We are the most confused species on the planet when it comes to health and wellness. Part of the problem is that we get one PhD saying one thing and another PhD saying the exact opposite. Both present compelling arguments and data to support their positions, but the average person is left bewildered and frustrated. This confusion leaves most people doing nothing at all, continuing down a path of pain, excess body weight, and misery. Here are five myths prevalent today…
- More medicine will solve the healthcare issues. As the average American’s list of daily medicine increases, their health continues to decline. America makes up approximately 5% of the world’s population, yet consumes 50-75% of all pharmaceutical drugs (80% of all painkillers). If more medicine meant better health, we would be the healthiest country by far, but we are far, far from it (coming in last compared to other developed countries).
- Better insurance equals better health. Our healthcare system has failed to improve our level of health and is a big contributing component to its rapid decline. So, how would having more or better access to it lead to better health? It won’t. Obviously, health insurance is a good idea, but for catastrophic events, not wellness.
- We are on the verge of a big medical breakthrough. How many times have headlines eluded to a cancer cure, weight loss solution, or new super nutrient from some exotic island? Empty promises! We already know what it takes to reduce or eliminate most chronic illnesses, yet our current healthcare system fails to emphasize those solutions. Instead, they have relied on drugs, surgeries, and advanced testing, leading us to believe that new technology will solve our problems.
- Wellness is hard. With so many so-called experts sharing contradictory information, it appears that being healthy requires an advanced degree and is limited to just a select few. Remember, the healthiest humans on the planet are remote tribes that have no hospitals, grocery stores, supplements, or internet. It is not hard, you just have to do the right things. That being said, another myth I could list would be that wellness is easy. This may seem contradictory to the last myth, but the truth is that wellness is neither hard nor easy. There are many things working against the wellness lifestyle, such as polluted water and air, artificial everything, toxic additives, genetically modified foods, etc. It requires effort initially to work against all this. But habits do form, and it becomes easier. One of the most difficult things about getting well is time. Many confuse time with effort. A long life of unwell living will require time to turn around.
- Everyone feels bad as they age. Aging does take a toll on the human body, but there are many who age gracefully, remain active and fully functional, and who do not struggle with daily aches and pains. Do not confuse common with normal. Aches, pains, and overall ill-health is common because so few people take proper care of themselves throughout life, but it is not normal. We used to think tooth decay was normal because everyone would get it. It was common, not normal, as tooth decay is much less common now that most Americans take better care of their teeth throughout life.
It is often hard to determine how myths originate in the first place, but as far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter. As long as you know it’s a myth and stop believing it, it will not adversely affect you. As false promises for better health continue to pop up, the only true solution to the current health care crisis is lifestyle changes and improvements in our environment.