Thursday, September 7, 2017

                                     CHIP


Hans Diehl was a student in public health and epidemiology in the 1970's when he heard claims of miraculous health results in people with serious chronic illnesses at the nearby Pritikin Clinic in Santa Monica. He visited this clinic and asked to see a summary of their results but was told no such evaluation existed. Diehl took leave from school to review patient records at the clinic. After several months he realized he had found his life's work because the documented health benefits of a Pritikin diet were so much better than anything he had ever encountered from other medical interventions. He worked for the Pritikin Clinic for a short time but soon realized that it served only the affluent since average income people could not afford it. Pritikin himself spent many hours counseling at no cost for anyone who contacted him after reading his books, but the clinic was too expensive. Diehl resolved to start programs allowing everyone to learn and benefit from Pritikin's work. He joined the faculty at Loma Linda Medical School where he is now president of the Lifestyle Medical Institute. In 1988 he started CHIP (Community Health Improvement Project.) His book Health Power has sold more that 2 million copies in 21 languages; a recent list included Dr. Diehl as one of the 20 "super heroes of the modern health movement."

The Surgeon General has determined that over 75% of disease in the United States is lifestyle related. CHIP successfully reduces weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar through lifestyle change, principally diet, with stress management also emphasized to enhance quality of life. CHIP trains volunteers to start and assist local community programs around the world. These local programs work with groups and individuals to facilitate lifestyle change, empowering individuals to take charge of their own health. Informational literature, video presentations, cooking classes and networking support this training. CHIP's three month, 40 hour intensive lifestyle intervention course has been taken by over 70,000 people with more than 350 cities in North America, Asia, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand hosting CHIP units. Faith based groups, businesses, schools and community organizations have used CHIP successfully.

Since 2000 Rockford, Illinois, a city of 150,000, has been the site of an ongoing CHIP project with 3000 participants and 25 local restaurants committed to support the project by offering at least five healthy CHIP compliant meals. Grocery stores, workplaces and medical centers have joined CHIP in this effort. Alumni meetings allow participants to continue to learn and support each others' efforts.

The state of Wisconsin Teachers' union sponsored a CHIP program for some of its members with serious chronic diseases. Each participant saved the teachers' health plan $3500 over the next two years. As a result some insurance plans now pay for CHIP training.

                                               https://www.chiphealth.com

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