To Your Health
Juggling a career and family can make living a healthful lifestyle a seemingly impossible task. But new research makes taking care of yourself much easier.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

Here’s to your health! This month we mean that literally. This issue of Military Officer magazine focuses on health, wellness, and fitness. You may ask, “Why does a publication for the military community take on the topic of health?” The answer is simple — because that’s what our readers request.

The results of our periodic readership surveys have shown consistently that — after the core topics of legislative activities and national defense — health/wellness is the most requested content group. Of course, these results don’t threaten the job security of MOAA’s government relations team. The association’s core mission always will be to represent the uniformed services community and to fight for issues affecting its welfare. But, considering the unique physical demands of a military career, it’s not surprising that health and fitness are such popular topics for our members.

The best course of action to ensure good health is to take preventive measures. Our story “5 Foods for Life” (page 48) falls in this category. It gives an overview of some recent findings and recommendations about how you can maintain or improve your health by eating well. Not familiar with phytonutrients or antioxidants? Then check out this story to increase your food IQ. And, believe it or not, eating healthily doesn’t mean turning down a good meal.

Our other two health-related stories fall in the category of medical treatments or procedures. “The Kindest Cut” (page 52) is an update on minimally invasive surgery. Advancements in medical technology and techniques, as well as anesthesia and pain medications, have made many common surgeries safer, faster, and less painful than ever before. “Winning the Battle” (page 56) focuses on breast cancer. About 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year. But, thanks to ongoing medical advances, the disease is being treated earlier and better than ever before. We hope you find these stories helpful in your quest for good health.

To round out our coverage this month, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention an annual event dear to the hearts of those in the uniformed services. June 14, 2006, marks the 229th birthday of the U.S. flag. The highlight of that day, sponsored by the National Flag Day Foundation, will be the 27th Annual Pause for the Pledge of Allegiance at 7 p.m. EDT.

Pause for the pledge. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be an American and to honor the men and women who defend our freedom.