Venture Valkyrie

Sugar, Sugar

Lisa Suennen — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:04:49 +0000

Last week there was a report about a patron of the Las Vegas-based Heart Attack Grill suffering a massive heart attack while consuming the restaurant’s famed “Triple-bypass Burger.” It would be funny if it weren’t so awful, but it is clearly the height of irony. I have written a few articles about the Heart Attack Grill (see here and here) mainly tongue-in-cheek but with a serious bent; but when you see an article like this, it is hard to say anything other than, “coulda seen that coming.” That issue of personal responsibility is a huge theme when it comes to poor eating behavior. Typically, others look at the offender and say, “well, they shoulda known….they shoulda controlled their eating habits, serves them right…now pass the French fries.”

From an academic standpoint, however, that issue of diet-related personal responsibility is in question. Well-known physician and researcher, Robert Lustig, a leader in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics and the Director of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment, Study and Treatment believes there is more to the story. This is a guy who has made a career of studying and treating … (read the rest)

Friday Medical Comedy Relief

Lisa Suennen — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:40:24 +0000

Just thought that the world could use the laugh while attempting to keep it healthcare-relevant. That way we can all pretend it is work-related. Who doesn’t love Ali G? The guy kills me. Here he is interviewing C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General. Best line, “Do all of us really have bones or is that what the media wants us to believe?” Have a great weekend and a laugh on me (ps–slightly blue content so don’t watch if you are of the sensitive persuasion).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUlI7ra_r74… (read the rest)

Enter the Consumer

Lisa Suennen — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:28:10 +0000

I was in Newport Beach last week to chair IBF’s Consumer Health and Wellness Innovation Summit. It was a very interesting event with about 100 people from many different segments of the health and wellness industry—a very eclectic crowd. There were people there from healthy food purveyors (Nestle, Kelloggs), provider organizations (MDVIP), health insurance firms (United Health Group, SeeChange Health) and even the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There were also a plethora of entrepreneurs representing a variety of emerging wellness and preventive health companies and, of course, the venture firms that they love and hate. 10 years ago you could not fill a room with people to talk about consumer health; now it is becoming a mainstream topic.

The consumer, aka the patient, has been largely absent from the healthcare discussion for far too long. Yet recently, a harmonic convergence of events has put the consumer center stage in the healthcare discussion. Those events include:

The devastating human and financial toll of chronic illness. CDC estimates that 50% of Americans over 18 have one or more chronic illness. At the event I had the wonderful

(read the rest)

Safe Travels?

Lisa Suennen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:21:01 +0000

I am writing this from seat 13F on Southwest’s flight to Orange County, CA, headed to my role as chairman of this year’s IBF Conference on Consumer Health and Wellness Innovation. Ironic, I think, as I have become increasingly confident that air flight is the antithesis of health and wellness. Some people believe that the most dangerous place on earth is Somalia or Syria or the inside of Newt Gingrich’s brain, but in terms of places I am likely to go, I think that the inside of one of these flying tubes ranks right up there.

As I read my notes for the conference while standing in the line to board the plane, I noticed that the sign at the plane’s door informs you that the jet fuel fumes that permeate the jetway are known to cause cancer and birth defects. That was, of course, the first note of irony in my day, as I was reading about the kinds of activities individuals can and should do to minimize the risk of such afflictions as diabetes and cancer. The lists always includes eating broccoli and getting proper sleep, but no … (read the rest)

Are You Still Working On That?

Lisa Suennen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:33:25 +0000

This week humorist Andy Borowitz sent out a Tweet on Twitter (I still feel like an idiot when I say Tweet with a straight face) which said, “Waiters say “Are you still working on that?” because Americans treat eating like a career.” As with all things Andy Borowitz, it was meant to be be funny but with the hard ring of truth. By the way, if you want to laugh until you snort your Starbucks order out through your nose, follow Borowitz’ coverage of the US Presidential campaign, which you can get HERE. You’re welcome.

But back to the point at hand. Americans spend more time thinking and talking about their next meal than do the Ethiopians, and that’s saying something. God knows what percent of TV commercials are for junk food, but it’s a healthy number (or unhealthy one as the case may be). I haven’t seen the 2012 Super Bowl yet, but I’m going to wager that at least 1/3 of the high priced ads are going to be for things that you really want to eat or drink but really but shouldn’t. The other 2/3 of … (read the rest)