How is a sane person supposed to know what to do when even the doctors don’t agree? I was listening to a program about one of the statin drug’s beneficial side effects on Talk of the Nation on NPR. At one time there were three doctors discussing inflammation and lowering cholesterol and why one drug in particular had interesting results. The only thing these doctors agree on was that patients should first try life style changes before resorting to a statin drug. They gave a few seconds lip service to a nature means of reducing chronic diseases and spent many minutes disputing each other’s approach to using a drug that many natural health practitioners distain.

Many doctors are far too interested in prescribing a pill than babysitting their patients to reduce their weight and increase their exercise. It is difficult to inspire compliance, especially when it’s easier to just write something on a piece of paper and say, “see you in six months for a blood test to see if this improved anything and to monitor the potentially harmful effects. Of course, that little handful of pills costs hundreds of dollars every month! And we wonder why we have a health care crisis!
I know—I’m being cynical. This is why I don’t usually write about health and doctors. I find it hard to keep my irritation and frustration out of the discussion.

What I am most interested in is health without doctors. Since I have historically gotten conflicting advice from doctors, I avoid them and their prescriptions. I look for natural ways to maintain my health, and so far, I’ve not only avoided serious illness, I’ve also avoided prescription drugs, including antibiotics. My current health program consists of the following:

·    Eating sensible amounts of nutritious food, organic when possible
·    Drinking lots of filtered water – lots
·    Taking a few supplements and vitamins, just to be sure
·    Sleeping eight hours a night, and taking a nap if I get sleepy during the day
·    Walking 30 minutes (at least) each day and discovering something new on every walk
·    Practicing stress reduction such as conscious breathing and addressing problems when they arise
·    Being insightful every day by journaling, acknowledging life’s richness, and sitting silently for 10 minutes or so

Of course, if I needed the help of a doctor, I’d seek it – eventually! I mean, if a truck ran over me, I’d encourage the paramedics to take me to an emergency room. If I had appendicitis, I’d agree to surgery. And if I had a heart attack, I’d work really hard to find a cardiologist who thinks holistically. In the meanwhile, I am following my own advice – I live as though this is the only life I’m going to get!
© 2008, Jacqueline Hale