As I watched the Presidential Debates last week, and as I listen to the fears of many of my patients, I realize that one of the primary concerns in this political season is the uncertainty of a national healthcare system. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal- we all can agree that a change in the way we are able to access our healthcare is inevitable.
My mother taught me that the best defense against uncertainty is always to be prepared- and that’s the same advice I give to our patients. Therefore, if we can follow some simple rules of how to live healthier lives, we can take back control of our own health and not be so dependent on the assistance of any system. Here are 3 easy ways we can start today:
1. Start Exercising- If the extent of your daily exercise is walking from your car to your desk during the day, and exercising your fingers on your television remote control at night- then you need a new exercise routine. Now- I am not talking about running in the New York City Marathon next month or swimming the English Channel- but how about walking outside in this beautiful autumn weather for 20 minutes 2-3 times per week? Or perhaps signing up for a yoga or Pilate’s class at your local fitness club?
Studies have consistently shown that just 20 minutes of exercise a day can reduce our visits to the doctor by 40%. What a great way of reducing our individual health costs!
2. Eat Healthier- Another tremendous drain on our healthcare system comes from the obesity epidemic which has infected our nation. Two-thirds of our population is overweight while 35% are defined as clinically obese. This results in over $190 billion dollars being spent on healthcare annually.
Want to reduce these statistics? Start by cutting out all “Whites” from your diet. That includes white sugars (especially soda and sugared soft drinks), white flours such as white breads, rice and pasta, and salt -especially high in processed foods.
3. Be Proactive with your Health- We all know when to tune up our car to keep it running well, and how to tune up our PC’s by running anti-virus software. But how many of us “tune up” the most vital and important machine we own? Our human body!
If we as a nation started to focus more on “well care” instead of “sick care” we would literally save billions of dollars a year in healthcare costs. So make sure you schedule your yearly medical checkup to catch small problems before they escalate.
Chiropractic care is an excellent way of keeping our spines and nervous systems functioning at peak performance. And visits to a nutritionist, massage therapist, or holistic practitioner can be great resources for minimizing our need for costly and dangerous medications or unnecessary surgeries.
We all need to take responsibility for our own health and to stop taxing the healthcare system. Once we put these simple yet effective plans in place- we will rest easier knowing that no government agency is in control of our health- we are! For more information on any of these topics, please visit our website at www.newcitychiropractic.com or call our office to speak with one of our doctors.
