PERSONAL HEALTH BLOG
Poor Lifestyle Drives Increasing Need For Healthcare
A MAJOR FACTOR in driving the increasing need for and increasing expense of health care in the United States is our collective lifestyle.
ARE YOU WORRIED about health care reform? Dazed and confused by the complex legislative proposals in the House and Senate? Concerned that the politicians won’t be able to get it right? That perhaps they might even make the problems with health care worse? Me too. I think just about everyone is. The future of our health care system has never seemed more uncertain.
It’s time to stop worrying about health care reform. Unless you’re a Congressman, you personally aren’t going to be able to do much about it. Me neither. We can’t control what the Congress is going to do.
We can’t control what the President is going to do. And, we’re not going to control what our doctors are going to do. That’s the bad news. The good news is that we can control what we do. What’s missing in this national health care debate is serious discussion about what individuals should be doing for themselves.
Let’s be honest. A major factor in driving the increasing need for and increasing expense of health care in the United States is our collective lifestyle.
‘More Health and Less Care‘
As a people, we are increasingly overweight and sedentary. Too many of us still smoke, drink too much, or have other unsafe and harmful habits. The list of illnesses related to the American lifestyle is long – diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and degenerative arthritis – just to mention a few.
I could give you all the official statistics on preventable illness here, but you already know this is true. America has taken a wrong turn on the road to health and wellness.
Yes our health care system has real problems, and they’re serious ones. We really do require health care reform, especially to cover the uninsured. But most people don’t need more health care. What most people need is more health. How about you?
Do you want more care next year – more doctor visits, more medical tests, and more pills? Or do you want less of all that and more health – more muscle, less fat, greater fitness? More health and less care sounds good to me! I want that!
You can have it too. You can be healthy and well. Really. You are in control of your own behavior and, for most of us, our behavior is the single greatest determinant of our health status. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you overweight? Stressed out? Do you smoke? Exercise? Meditate? Why or why not?
Perhaps it’s time to re-examine your daily habits. Are they helping you to be healthy or helping you to need more health care? Can you drop any detrimental ones and begin some new positive activities?
Now I don’t mean to make anyone feel bad about his or her own health situation. This is not about feeling guilty about your lifestyle. And I don’t know you. You may have a serious medical condition that’s outside of your control.
YOU ARE in control of your own behavior and, for most of us, our behavior is the single greatest determinant of our health status.
Don’t Talk Yourself Out Of Improved Health
Obviously we are all different and our ability and desire to manage our own health varies. What I am trying to get you to do is to look at how you’re spending your energy.
If, like many of us, you are using a great deal of energy trying to understand, influence, or worrying about politics and health care reform, how about diverting a little of that energy to thinking about your own health? What small steps could you take in the direction of better health and wellness?
Of course, this may not be easy. It usually isn’t easy to change habits. So what? You’ve probably done many things in your life that haven’t been easy. Have you served in the military, graduated from college, or earned a promotion at work? Was boot camp easy? Were finals easy?
These accomplishments didn’t come without effort and improving your health won’t either. You’re a person of accomplishment. Why should becoming healthy be different than other triumphs that you’ve had over the years? Don’t talk yourself out of it just because it might take effort.
Focus On What You Can Control
Why don’t you begin with a single small effort? You don’t need to tackle it all at once. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we all can benefit from taking things one step at a time.
So, I’m only going to ask you to do one thing: Start thinking about what you can do to improve your health. That’s it. Just start thinking about it. Devote some time to the subject. Don’t make it too complicated yet, and don’t let it slide.
When you start thinking, ideas will come. Focus on what you can control. You can be healthier and you are in charge of yourself. Commence your journey on the road to better health and wellness by acknowledging this today.
Dr. Pete Weiss
Dr. Pete Weiss
‘Dr. Pete’ Empowers Individuals To Manage Their Own Health
Peter J. Weiss, MD FACP (www.drpeterjweiss.com) is a physician, healthcare executive, author, speaker and health coach with a passion for helping others to health and wellness. Dr. Pete has recognized that traditional medical care isn’t helping many people to become well, and his personal mission is empowering individuals to manage their own health. His book on personal health, More Health, Less Care, is due out soon.
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