Another part of reinventing medical and health care would be to provide continuing medical education that is preventive in nature to physicians and other health care providers, as well as foundational preventive medical education to physicians in training, in medical school and in residency programs. Read the rest of this entry »
Many times patients and their families are under much stress and are poorly informed about the disease and can only give themselves over to the medical system, too ill, stressed and insecure to question it, but hope that they can trust that the best thing is being done.
Patients and families need to be given much more counsel and advice about end-of-life decisions well in advance of terminal situations so they can make more rational decisions about treatments which do not relieve suffering or improve quality of life, and those decisions made by the patient and family need to be respected when the situation rises.
Medical treatments that have proven benefit need to have continued financial reimbursement, but a large investment needs to be made for preventive measures. This latter can be seen as an investment in the future, as they will give much greater financial return after the medical costs have come down due to less demand for medical treatment because of healthier people.
Systematic, organized educational and training programs that are adaptable to various regions, age groups, and other sub-population group’s can be designed and implemented to facilitate healthful changes in lifestyle. This would be part of what truly could be called a ‘health care” system. This could be paid for by insurance for people who choose this program of prevention. These programs would be implemented in conventional doctors offices, clinics, and alternative medicine clinics.
Another part of revamping the financial incentives would be to offer discounted health insurance premiums to those subscribers who participate in the training and education programs. People who have clearly hereditary risks for disease would not be penalized with higher premiums, but people with high-risk diseases could be charged higher premiums but concurrently would be given a discount related to that disease if the person was participating in preventive programs intensely focused on that particular disease or problem.
There seems to be an attitude in the medical profession that people are just stubborn, that only a small % of people will actually change their health habits and lifestyle.
People do change their eating habits and activities if given half a chance. If people are shown the practical ways of making healthy changes more easily and if given an informed choice, they will often choose to reduce long-term risks. Especially if they can feel the difference in just 2 weeks, a sense of aliveness, well-being, better function, fewer pains, and more energy, this is the best motivating factor of all. Many times people will be willing to participate in a short 2 week introductory program long enough to feel the benefits, and will get ‘hooked” on feeling better, which they didn’t realize was possible.
Suppose people are presented with this choice: “If I give you this drug that can make you feel better quickly but temporarily, and which can make you feel worse if used over a long period of time and could kill you.” Would you prefer that, or would you rather learn about doing things that require some effort end planning and resetting of priorities, actions that could eventually cause your pains to disappear permanently and help you to have a healthier life in many other ways?
Most rational people will choose the latter and would follow through consistently if provided with the appropriate support.
Most people feel overwhelmed by themselves without that important support. They feel resistant toward making changes and feel harassed by messages that they should live their lives differently without the education and training necessary. They end up feeling guilty and more resistant to change. The key, then, to healthy changes is education.
Hi There,
I’m really having a hard time with yo yo dieting. I’ve done Dolly Parton’s water-and-popcorn diet for a month, but it always comes back. Plus, when I’ve stuck to a diet for 3 months or so, I plateau and can’t seem to drop more. What am i doing wrong?
Thanks, Read the rest of this entry »
PART II – STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION, COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL
The environmental factors that affect health and longevity can be largely remedied by individual and community action and public policy measures. There is much to be done by neighborhoods, communities, service organizations, businesses, and governments that could affect air and water quality, neighborhood and traffic safety, workplace safety, social connections, job satisfaction, and education about wise use of medical resources. Read the rest of this entry »
Common sense (which often isn’t common) teaches us that prevention is more rational, effective, and efficient than trying to fix a problem or to pick up the pieces after a catastrophe. Then why has this not been applied in health care, and what could we do to bring this about? Read the rest of this entry »
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) took a stand against tobacco advertising in conjunction with women’s sports events at its 48th Annual Meeting. It recommended that women’s sporting events begin to separate from tobacco advertising, and gradually end tobacco support completely. Read the rest of this entry »
Are you over 60? Could you be healthier, more energetic, and even stronger? No matter what your age is, it’s never too late to start exercising. Read the rest of this entry »
Yes. From my own personal experiences with stress headaches, cervical adjustments help tremendously. My practice is geared more towards athletic injuries, so I only treat about 5 to 10 patients a week for headaches. Compared to other Chiropractors, that is a drop in the bucket. I get mixed results, and have a success rate of treating certain types of headaches, at around 70% with my patients. Read the rest of this entry »
Inhaled medications can be taken through a metered-dose inhaler, dry-powder inhaler or a nebulizer, which is a device that generates a mist of medication similar to a humidifier. Some medications are available in only a single delivery system. Other medications are available in all three delivery systems. Read the rest of this entry »
Waist Twist Stretch: Sit straddling a flat or abdominal bench with one leg on each side of the bench. Sit upright with shoulders perpendicular to the bench. Read the rest of this entry »