Building Health Versus Fleeing Disease

Americans are in a healthcare crisis. Our healthcare system is flawed and seems to more readily provide emergency care rather than preventative care. Through media, fear is presented as the top motivator for maintaining one's health. Prevention is not talked about as much as early detection is. Early detection, of course, is a good thing, but we often make poor healthcare decisions when we are motivated by fear. While the marketing industry plays on our emotions in promoting healthcare (and an endless stream of "healthy" products), fear is a dangerous substitute for understanding.

Most marketing campaigns will focus on what to avoid instead of educating us. For example sharing the ingredients in a product that is supposedly good for us. Do we know what is in those "fat-free" potato chips? Or those "sugar-free" cookies? Because so many products are marketed using buzzwords like "heart-healthy," "SPF-100," "Lite," and "low-cholesterol," most consumers are confused. We all need to educate ourselves about what we are putting into and onto our bodies. We need to understand the chemicals in products EVEN when they are marketed as healthy. Many of our healthcare problems can be corrected by other natural remedies.

Pharmaceutical advertisements tend to focus on symptoms rather than causes. They offer a solution for pain management instead of trying to get to the root of the problem. Sometimes, pain may not necessarily be harmful — ESPECIALLY if it is temporary and resolves an underlying problem rather than masking its effects. 

Health is a measure of our quality of life. We should focus on what to do rather than what not to do. In the long run, building a healthy lifestyle is more beneficial than running away from disease. All aspects of health need to be considered—physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual.

In order to achieve the highest level of health, we must improve our lifestyle. Diet and exercise are the most obvious ways to improve our health. But also essential is mental, spiritual, and emotional self-work. We must make time for ourselves to achieve all these things, whether that means carving out time to go to the gym, yoga, church, or grocery shopping for healthier food options. Which is preferable? Spending one hour at the gym or two hours at a doctor's office discussing ailments? Each of us must also belong to the right community. If we surround ourselves with health-conscious, healthy individuals, they can provide accountability and encouragement, making it easier for us and our family to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

The mind, spirit, and body are all connected through the nervous system—which is where Chiropractic care comes in. If the nervous system is clear, it will maximize the results of all we do to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We often make poor healthcare decisions when we are motivated by fear…Fear is a dangerous substitute for understanding.