A national coalition of health care workers, policy makers and others, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), is attempting to educate Americans about the significance of the crisis in our current overall state of health.

The PFCD mission:

* The PFCD believes that rising rates of chronic health problems pose a significant and unsustainable burden on the U.S. health care system, and that the viability and strength of the system presently and in the future relies on a willingness to enact policies that help Americans better prevent and manage chronic illnesses.



The PFCD and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not categorize Lyme as a chronic disease. Therefore, it seems unlikely that this organization will help Lyme patients who continue to suffer with Lyme symptoms even though they've already been treated according to the CDC guidelines--a 30-day course of antibiotics.

However, if you suffer with chronic Lyme you may be interested in these six "unhealthy truths" about chronic disease in the United States, which I copied from the PFCD website:

* Truth #1: Chronic diseases are the No. 1 cause of death and disability in the U.S.

* Truth #2: Treating patients with chronic diseases accounts for 75 percent of the nation's health care spending.

* Truth #3: Two-thirds of the increase in health care spending is due to increased prevalence of treated chronic disease.

* Truth #4: The doubling of obesity between 1987 and today accounts for 20 to 30 percent of the rise in health care spending.

* Truth #5: The vast majority of cases of chronic disease could be better prevented or managed.

* Truth #6: Many Americans are unaware of the extent to which chronic diseases could be better prevented or managed.



If you consider yourself ill with chronic Lyme disease, one "healthy truth" to embrace is to get better educated about how to manage your illness. I realize that it's the toughest job you can take on, especially while you're sick. Believe me, I know because I've been there. Although the status of "chronic" or "Post-Lyme Syndrome" may not be easily or quickly determined by the policy makers, your health is what counts here.

Get educated about ways to manage your health, such as eating foods that will nurture (organic greens and proteins), not harm you (refined sugar).

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