As I drove down the highway, passing a slew of medical buildings and hospitals, I couldn’t help but notice all the cars in the huge parking lot. From the looks of it, there wasn’t a spot available, and I could see cars weaving around the lot unsuccessfully looking for an open spot. It reminded me of how consumed we are by sickness.
Think about how many people you know right now that are dealing with some type of health issue. It’s likely most of the people you know. They are struggling with some type of health issue, are currently seeing doctors or waiting to see one, are undergoing testing or getting referrals, and are seeking answers to why they have the symptoms that they have. It’s not an easy process, it definitely is not a fast process, and it usually involves going doctor to doctor before getting an answer.
The sad thing is that even when they get an answer (if they get an answer at all), it usually entails a fancy medical term, more testing, and some type of drug as a treatment. The conditions are not cured or corrected, but merely managed through the use of dangerous and expensive medications. The side effects of the medications often lead to additional health conditions, requiring additional drugs.
There is an increasing phenomenon happening in our healthcare system where it is very hard to get appointments with a doctor–often involving weeks or months of waiting. Another pitfall I am seeing is that even when diagnostic testing is done, the doctors are not getting the results to patients in a timely manner. You are often finding the results in your online records and left to fend for yourself in terms of deciphering what all those big words mean.
It couldn’t be any clearer than right now how pathetic our healthcare system has become. The governmental health agencies, like the CDC, FDA, and NIH, have been fully captured by industry, and their loyalty is clearly not to the American people. If you take any dive at all into these agencies, you can see that they are not there to make Americans healthier. The simplest metric would be to look at how much money each agency spends of our money each year, then look at the chronic disease rates. We are getting sicker and sicker. I know I sound like a broken record, repeating the fact that among the eleven wealthiest countries, we spend significantly more on healthcare than any of them, yet rank dead last in health outcomes.
It is time to take control of your own health. The best doctor for you is going to be you. You do not need a Harvard education or any medical degree at all to step up and take charge of your health and well-being. Nobody cares about the health of you and your family more than you do. Nobody will put as much time and energy into getting answers than you will. And nobody can monitor the outcomes of what you are doing as well as you can.
I’ve heard medical doctors discourage patient from using Dr. Google, saying it is dangerous. I can say with certainty that you are likely to get a good jump on your health questions and concerns by utilizing the internet. Yes, you have to wade through ads, misinformation, and some radical suggestions, but the internet is loaded with fantastic information that can get you started on becoming nothing short of an expert on whatever it is you are struggling with.
As you set out to become your own best medical expert, the good news is that with most medical issues people are struggling with, the answer doesn’t require medication. While some conditions require medications, and medications can save lives in many instances, more medication is usually not the answer.
The answers to your health problems usually involve lifestyle modification… the foods you eat, the amount you exercise, the quality of sleep you get, the way you manage your stress, the work you are engaged in, and the relationships you have with others. Your medical doctors have little to no training in any of these areas. And it’s these areas that have the biggest impact on your overall health.
So… it is time to take back control of your health. Healing happens from the inside-out. The only thing healing you is you. You’ve got all your parts, you have that life force flowing within you, and all your body does 24 hours a day, seven days a week is work to be well. Your health issues are not due to a lack of medications, so more medications can’t be the answer. Give your body what it needs… get rid of what is bad for it… and it does the rest. Turning our health over to the medical establishment is the fastest way to lead a sickly, costly, and drug-filled life. The best doctor in the world is you… Dr. You!
