| With the great controversy raging in the nation over | | | | ensure they have the capability to fight and win the |
| what direction our health care system is going to take | | | | war against degenerative diseases? |
| it is critical that we as individuals begin taking | | | | Our health care system is under attack and may not |
| responsibility for our own wellness. If we don't take | | | | be able to provide for us when we really need it. For |
| personal responsibility for our own health we may end | | | | too long we have depended on the health care |
| up relying on a government or private system that can | | | | system to tell us through early detection what is ailing |
| not or will not be able to support our specific problems. | | | | us. What that really means is that until we show |
| The current direction of our congressional leaders is to | | | | symptoms of a disease the medical community has |
| mandate that 20-30 million people who do not currently | | | | not been trained to help us. Often that discovery |
| have health insurance must by law have health | | | | comes too late and we end up in the health care |
| insurance or face a fine. Legislation is being drafted to | | | | system being treated with solutions designed to cure |
| mandate that insurance companies must make health | | | | or mask our disease or to keep us alive while we |
| insurance available to those individuals. There is | | | | suffer the ravages of the disease. Wouldn't it be |
| currently a shortage of doctors and the addition of | | | | easier to look for solutions to keep us healthy in the |
| 20-30 million more people will surely result in rationing of | | | | first place? Real preventative medicine would focus on |
| care. Some states that have implemented such | | | | preventing disease not just discovering it, what a novel |
| legislation, such as Massachusetts, are already | | | | concept to reduce the strain on our health care |
| experiencing unusually long waits to get an | | | | system, help people not get sick. Emerging medical |
| appointment with a doctor. | | | | science has discovered the intricacies of our bodies' |
| As a nation we are in terrible health. Our youth are | | | | immune system and reports that keeping the immune |
| facing a medical crisis today that often did not appear | | | | system strong and healthy significantly reduces our risk |
| until middle age. Those in middle age are suffering from | | | | of illness. |
| chronic degenerative diseases that our parents did not | | | | I believe that through proper investigation and study |
| have until the later stages in life. Our elderly population | | | | we can find ways to remain healthy longer. Educating |
| suffers from those same degenerative diseases | | | | the average person on what the emerging science is |
| including macular degeneration, Alzheimer's dementia | | | | finding out about the intricacies of our bodies will reap |
| and Parkinson's disease. Why are we having an | | | | great rewards, not only for our health care costs but |
| epidemic of obesity, onset (type 2) diabetes and | | | | for the individual as well. I am going to dedicate my |
| degenerative diseases? Why can't we do a better job | | | | efforts in researching the medical literature to make a |
| of preventing disease instead of just treating it once it | | | | case for preventive health care. We must learn how |
| is discovered? | | | | to optimize our health, the quality of the rest of our |
| What can we do proactively to ensure that we are | | | | lives depend upon it! |
| doing the very best we can for our bodies? Has the | | | | Look for my next article where I will look at some |
| medical community provided us with the all the facts | | | | science based recommendations for beginning your |
| we need to know? What is the real story on how our | | | | own preventive health care regiment. |
| bodies function and is there anything we can do to | | | | |