"WHAT ROLE SHOULD COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH CARE PLAY IN RESOLVING THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS? ?

Education reform is a topic discussed around the clock. Healthcare reform is right alongside. Has anyone thought perhaps both issues may be linked successfully?

Having worked for the Headstart program this summer in two elementary schools, I saw first hand the absolute necessity for educating students, teachers and the entire administration about dietary issues.

Day after day, I saw the lunches for kindergarten up to 3rd grade. These lunches came in Styrofoam boxes with French fries and a main entre. Ketchup, milk and chocolate milk lay waiting on a shelf below with the teachers asking - "Would you like chocolate or regular milk? ? Obviously, the little ones demanded chocolate roughly 80% of the time. The French fries painted liberally with processed Heinz ketchup.

With non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type II Diabetes) on the exponential rise and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) labeled on any child who does not sit still, the necessity for Naturopathic consultations is beyond enormous.

Those of us in the healthcare bubble know that type II is on the rise and Ritalin is over-prescribed; but do the little ones? Do teachers, parents and school administrators? They may have heard about it on the news one night along with the fires, weather and shootings.

We now have ND's on the Medicare board. We have ND's in hospitals. We have ND's working with MD's in specialty clinics. This is incredible and our medicine is helping numerous people. Yet we have missed a big target - a big preventative target.

My plan is this: Have a team of naturopaths tour American schools giving talks not only to the administrators, but also to the parents and kids during assembly. These talks would focus on diabetes type II and ADD. The talks would address prevention, signs/symptoms, dietary suggestions, menu design and health risks. The trick is not just having another lecture. It must be interactive, fun and rewarding for all attending and listening. A good plan would be having ND residents traveling about as they are younger and school kids would relate better with them. The carefully chosen ND residents would have the opportunity to travel nationally putting them into the spotlight thereby ensuring a successful future. Giving T-shirts, games, books and healthy snacks away to participating teachers, parents and kids would increase the interactive activity. Raffling off a grand prize would also increase attendance and participation.

The funds would come from donations - supplement companies (required to remain anonymous thereby preventing sales pressures and bad press), clinics, hospitals, doctors, parents, school districts, airline companies, local businesses and numerous other possibilities.

The tours would be advertised on local public radio stations (donated air time), local and state papers, and throughout the school districts by memos and e-mails. The schools and districts would meet a year in advance to plan this yearly event.

There exists a nurse on staff in each school. That is great but the preventative aspect of medicine is absent. ND's are known for preventative medicine and kids are known for their enthusiasm. What a perfect mix. I can already see the news bulletins - "Traveling ND's successfully decrease diabetes and ADD in schools.

(c) 2005 Benjamin Lynch of HealthE Goods