The Point

What is the point of going to a doctor? Usually, people go to find out what is wrong and what they can do to cure it. I focus on self care. I do whatever I can to help myself live a healthy and active lifestyle. I help others to do the same. What I learned from living this way is that most people who want healthful lives practice healthful living. Most people who really don't care, only practice healthful living when they get tired of feeling sick, lifeless or lethargic. Or they lay claim to wanting great health and then do nothing to get it. Simple changes are often all it takes to start feeling more vital. Less fat, less sugar, and a little movement maybe? I have little patience for those who won't get off their butts -- not when they've had the same lame excuses for years on end. Put up or shut up, folks!

Sadly, many western populations promote this foolhardy way of life. Many western medical doctors practically laugh at Naturopathic doctors, but the truth of it is the Naturopaths focus on prevention while the insurance driven medical doctors focus on stopping symptoms.

What is the point of this? I've lived for 36 years as a healthy living advocate who promotes self care, healthy eating, exercise, and above all, moderation. It's my passion. It's my thing. It was my Mom's thing. It was her Mom's thing. Exercise, fresh air, healthy fresh food including lots of fruits and vegetables, not too much red meat, and hardly any pork products such as ribs, bacon or ham. Sure, we are historically inclined to avoid cured meats, especially pork. But for health reasons, I stay away anyway. The curing process results in carcinogens.

I've spent the past 11 years caregiving for others. I'm NOT a nurse. I'm a healthy living advocate. The difference is I have this expectation that when people can do for themselves, they should. Rick likes to say that people bring on their own troubles. Well....it goes for their health too. Both of my parents lived extremely active, healthy lives. When their health declined, it was nothing that healthy living would have prevented. Dad ran up to 15 miles a week until he was 84. Mom was always proactive and got her share of exercise, right up until she was 89 or 90. It is really hard to accept that folks much younger seem so old and feeble. Especially when these folks could do something in their mature years to prevent their decline.

Enough nonsense. If I go to a doctor, I at least TRY what the doctor advised without blowing it off as nonsense. My shoulder is healing really well. The doc said that if I did exactly what he told me to do, I'd heal really well and faster than many. That means doing what he and his PT tell me to do. Amazing...do what they say and get the results they say I will... Who wudda thunk?

Many medical issues and complications are not this simple, I know. But why waste time and energy even going to the doc if you have no intention of doing what they say, and then want to whine about not getting better? If you are going to go, then at least try their advice. An open mind may help you restore the life you want to live, or even make it better. Its' all up to the individual.