California is recognized as the healthiest state in the USA with the fittest residents & is second only to Oregon in healthy eating. According to Innerbody Research, a Palo Alto-based firm that examines home health products & services, the state is ranked at the top predominantly because of its low smoking rate & a high number of fitness & health locations. If you’re interested in what factors make California the healthiest state to live in, keep reading this guide.
Access to Parks and Open Space
Studies depict that providing access to safe parks heightens physical activity. People living close to parks or with access to more parks are more likely to use them & be physically active [1]. In California, there’s free access to large open areas that feature paved trails, running tracks, basketball or tennis courts, playground facilities, sports fields, multipurpose rooms, & swimming pools. Frequent physical activity is one of the most essential things for your health. Being physically active can enhance brain health, help manage weight, lessen the risk of heart disease, strengthen bones & muscles, and heighten your capability to do everyday tasks [2].
Abundance of Fitness and Health Locations
In this state, there are numerous fitness & health locations that provide various services like spa services, wellness services, massage therapy, gym services, etc. Walking, doing chores, lifting weights – it’s all great, but regular exercise & physical activity are the paths to health & well-being. Notably, the exercise burns fat, lowers cholesterol, builds muscle, eases stress & anxiety, and lets you sleep restfully. Your heart & brain, as well as your entire body, greatly benefit from exercise. Most of those places make health & fitness services affordable for any budget.
Interest in Healthy Eating and Integrative Health Practices
In California, most people are interested in healthy eating and integrative health practices such as meditation & yoga. Environmental & social factors, such as access to fresh produce & nutrition education, definitely influence one’s overall diet quality. In this state, residents are more creative when it comes to taking care of their well-being. Many of them are practicing yoga, exercising outdoors, & prioritizing a nutritious diet just to assist them to improve their lifestyle. Besides, proximity to parks, quality healthcare, and fresh food markets ultimately affect health & well-being. Certainly, California provides more access to these resources than others, thus helping residents lead a healthy life.
Healthcare System and Health Insurance
There are several companies in California with inexpensive health insurance. Plans are usually bought through the state health insurance exchange named Covered California. Here, you can also discover if you qualify for Medicaid or insurance discounts based on your household income & family size. Covered California insurance plans are available to individuals who aren’t protected by an employer plan or a public program like Medicaid or Medicare.
California’s public healthcare systems function in 15 counties where more than 80% of Californians reside. Despite accounting for merely 6% of the state’s hospitals, they provide 35% of hospital care to Medi-Cal beneficiaries & 40% of hospital care to the remaining uninsured in California. Public healthcare systems are models of integrated care that are high value, patient-centered, high quality, efficient, & equitable, with outstanding patient experience & a demonstrated capability to enhance healthcare & the health status of populations.
Medical Services and Facilities
In California, there are a variety of medical & healthcare services covered by an insurance policy. These include nurse & therapist services, physician services, dental services, hospital services, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation services, skilled nursing facility services, and home healthcare services. They also include residential & outpatient behavioral healthcare services, plus medication or healthcare equipment provided to an individual for a necessary or specifically requested medical or health purpose. The state also has a wide selection of medical facilities offering genomics-given drug discovery, rehabilitation, & critical care, as well as patient-first healthcare entities.
Medicines in California
California is part of the USA, so all drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you are sick, a physician will examine your health & write you a prescription for the required medicine, either brand name or generic (if available). Then you can get that prescription filled at a nearby pharmacy. However, you can buy almost any drug, even the most specific one like Viagra, via an online pharmacy & have it shipped to your California address. How to buy Viagra in California online? You should choose a legit vendor that guarantees delivery to your doorstep in a short time and place an order with it. Note that most e-drugstores don’t require a prescription to sell you meds, and their drug prices are much more affordable than those offered by local pharmacies. So, buying meds online is easier and cheaper.
CalFresh Healthy Living Program
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the first line of defense against starvation & a strong tool to enhance nutrition among low-income people in the US. In California, the SNAP is called CalFresh. This program allocates monthly electronic advantages to low-income inhabitants who meet federal income eligibility regulations, and it can add to their food budget to help them put healthy food on the table. The SNAP Education, known as the CalFresh Healthy Living Program in California, is a federal/state partnership created to provide nutrition education for individuals who are enrolled in or eligible to register in SNAP.
CalFresh Healthy Living Program teaches Californians about proper nutrition & how to stretch their food dollars. This program enhances the nutritional health of low-income Californians by giving them access to nutrition education, physical activity education, & leadership toward healthy community endeavors [3].
Weather and State of Environment
Much of California state has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers & mild, rainy winters. The hot season lasts for 3 or so months, from June to September, with an average daily temperature of 78°F (26°C). July is the hottest month of the year in this state, with an average high of 86°F (30°C) & low of 71°F (22°C). The cold season lasts for about 3 months, from December to March, with an average daily temperature of 52°F (11°C). Besides, the coldest month of the year in this state is January, with an average low of 30°F (-1°C) & high of 44°F (6.7°C). Spring & autumn months are usually mild, with cool evenings. Northern California & the high mountains have snow in winter. San Francisco has fog in spring & early summer.
Drought, wildfires, & climate change are the biggest environmental issues facing the state. California is a leader in air pollution among other states, with the highest ozone levels. The top 3 cities in the state with the highest recorded levels of ozone (smog) levels are Bakersfield, Long Beach, & Fresno-Madera. Besides, Salinas is the only city in California that reports no days of poor air quality. While the air quality is significantly better in Northern California, more than 90% of Californians live in counties with unhealthy air [4].
Renewable Energy in California
California is considered a top producer of electricity from solar, geothermal, and biomass resources in the USA. As part of its duties, the Energy Commission develops & mandates programs that use renewable energy, offers incentives for energy technology installation, provides renewable energy grants, & ensures the efforts benefit all California residents. The state is the fourth in the USA in conventional hydroelectric power generation.
Besides, California’s total energy consumption is the second-highest in the USA, but the state’s per capita energy consumption is the fourth-lowest. This is due to its mild climate & its energy efficiency programs. The percentage of renewable energy in California is possibly made more significant by the particularly high population of the state; states with similar or higher percentages of renewable energy normally have lower populations [5].
Conclusion
California is an impressive place for individuals with different interests: those relishing nature and people living the city life. Domestic & international vacationers select California as their go-to destination more often than any other place in the USA. Millions of people flock to this state in search of sun, nature, sea, & vibrant nightlife, each of which the state has in abundance. California also has an excellent healthcare system, fitness & healthy eating programs, and a culture that contributes to healthy living. Living in California is the dream for most people, as it’s considered the healthiest place to live.
References
- Environmental and Policy Determinants of Physical Activity in the United States. By R. C. Brownson, E. A. Baker, R. A. Housemann, L. K. Brennan, and S. J. Bacak. Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Benefits of Physical Activity. Last reviewed: June 16, 2022. Retrieved: December 16, 2022. Cdc.gov.
- CalFresh Healthy Living. Retrieved: December 16, 2022. Publichealth.lacounty.gov.
- Pollution in California. Retrieved: December 19, 2022. Wikipedia.org.
- Renewable Energy in California. Retrieved: December 16, 2022. Wikipedia.org.
