When people normally think of health policy, the first thing that comes to mind is health insurance reform like the Affordable Care Act.

But health status isn’t just about access to insurance, doctors, drugs and hospitals, it’s also about the environment where we all live. That means factoring in the health effects of air quality, water quality, urban planning, transportation (is it safe to walk or bicycle instead of driving?), public safety, nutrition and sanitation.

Now that’s holistic medicine.