Those of you who have known me for a while now know how strongly I believe in taking care of my health by eating right, exercising and staying informed. I also feel very strongly about helping as many people as I can to live healthier, richer, more productive lives.
This is not a political statement Nor do I want to politicize this. It is a fact that our health system in the United States is failing us. We have the most expensive health care system in the world yet we are fatter and sicker than ever before in our history. (Diabetes Institute statistics). Diabetes is a disease which is almost completely preventable, for most people. Yet by listening to the news and media outlets you would think that we have no control over diabetes. Even after being diagnosed with diabetes it is controllable. And for most people it is reversible. But it begins with a true healthcare system and selfcare. Not The current system of waiting for people to get sick and then managing the symptoms of the sickness.
It begins with education on health and education on the food we are putting in our mouth’s. Our health system and food systems are keeping us from being our best. It is time to wake up and fight back against a system that is keeping us sick for profits. We all know by now that food manufacturer’s add ingredients that are addictive to keep us coming back for more.
Now on the “Healthcare” side. If your Doctor actually told you to change your food, and get some exercise would you follow though? I know from first hand experience that most patients actually get upset at the Doctor when they are told they are overweight or even worse when they are told they are obese. Many become immediately defensive. They will even leave that Doctors office to find “care” elsewhere. I have had Patients tell me I am not going back to Dr blank because he called me fat and said I had to loose weight. I have had Patients literally get up and walk out of the exam room when I told them they were 100 lbs over weight. So some doctors will bend on what they know the patients really need, better nutrition and an exercise program, and just write them prescriptions for blood pressure, glucose control and pain medication because its easier, takes less time and the patient will come back because now they need their meds every month and know one is telling them they are “fat” and need to loose weight.
Doctors need to get paid for their time. Who wants to sit and try to explain to a non compliant person why they need to loose weight and exercise and how much better they will feel and how they will not need all of these medications if they follow your advise, just to have them leave and not come back. It is much easier and less time consuming to just write a prescription and see them back in a month.
Now, imagine a health care system where providers of Healthcare were paid for actually getting people better. Not just for maintaining their current status of sickness. Your are a person not a patient. Stand up for yourself. Start today. It starts from with in us. Do not rely on some outside force to change “healthcare”. Remember the so called Health Insurance Companies do not care about your health at all. They only care about profits. Most likely your Doctor is to busy, has way to many patients to even remember your name or cares very much after you leave the exam room. Real long lasting Healthcare does not happen in a Doctors office. It happens where you are, at home, at the dinner table, at the gym or a park.