This year's resolution? Fewer medications next year.

The word “resolution” has two different meanings: 1. A firm decision to do something, and 2. The action of solving a problem.

At Step One Foods we embraced both interpretations when we formed our company and resolved to help individuals reduce their reliance on prescription medications.  And we encourage you to make this your personal resolution for 2019!

Medications are not intrinsically bad.  Some are necessary and even life-saving.  As a physician, I prescribe them all the time.  But I also know that medications are an incomplete, and often inferior, solution when the problem can be addressed by how we live. 

There is no amount of medications I can put you on to make up for a poor diet.  I may be able to make your cholesterol look perfect or your blood pressures fall in line, but unless you’re doing your part as well, I’m not truly impacting your health as much as the numbers would suggest.

Indeed, the data shows that risk reduction with statins (the reason you take the drugs in the first place) is blunted if diet is not also improved.  Some people even get NO BENEFIT from the drugs (despite low LDL levels) because their diet is poor.  What’s worse, for many people, diet DETRIORATES with statin use.  Probably because no matter what you do, your numbers stay perfect.  So why not have that 16 ounce ribeye?

But if you change the food, you not only get the risk reduction you’re hoping for, you also need LESS medication to get to the desired cholesterol (or blood pressure or blood sugar) goal.  And less medication means a lower likelihood of side effects.  What’s more, for some, it may mean not needing the medications at all!

So make a firm decision to eat better in 2019 so that you can solve the problem of requiring medications to fix what you can fix yourself.   

It doesn’t need to happen all at once.  A giant dietary overhaul is often just a recipe for failure.  Rather think about what is realistic to improve and stick with it. Our company exists to help you achieve your best health through small, sustainable changes.  Our goal is to be your best partner in shrinking your cholesterol, blood pressure, waist line - and medicine cabinet.

Happy New Year!