Surgeon General discusses emotional wellness and America

In a recent Q&A with The New York Times Magazine, Vivek Murthy, MD, the nation’s 19th surgeon general, discussed his priorities and the public health challenges facing the country. Here are some highlights:

On the country’s reduced tobacco use vis-a-vis its obesity and diabetes epidemics: “With smoking, we started moving toward a norm where tobacco use was no longer cool—that was a cultural shift that we made in part through media and community-driven campaigns. That’s what we have to do with nutrition and physical activity, too.”

On emotional wellness as the ‘third pillar of health’: “Science tells us more and more now that there is a strong connection between emotional wellbeing and health outcomes, and that you can proactively cultivate emotional wellbeing through relatively simple practices like sleep, social connection and meditation.”

On his experiences as surgeon general: “I have come to believe that America is a promise we have made to one another. I have never felt more inspired to be part of upholding this ideal, because in the faces and the stories of the people that I’ve met all around the country, I have found people who are worth fighting for.”

To learn more, read the full Q&A in The New York Times Magazine and watch this video of Dr. Murthy addressing DOs at OMED 2015.