My View of Health Care Reform

The ongoing debate – no, really it is a squabble – is an exercise in futility. I have yet to hear a serious proposal that will actually improve the state of the health of the American people. The “Safeway Plan” is a big step in the right direction, but it is not included in any of the active proposals.

The problem is one of responsibility. As one of the most personal aspects of life, health care is one of the most personal responsibilities of life. My wellness is MY responsibility. Our national constitution makes no provision for health care, so it is clearly not a federal issue. I don't want my employer snooping in my medical history, so it is not an employment issue. It is my responsibility and I must be willing and ready to take charge of my own wellness.

In my mind, the ideal solution for our future health care is to remove both government and business from any involvement. Let insurers offer their services to all who can afford them. Then the funds currently going into charitable health care might be adequate for those who can not afford to buy insurance, once we individually take responsibility for our individual wellness.

The other key element is education. Especially those in the worst health, the poor, simply do not know how to treat their bodies to enhance wellness. As they learn how to live for better physical health, they may also learn how to improve their financial and emotional health as well. It will take a massive effort – not at the national or even state level, but at the personal level. Change will happen only when there is enough individual involvement to train and equip them to live better. We have proven that giving everything to the poor just keeps them poor; now let's try helping them be responsible for themselves and see what the result is. Because eating is such an integral part of culture, it is a daunting challenge to change the way people eat in order to get them to adopt healthier habits. But we must try.

Is it worth it? Let's count the cost and benefit. In the twenty years I have lived without meat, I have seen my health improve from good to great. I can not imagine that my vegetables have cost nearly as much as the meat I avoided. In the nearly ten years that I have followed my current dietary plan, I have lost my superficial body fat and have gained both energy and alertness. Some of my supplements are expensive, but I continue to save the additional amount that conventional eating would cost. Although I feel some effects of aging, especially in some joints, the effects are the result of activity, not of idleness. I heard yesterday of an 86-year-old man who fell and injured himself – while he was cutting a tree on a steep slope, his safety rope broke. I admire that man and have plans to emulate him (but with a better rope!).