Everybody forward Capitol Hill know...

Everybody forward Capitol Hill knows that Sen Tom Harkin is a champion of the responsible use of vitamins, minerals and other appendixs as an inexpensive means of increasing wellness and lowering health care costs

nevertheless few people realize that Harkin, 63 also practices what he preaches. In fact, the Iowa Democrat not no other than eats well, he takes antioxidants and other complements and has even used bee pollen to treat his seasonal allergies. "Having favorably tried alternative and complementary medicines, I know that they exhibit great promise," he says.

Harkin, who joined the House of Representatives in 1974 and the Senate in 1984 has been at the forefront of dietary fill up food and nutrition issues everywhere his congressional tenure. That's because he views the nation's agricultural bounty as the cornerstone of its power "Nutrition is an issue that affects each single American," he says. "It's an essential part of our nation's infrastructure."

No surprise, then, that Harkin has been an early and active supporter of causes as it is as Head Start, the federal program that provides nutritious breakfasts to disadvantaged schoolchildren. He's also taken the lead upon improving food safety and finding fresh uses for agricultural products. most numerous recently, as the former chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, he oversaw passage of the 2002 Farm Bill, which President George W Bush signed into law in May.

"I was stately to push through the bipartisan Farm Bill," Harkin says. "It wasn't everything we wanted, on the other hand it was a big gradation in the right direction." The legislation includes $64 billion for nutrition programs of that kind as aid for needy families, pabulum banks and soup kitchens. It also increases the number and kinds of novel fruits and vegetables that are provided in schools: "I'm especially presumptuous of that."

As chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Harkin also expanded pabulum stamp coverage to include vitamins and minerals. He's a big believer that a wholesome diet and the right postscripts can help improve wellness and make an incision in health care costs. In 1991 he helped establish the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health to reflection the role of supplements and nontraditional therapies in improving overall health. And in 1994 he l passage of the Dietary appendix Health and Education Act, helping make postscripts and herbs more accessible to consumers

lately Harkin has sought to make postscript purchases eligible for the same tax deductions as those received for prescription medicines and other health care outcomes He also has sought increased funding for the sustenance and Drug Administration to make secure the accuracy of supplement production claims and to overhaul reporting of adverse reactions. unless Harkin says addressing supplements is just united of the key tasks ahead.

"Looking forward, we also ne to make permanent all of our children and families are eating as healthily as possible, and we must find just discovered ways to curb childhood obesity," he says. "Because the health and safety of our victuals is an important part of national security, I intend to continue working with my colleagues and the president to make strong our food is as safe and healthy as possible."

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