The health care debate is so confusing, polarizing, and so impacted by ones own experiences and current situations in the work force etc, that we lose sight of a basic point...health care is important, but should not replace commonsense daily decisions that will land us sick, fat , and what is the expression...oh yeah, nearly dead. The essay below is by a Doctor I both know and respect. He has a practice in Bedford NY, and it is worth looking into. His comparison to health care and car insurance is funny and totally on point. drmichaelfinkelstein/ __________________________________________________________________ To say that weve gotten into the habit of taking our bodies (and minds) to doctors much in the same way that we take our cars to the mechanic for a tune-up would be a severe understatement. In fact, the average American is more apt to ask his mechanic why his alternator doesnt work than to ask himself why hes contracted the flu. This has to stop, and the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT claims to address that problem. I have to admit, like many Americans, Im quite skeptical. I just dont know. Though I do know that I dont trust our politicians nor the political wheel thats spinning out of control and away from the type of leadership and functionality we could use. That said, this is a time for us to reflect on who were going to rely upon. While I do think Obama cares, as any President would - and must - thats just not worth debating from my point of view. And other people care, too, including your doctor, your spouse, your kids, your parents, and your coworkers who ask about your diet at lunch. But who cares as MUCH as you care? NO ONE DOES! I believe YOU must seize the reins. Seize the day. Seize each opportunity, each choice, each chance, if not to optimize your health, than at least to better it, one step, one breath, one snack, one meal at a time. Im there for you, too. Were all in this together. But lets face it: Frankly, nobody really gives a damn whether youre having a Pop Tart or a Granny Smith as much as YOU do-or YOU SHOULD. Its not about politics. When I see a patient, I dont ask them whether they like donkeys or elephants. Yelling at Bill OReilly or Jon Stewart will give you the same heart attack. My point is that Im not taking a political side here. All Im saying is we cant wait for some doctor, our spouse, the Government, or anyone else to take care of us. Seven out of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases, and thats likely to continue, given our lifestyle. The top chronic diseases alone - heart disease, cancer and stroke - account for more than half of all deaths each year.[i] And before death, most of these 133 million people have had to learn to live with their pain and frustration. Thats unacceptable to me, and it should be to you, too. The vast majority of us report of us report were dissatisfied with our doctors visits and the overall state of health care. I think thats unlikely to change with the Affordable Care Act. Weve seen that already, given this law has actually shut down our government even as so many of us are seeking information about it, weve frozen the governments Health Care Exchange information website at the same time! Were told we cant fix ourselves-but the system - whether youre for it, or against it - obviously cant fix us, either. Weve got to take our health care into our own hands. The same question I always ask should be at the forefront of you mind: Are you taking care of yourself? So heres my prescription-and its a quick and dirty one. Dont wait for anyone else to look after you, including your favored political party and your private and government health care plan. Look after yourself. Start today, with simple, sensible, skillful steps your grandmother taught you, like eating right, sleeping well, drinking lots of water, and staying as peaceful as possible. Unless this new law helps doctors understand that their role ought to be to guide us better between crises, remember the great wisdom in the old adage, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take care of yourself!
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:41:23 +0000
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