The Whys of Healthcare in America

I am not here to discuss politics and morality of the current healthcare plans being batted around, but to just talk about what I think is missing in our thought processes. I saw a sign yesterday from Tampa General Hospital that said they were celebrating the fact they had performed over 107,918 cardiac procedures. It sounds like they have a lot of experience treating heart disease. Well, my way of thinking is a little different. We should be asking, why are they having to do over a 100,000 procedures. Or why are there 250,000 diagnosis of breast cancer every year, of which 14,000 women die annually. Why over 2 million people suffer from plantar fasciitis each year and 10% of our total population will suffer from it at some point in their life time. That’s 30 million Americans. Why? Low back pain is the #1 reason Americans go to the doctor. Over 700,000 people are diagnosed annually with heart disease. I want to explore the whys and what can be done to improve it without spending billions of dollars to fix it.
Let’s start with Heart Disease. 90% of heart disease and strokes can be prevented with healthy eating and better lifestyle.
We can no longer eat high fat diets and not exercise while expecting to reduce healthcare. It is like we are trying to break the bank with disease. Obesity plays such a huge role in our healthcare costs. Let me explain. If I back up a small pickup truck to a large dump truck, full of dirt, and tell the driver to dump that dirt into my little truck, what do you think will happen? The axles will break, right? Well your body is that little truck and your hips and knees are your axles.? Your body can only carry so much weight. Once you exceed that weight, the pressure on your joints will cause the joints to deteriorate. Even if you replace them, the joints will continue to deteriorate until another joint will be needed. It never stops. Your muscles will not be strong enough to pick you up, so you will have a hard time walking, so cardiovascular exercise becomes out of the question. This will affect the heart and every other organ in your body. Your body has to move, regardless of all the gadgets out there to allow you to sit. As the obesity rate rises, the rate of heart disease and strokes follow right along.
Every American should exercise vigorously 30 minutes a day. This could be a brisk walk, riding a bike, or swimming. When starting out try to do low impact exercises, especially if you are overweight.
Strength training should be next on your list. If the gym is not for you there are other options. You could be pushups, pull ups, abdominal crunches, and lift hand weights or leg weights. Leg weights make a good little gym as you can use them to strengthen your legs and your upper body.
Getting a massage monthly is a must. I am not talking about a relaxing spa massage, but a deep tissue massage to clean out those tight muscles so the blood will flow better.
Active Isolated stretching should be on your list. For many years people have been taught how to stretch by holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds and using a stretchy band. Actually you should stretch for no more than 2-3 seconds and use a rope or belt to stretch. Active Isolated Stretching is a technique you can use at home and doesn’t require a class to do it, plus you will stretch muscles you didn’t even know you had.
Finally eating. You are what you eat, truly. Many of our vegetables were shipped from all over the world. Shipped vegetables typically are picked too early and never had the nutrients your body was suppose to get. Try to buy locally grown vegetables so you can get the most nutritious foods available.
No cure or treatment is ever going to reduce these major diseases. If money were the answer, then with all the money collected through donations for cancer of various types, heart association, diabetes association, and any other foundation to stamp a disease, there should be no disease in America. Unfortunately that is not the case. You are the cure! Every choice you make in diet and lifestyle determine the quality of your life. It’s your choice, you can choose a better quality of life, but it is your choice. We will continue this series to cover other ailments and diseases.

Tagged as: We should be looking at the whys and not the hows.