Tag: Vivek Murthy

Dr. Murthy’s Parting Prescription

In this post I review outgoing U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s “Parting Prescription for America” . He reminds us of the importance of rebuilding community through relationships, service, and purpose. The erosion of community leads to disconnection and poor health. Dr. Murthy advocates for a cultural shift towards fulfillment and connection as a path to overall well-being.

Our outgoing Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has offered final thoughts and a “prescription” for health for our country and for each of us.

He titled it Parting Prescription for America.

In a previous post, I reviewed his career and the health issues he addressed as the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States. Here is a summary of the news release from HHS and a link to his article.

As He Concludes His Second Tenure, 21st U.S. Surgeon General Issues Parting Prescription for America

A week before leaving office, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released his Parting Prescription for America – PDF. In it he reflects on his personal and professional experiences as our nation’s Surgeon General.

Dr. Vivek Murthy

Throughout his service, Dr. Murthy tried to understand the root causes of pain and unhappiness across our country. As a physician, he believes that health involves more than tests and medications. It includes time to listen and focus on the whole person. As America’s Doctor, he took a similar approach to the nation.

After years of hearing stories from thousands of Americans, reviewing scientific data, and meeting researchers, Dr. Murthy found the sense of community among many Americans had eroded.

In the Surgeon General’s Parting Prescription Dr. Murthy shares his conclusions.

Americans can cultivate health, happiness, and fulfillment by rebuilding community, centered around relationships, service, and purpose.

“Today, we are faced with a profound choice: do we continue with the status quo, marked by pain, disconnection, and division?

Or do we choose a different path—one of joy, health, and fulfillment, where we turn toward each other instead of away from each other; where we choose love over fear; where we recognize community as the irreplaceable foundation for our well-being?

As I finish my tenure as Surgeon General, this is my parting prescription, my final wish for all of us: choose community.”

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy

relationships, service, and purpose create an “ecosystem of meaning and belonging”
that are essential for the “triad of fulfillment”.

Dr. Murthy

In contrast, modern culture has become increasingly centered on the triad of success defined by fame, money, and power. We need a cultural shift that moves us toward fulfillment.

In his Prescription, the Surgeon General details each element and how they impact our health:

A Prescription for Relationships

Relationships are the connections we build with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and others. Healthy relationships where we feel seen and can be ourselves create joy and lessen stress.

When we lack meaningful relationships, we experience loneliness. A third of adults and half of young people experience loneliness.

Being socially disconnected increases our risk of heart disease, dementia, depression, anxiety, and premature death.

A Prescription for Service

Service includes actions we take that benefit others. But service can have profound benefits to the person serving.

Studies show that service reduces our risk of hypertension, stroke, early death, depression, and cognitive decline. In service, we feel more connected to others.

A Prescription for Purpose

Purpose is an overarching life aim guiding our decisions and actions. It’s not “what” we do, rather “why” we do it.

Purpose supports our physical and mental health. A high sense of individual purpose may reduce the risk of early death, stroke, lung disease, and dementia.

People with a powerful sense of purpose experience lower levels of depression and anxiety and greater resilience in the face of stress.

Dr. Murthy urged Americans to recenter their lives around relationships, service, and purpose – the triad of fulfillment. He calls for a shift in culture, policy, and programs to strengthen community as the critical path to health, happiness, and fulfillment.

Read the complete Parting Prescription for America here.
my-parting-prescription-for-americaDownload
The illustrations in this post were created by the AI feature of WordPress. They are not associated with Dr. Murthy’s article.

Coincidentally, Dr. Murthy shares a first name with Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy, an American entrepreneur and politician. He founded Roivant Sciences pharmaceutical company. Ramaswamy was a Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election. He withdrew his candidacy and supported Donald Trump.  Wikipedia

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Vivek H. Murthy-Our “Family” Doctor

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, serving since March 2021, addresses public health crises, including mental health, addiction, and social isolation, while advocating for healthier connections.The Surgeon General’s recent report highlights alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.

Keep reading

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy-Our “Family” Doctor

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, serving since March 2021, addresses public health crises, including mental health, addiction, and social isolation, while advocating for healthier connections.The Surgeon General’s recent report highlights alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.

The Surgeon General has released a new report about alcohol use– Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity.

Alcohol use has caused nearly 1 million preventable cancer cases over 10 years in the U.S. While most of these deaths per year occur at levels above current U.S. Dietary Guidelines (2 drinks daily for men, 1 drink daily for women), 17% occur at levels within those recommended limits.

I’ll write more about that in a subsequent post, but here I want to answer the question

Who is the Surgeon General?

Since March 2021, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy has served as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. As the Nation’s Doctor, the Surgeon General lays the foundation for a healthier country, based on the best scientific information available.

Dr. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States

A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur, mango aficionado, and author of the bestselling book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, Dr. Murthy is a trusted voice in America on public health. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Dr. Alice Chen, and their two children.

Read or listen to a sample of the book at this affiliate link.

Social connection is like a garden, nurturing your connections can improve your garden's health!
Humans are wired for social connection, but we’re becoming more isolated over time. Loneliness and social isolation represent significant threats to individual and societal health and well-being. Social connection can lead to healthier, more prosperous and resilient individuals and communities.

Dr. Murthy’s U.S. Public Health Actions

As the Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations here and abroad.

As the 21st Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy addressed several critical public health issues, including health misinformation, the youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout among health professionals, and social isolation and loneliness. He is a key advisor to President Biden’s COVID-19 pandemic response operation.

While serving as 19th Surgeon General, under President Obama, Dr. Murthy helped lead the national response to the Ebola and Zika viruses, the opioid crisis, and the growing threat of stress and loneliness to Americans’ physical and mental well-being.

Substances in e-cigarette aerosol-flavorings, ultrafine particles, nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals

Dr. Murthy continued the office’s legacy of preventing tobacco-related disease, by releasing a report on e-cigarettes and youth. He issued the first Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, challenging the nation to expand access to prevention and treatment and recognize addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw.

Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body. You can quit. for free help 1-800-QUIT-NOW

Dr. Murthy’s International Projects

Before entering government service, Dr. Murthy co-founded VISIONS, a global HIV/AIDS education organization; the Swasthya Project, training women in South India to become community health workers and educators; TrialNetworks, a technology company improving collaboration and efficiency in clinical trials; and Doctors for America, a nonprofit mobilizing physicians and medical students to improve access to affordable care.

Raised in Miami, Dr. Murthy received his BA from Harvard, and his MD and MBA from Yale. His scientific research has focused on vaccine development and clinical trials involving women and minorities.

Dr. Murthy cared for thousands of patients and trained undergraduates, medical students, and medical residents at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and at Harvard Medical School.

He will leave office when the new Surgeon General appointed by President-elect Trump takes office.

Exploring the HEART of Health

This blog’s “Featured Image” is an AI depiction of Dr. Murthy. I welcome your comments about it.

You can also find Dr. Murthy’s books at my online bookstore, on Bookshop.org.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha