Reform Yourself and Health Care Will Follow
By Jacob Inman, Revive Your Life Executive Editor
Photo by tyfn
Here we are - a country in the midst of a raging political health care debate. How much will it cost? Who will pay for it all? Should there be a public option? Will abortion be covered? Is this all just partisan political B.S. that we should ignore?
In 2007, the United States spent 16 percent of its GDP on health care, much higher than any other developed nation. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that number will rise to 25 percent by 2025. Researchers estimate the United States spends 134 percent more than the median for member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and 44 percent more per capita than Switzerland, the country with the second highest expenditures.
Reigning in the ever-expanding cost of health care is essential to the viability of our country; however, I see the tense debate as ironic considering that we as individuals hold the majority of the cards in our own hands. I’m not saying that each of us has the political power to reshape the health care debate, but we do have the ability to make personal choices that will impact the future of our nation’s health care system. Considering the choices being made by the majority of Americans right now, the future of health care looks rather bleak.
True health care ‘reform’ starts with each of us as individuals. We wonder why we feel miserable, have no energy, can’t sleep, and feel depressed. It’s because the food we eat typically is as useful as garbage, we sleep too little, drink and smoke too much, exercise too little, and attempt to fix it all by taking a pill which only creates more problems. Garbage in - garbage out.
Consider what would happen to car insurance premiums if there were no industry standards on vehicle quality, everyone was able to drive as recklessly as they wished, and damaged vehicles were carelessly patched so that they would just barely continue to operate. Similarly, when it comes to our health, we have lowered our quality standards, are reckless in our decision to ignore preventative medicine, and often choose the “quick fix” remedy. In short, we are the accident waiting to happen.
It’s time we stop embarrassing ourselves as an overweight, overstressed, and unhappy nation. Slow down, eat right, sleep more, start exercising, and learn what it feels like to be truly healthy. Take it one step further and make sure that your family and friends are doing the same. Practicing preventative medicine and making healthy choices for you and your family (and encouraging others to do the same) are surefire ways to manage health care costs in our country. As an added benefit, you’ll feel better, look better, and live a longer, more productive life.
It’s up to each of us to actively manage our health and wellbeing. Don’t rely on your representatives in Washington to fix the health care problem - it looks as if they’re on track to mess it up in a big way as we speak.
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hello Jacob, the points u put’s up are very true and forwarded. Wish you a very happy new year, enjoy holidays.