AMERICAN FITNESS REPORT!

Summer, warm weather, swimming, hiking, how fit is your state? Do you have one the new “health care reform plans” in place so that you can take advantage of the new benefits that are available? Minneapolis St. Paul, MN is the nation’s fittest big city, with Washington, DC second and Boston, MA third, according to the latest rankings from the American College of Sports Medicine.

The report, known as the “American Fitness Index,” reflects a composite of “preventive health behaviors, levels of chronic disease conditions, health care access and community resources and policies that support physical activity,” according to the AFI report. This was based on certain areas of excellence such as:

1. the percentage of physical exercise
2. lower percent of diabetes
3. lower death rate of cardiovascular disease
4. obesity
5. lifestyle & diet

Having a “health insurance plan” that allows you to have a physical each year is the baseline that you need to have a healthier, longer and more enjoyable life. When you decide that it is time to take back your health from the list of medications that you maybe on, the first thing you should do is contact your health insurance agent because that agent will go over your plan details to make sure that you have the many benefits that could be yours in a new “health care reform plan.” Then the next step is to call your insurance company to make sure that your physician is in the PPO network so that you get the appropriate in-network discounts that are available to you in these plans. Once that is done it is simply making the appointment with your physician and scheduling your tests.

Environmental behaviors and levels of chronic diseases all play a factor in your own personal health status. Many of the states that you live in are now part of the new “physical activity plan” and they have details on how to increase your exercise, change your diet and improve your health. Remember that when you choose the plan with all the new “health care reform” benefits you have chosen the right plan! If you want to know where your city and state rank on the list just Google “American Fitness Index” and you can see how your area is participating!