth investing a little in vitamins, minerals and supplements. Borrowing the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. So, to the tune of over $300 dollars in two different projects, the government is investing in multiple ways to prevent illness and injury. However, we do not have to sit and wait for help from above.

Just announced in the last two weeks by the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, is an initiative called the Public Health and Prevention Fund. It is designed to promote public health and welfare by developing the nation’s health infrastructure and has enormous potential.

This investment in public health infrastructure has a primary focus on nutrition and dietary supplements. According to Andrew Shao, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) trade group, “The preventive effects of certain dietary supplements are well documented, including strong evidence supporting the use of folic acid to prevent neural tube birth defects; omega-3 fatty acids to promote heart health; calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis ; lutein to reduce the risk of muscle degeneration, etc.”.

In addition to that news. The Army is researching Omega-3, CoEnzyme Q10, and antioxidants and their healing.

Admitting and studying these truths is a big step in the right direction for us as a people. The main problem with the health care system as it is, is that we focus on taking care of the people most after they get sick instead of before.

For the most part, we live our lives, work our jobs, and pay for health insurance so that when (and not if) we get sick, the safety net that is our health care system catches us when we fall. If you think about it a bit, this whole system doesn’t make much sense. If there was a simple way to minimize fall risk or even stop it altogether, shouldn’t you take it?

I recently had a friend who for $75 in materials and about an hour of work saved thousands of dollars a year on his homeowners insurance just by making his roof a little safer. You can do the same with your health. No matter how good your insurance is, if you get cancer, think of all you’ll lose! Even if you are fully financially covered and make a full recovery (both cases are very rare). Think of all the wasted time and pain you would have to endure. Then the worry of whether he’ll come back and whether you’ll be able to survive that time.

Not worth it.

Think of the slow pain and agony of losing someone to Alzheimer’s or any other preventable disease. Or worse being that person yourself?

So I never thought I would say this but I follow the government here. Better yet, run the government and do your own research, find out what it needs the most and where it is weakest and make it stronger yourself!