Why Our Health Matters

Why Our Health Matters

Adult nonfiction
"I believe strongly and passionately that every American has a
right to good health care that is effective, accessible, and that
serves you from infancy through old age, that allows you to go to
practitioners and facilities of your choosing and that offers a wide
range of therapeutic options. Your health-care system should also
help you stay in optimal health, not just take care of you when you
are sick or injured. You should expect and demand this of your
country, whether you are rich or poor and whatever the circumstances
in which you live. A free democratic society must guarantee basic
health care to its citizens--all of them--just as it guarantees them
basic security and safety. It is in a society's best interests to do
so: the healthier our population, the stronger and more productive we
will be as a nation."
Andrew Weil, author of Why Our Health Matters in which I found
the above manifesto, says that America is about as far from that
society as we can get. In fact he argues that we have a "disease
management," rather than a health care system. Our collective health
is going down the drain. No other democratic society has so many
uninsured citizens. In other words, we're spending more on health
care than other democracies and getting crappier results.
Weil believes that we don't try to trade our system of disease
management in for one of health maintenance because of three prevalent
myths.
"Myth #1: Because America has the most expensive health care in the
world, it must have the best...
Myth #2: Our medical technology is our single greatest asset.
Myth #3: Our medical schools and research facilities excel at
creating the world's finest physicians and most productive medical
investigators."
He deconstructs those myths and shows the many dangers of believing
them and remaining complacent.
One of Weil's biggest themes is the emphasis on pharmaceuticals
and procedures at the expense of primary interventions at the personal
and societal level. Most doctors, for example, know little or nothing
about nutrition, never mind the effects of environmental factors on
our bodies. It's more a reflexive hear the symptoms and prescribe a
pill.
I can share just two of the examples from my life that truly
pissed me off. In the first I had a middle ear infection. The doctor
decided I needed some kind of steroid to clear it up. She handed me
this multipage list of alarming side effects. Additionally, since
I've never had steroids in my life we had no idea how my body would
react to them. When I asked what would happen if I didn't take the
pills she explained that I'd have to stay in bed for two days and was
genuinely perplexed when I chose that option. In the second I had had
oral surgery. The dentist insisted that I needed a strong pain killer
even though I was pregnant with Adam in a stage of delicate neural
developement. I opted to just say no. He said I wouldn't be able to
stand the pain. I managed just fine on a light weight over the
counter. Adam aced his Apgar.
Fortunately Weil doesn't leave us with just the doom and gloom
scenario. He shows us what a true health enhancement system would
look like and how our society must change in order to achieve it. He
doesn't want pills and procedures totally eliminated. If you have
appendicitis he wants you to get right over to a hospital and have the
dangerously malfunctioning organ removed. He just wants them to
become less necessary in a society where we are taught to make healthy
life style choices and are actually enabled to so so. Think no more
food deserts. If you want to enjoy better health and/or help create
the change we need to see in America you'll find Why Our Health
Matters to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, Thursday I had a beautiful dream about Joey
cat. He actually hadn't died and we would have a happy holiday
season. Of course I woke up.
I did something super dumb Saturday. Eugene had just given me a lock
for my work locker. I locked my keys in my backpack in the locker.
Campus police had to cut the lock off.
I'm on my first day of turkey day (I no longer celebrate Thanksgiving
since reading Dawnland voices) vaca. This morning I made a Goodwill
run to take advantage of the 50% off sale. I got Christmas onesie
pajamas and 3 shirts for only $9. Most of my vaca will be devoted to
writing a paper and studying for my theories final. Tomorrow will be
all day at the in-laws' while Eugene hunts. I will pack a stack of
books to read and ear plugs to screen out tv noise and stay in my own
zone til supper.
However you celebrate (or don't celebrate) turkey day stay warm and
safe and have a great time.
jules hathaway


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