Inverted Health Pyramid
I ran across an article I wrote in 2009, about the state of our health care system and the hope that our broken system could be turned around. Well, we all know how that ended; but I thought you might find the article interesting...
"Last year then U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson and newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle spoke about the state of health care and what we can do about it.
I must first comment that I strongly disagree with Tommy Thompson’s position about the value of U.S. health care. He said we (Americans) have the BEST health care system in the world. HELLO??? The U.S. is the number one spender of health care, spending 2.4 trillion dollars a year (16% of the GDP); but ranks only 15 out of 25 industrialized countries for “quality” of care (and 37th of a total of 191 health systems). What’s up what that?
Thompson then went on to make the insinuation that ALL of us would want to get “American” care because it is the best. This is simply NOT true! In fact, many of the “cutting edge” technologies come from other countries. Additionally, 100,000 people die every year from medical mistakes (ask quoted by Daschle later in the conference…thank you Daschle). Thompson also said, “We have to go where the money is.” Well, the money is in pharmaceuticals, and we’ve seen that is getting us nowhere. Comments like these explain why health care was NOT reformed during the last administration.
Halleluiah! Newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, hit the nail on the head when he described the current U.S. health pyramid. He described how other industrialized countries start at the bottom of the pyramid with basic wellness and prevention (like through food and lifestyle) and work their way up the system to the very top, which is the most expensive, sophisticated care. However, in the U.S. it is just the opposite. We start at the top (most expensive) and work down toward basic, fundamental health care.
Could the U.S. FINALLY have someone at the helm that will put their foot down and stop this madness? Gosh, I hope so. I understand Daschle has tax evasion charges against him. Let’s just hope he manages health care better than he manages his personal finances! Despite the charges, I’m praying he can make some headway in changing our ridiculous health care system. So, here’s to Daschle – good luck and God-speed!"
Well, as I stated in my opening remarks, we all know where that ended...and not so well, unfortunately. We are certainly no better off today than we were in 2009. The key to our future is not in a "cure" we spend billions every year to find. The key is within each and every one of us. We simply need to get back to the basic fundamental principles of health and well-being -- eat "food" (not food-like stuff), get active, get enough sleep, manage stress, surround yourself with loving people, and do what brings your joy.
Is it really this simple? For some people, no. They are so overburden with toxins that the simple transition to healthier practices may not be enough. There are many tools available for these individuals. If you fall into this category, I encourage you to exlore ways to detoxify your body and support your body's natural ability to heal itself.
