Healthcare Reform: Can the government really save us from ourselves?

There is much debate right now about "saving healthcare". In Washington they debate the best ways to decrease costs, improve outcomes, and provide for those that cannot provide for themselves. Although words like "prevention" come up, no one has addressed what that means and how it is achieved. For the medical community, prevention means early diagnosis, and routine exams. But this is only one aspect of preventive care. Prevention must require an attitudinal "change". "Change" in lifestyle that promotes healthier habits of eating, exercise, sleep, and even thinking. The best care in the world is free, and it starts with the investments we make everyday in ourselves.

So how do we achieve this? We must take responsibility for our own lives, and our own health. We must accept, and even embrace this responsibility and recognize that our actions have consequences. If you want to smoke, great, smoke. Just understand that it increases your risks for infections, cancer, COPD, and many other problems. Is it fair to expect our "healthcare system" to pay for the long acknowledged health outcomes "your choice" to smoke has produced ? This mindset is not a threat; it's a call to the reality that your choices are yours, as are the consequences.

So does the answer lie in alternative methods? Not necessarily. Believe it or not supplement companies are just like pharmaceutical companies. Their bottom line is profit. They would love to see you take a supplement the rest of your life just like the pharmaceutical companies would love to see you take a pill. Yes, supplements may seem safer, but the majority of people out there take far more supplements than is necessary and/or beneficial. Believing that supplements will "cure all" may even be dangerous, as very few large scale studies show clear clinical improvement.

There are exceptions of course. Some people need a little more raw material to rebuild themselves after prolonged stress or illness. In times of gross deficiency, supplements can increase health while other factors are recovered (like a healthy diet). The truth is that what we eat, not what we take, is the critical determining factor in longevity and vitality. There is no supplement you can take that makes up for a poor nutritional foundation... or lack of movement, or poor mental hygiene. If you are not following a healthy lifestyle, and focusing on all parts of your being, then you are missing out on the most important determinants in assuring a long and healthy life.

We all have more control over our lives than we give ourselves credit for. Making small choices here and there add up in the long run. In fact, it is better to do the little things every day, rather than that "big thing" for a week or two. We become overwhelmed when we try to overhaul our lives because the bar we set for ourselves is often too high. Start small, with one meal, one trip to the park or the gym. Let it expand from there. Add to this start each week... include another meal, or walk, or replace the evening smoke with a yoga class. Just like our financial investments, "small investments, done consistently" ultimately yield the best return over time. The key is to put energy towards the things that you can control, not the things you can't. External forces will always pull on you. Remember, the master does not control the environment... he adapts himself to what he is given.

Life, and reality for that matter, involves subjective interactions. This is not to say we control it, but that we determine it in the way we perceive each moment. Regardless of the circumstances, there comes a time in your life when you must stop blaming external forces for where you are. Every one has their story, and although different, we all have hardships to overcome. Personal accountability is the single most important change our healthcare system needs today. Choose to take responsibility for your own life, and your own health. It is in our own best interest- as individuals and as a country.