Although the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has expanded coverage to many who were uninsured, it does little to actually reform health care.
Improving coverage for medical care does not fundamentally change the system. True health care reform is not likely to come from the government and even less likely to come from the health care industry. There is too much money invested in the current system, from pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of medical devices, providers and insurers. There is great resistance to any change that would weaken their power and reduce profits.
If you really want to reform health care, adopting a wellness-based program would go a long way toward improving our country’s awful and worsening health and our increasing use of medications. It has worked for me and my patients who make the change.
Because the system is not likely to change any time soon, this means it is up to the patient to take control, to reform his or her own health care. This is not an easy thing to do. Patients trying to get off even one of their medications usually gets resistance from their family doctor, whose performance is rated in part by how many patients are on the “proper” meds. Add to that all the incorrect diet and lifestyle recommendations we have been given and the constant bombardment of drug ads, and you will be swimming upstream against the strong current of present-day medical thought in making any healthy changes.
Still want to reform your own health care? I have a few suggestions.
First, improve your lifestyle. There is no screening, drug, surgery or other medical intervention that will come close to a healthy lifestyle for preventing disease. In fact, none of those medical interventions will improve your health one bit. They may detect disease early but will not make you healthier — it’s not the same thing.
When it comes to healthy eating, I do not recommend eating a low-fat diet; it is very unnatural. Instead, eat lots of fresh, minimally processed veggies and fruit and meats and animal products from healthy animals not raised in a “factory farm.” Count chemicals, not calories.
Exercise regularly: 30 minutes a day is considered a bare minimum. If that is too painful, consider getting care for your pain instead of using drugs for relief.
Control stress. Just taking the time to sit quietly for 10 to 20 minutes a day can make a big difference in how stress affects you. It may not change the events of your life, but it can change how you react to them.
When you do get sick — it happens to the best of us — start with wellness care, unless it is a medical emergency. Consider chiropractic care, acupuncture, naturopathy or the rare medical provider who practices true wellness. When you start care, be patient. Because wellness care focuses on correcting the underlying problem and relies on natural treatments, it does not always produce the quick results drugs or surgery do. However, wellness care is largely free of the dangerous and sometimes deadly side effects that are taking such a toll on our society.
Be sure to let your friends in on your secret. Health care reform is too important to keep to yourself.
Dr. Michael Noonan practices chiropractic, chiropractic acupuncture and other wellness therapies in Old Town. He can be reached at noonanchiropractic@gmail.com.