My Take on Health Care Reform

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS BIASED! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

A dominant current news item is the attempt to “reform” health care, with focus on who controls payment. The Congress is spending weeks on end debating openly as well as plotting in formerly-smoke-filled rooms how to put together a bill that will pass both houses, regardless the low opinion of such action held by a majority of US voters. Though by no means certain, it is quite possible that they will succeed in establishing a new entitlement program that will bankrupt the nation and still not provide any improvement in health care in this once-great nation.

The potential for ruin of our health care only emphasizes the need for each of us to take personal responsibility for our individual wellness. The only sure way that I can see to avoid having the government determine what doctor I can see or what medications I will be provided or how long I have to wait for a joint replacement is not to need them.

I can only wish that I could guarantee wellness for everyone who practices the best possible wellness care. Although I have discovered countless reports of recovered wellness after severe illness or injury, each of us is different. What worked for someone else may not have the same result for me. When I look at the variety of diet books available, I imagine that for someone, each book is the right path. The road most traveled, also known as the Standard American Diet (SAD, isn't it?), has been clearly proven to be the path to unwellness.

What we can do with the greatest certainty of a good outcome is simple:
STUDY to learn what works for others.
ADOPT those habits that others have found beneficial.
AVOID those habits that have caused others to come to ruin.

Consistently doing those three actions has brought me to the point at age 69 that I am active and engaged, with no significant limitation on my activities. I still can do anything that I choose to do without giving a second thought, whether walking, running, digging, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, etc. Sure, I have aches and (minor) pains, but none that stop me from my active life. I began my self-healing journey at age 12 when I chose not to be a smoker, even though everyone around me was doing it. I chose not to participate when other 7th graders were learning to pass out by hyperventilating. I learned to avoid refined sugar and bleached flour at age 27. I quit coffee at age 32, not sure whether it was harmful or not. I quit meat at age 49 because of the example of a friend who had bypass surgery and the doctor prescribed no more than four ounces per week of red meat – if it is good for a cure, it must be even better as preventative. I learned about juicing and the power of raw foods in my latter 50s. More recently, I have discovered the need for supplements to replace nutritional value that is no longer available in our food supply. And, thanks to a few bold researchers and medical doctors, I have learned some of the underlying reasons why these changes are helpful.

What will it take for you to reach a state of wellness that will shield you from whatever changes are imposed on our health care system? The only way to find out is to start. Whether you choose to change in order to reduce your dependence on the government or simply to improve how you feel, I'll be glad to help you along the way. Just let me know.