Secrets For Better Health At Lower Costs?
Picture American healthcare as a tin of fish. We pay for caviar, but are we receiving canned mackerel? Statistics from 2009 show that we cast out $7,960 per person per year. We are grossly outspending the rest of the world. Sweden pays $3722 per year per person. The savings alone could buy every U.S. citizen a new Volvo every 10 years! Is greater health being gained from shelling out all those clams?
Sorry Charlie! The level of America health is on a sinking ship. Peering into the depths of the World Health Organization’s “Healthy Life Expectancy Rankings” top ten list, Japan floated to the surface as number one. Then came Australia, France… Greece… Andorra. NO America…and, where’s Andorra?
With more of the money, technology, hospitals, labs and drugstores, why are we not healthier? The answer can be found by decoding the word “disease.” We view disease as an entity. “What do I have?… He gave it to me!… How do I get rid of it?” In reality, loss of health is more often a result of not having something! The prefix “dis” means “not” or “lack of”. Until more people can recognize that loss of health often results from not having ease or balance in our lives, we will continue to suffer from poorer health outcomes at the highest costs. Understanding balance is central to chiropractic practice, Yoga and other natural disciplines. Treat the imbalance, and the inner potential of the person’s health will be released.
Take the example of heartburn or indigestion. One approach is to treat the symptoms with medications by altering stomach chemistry. Effectively, the pain vanishes while the drugs are in the system. It returns, and more pills are needed. Even worse, the known alarms of imbalance are masked or ignored. This can lead to more serious problems. Years go by and ulcers form. Stronger medications are used, perpetuating the continued avoidance of the core imbalance. Ignored problems worsen. Sadly, one of these problems could be cancer.
A different choice is made. The initial symptom is recognized as the body’s distress call. The status of the person’s nutrition, emotional state, level of activity, quality of rest and structural integrity and its relationship to nerve function is investigated. The “DIS” is located, and a program to create “EASE” is initiated. Stress-reducing techniques, chiropractic adjustments and nutritional support are provided. The core imbalances are addressed and removed. The person returns to his or her normal state of health.
We must treat the person. Drugs save lives...for the moment. The miraculous abilities of medications in urgent situations must not distract us from the continued pursuit of the underlying imbalance. Treating the symptom alone, and not paying attention to the DIS-EASE of the patient, will continue to cost America billions of dollars and millions of lives.
Below is a list of questions to be asked of oneself and/or doctor when facing a health challenge:
Is there an imbalance stemming from my diet, exercise routine, rest/sleep, emotional state or my structural/nervous system?
Is the treatment or care addressing the problem or the symptom?
Do I have to take medication now…if so, forever?
Do I have time to see if my body can correct the problem by itself?
Am I truly taking responsibility for my health?
Below is a list of affirmations and statements of understanding that will promote optimum health creation:
Each health challenge is an opportunity to grow and heal!
My inner potential is to be optimally healthy!
By removing interferences, I will shine with radiant health!
It is fun and easy to make changes!
I will patiently allow my health to be restored!
The answer to America’s poor health dilemma will not come from a pill bottle or politician, but by the understanding of how optimum health can be either prevented or manifested. We can keep eating stinky fish at caviar prices or brighten our plate with the best the sea of health care has to offer, at affordable prices. At the very least, we can elevate our status above Andorra’s!
http://www.oecd.org/els/healthpoliciesanddata/49084488.pdf
http://www.who.int/inf-pr-2000/en/pr2000-life.html
