Hello,
Allow me to be blunt. The current state of health in the world sucks. Statistics show 1 in 2 Americans have a chronic disease (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, arthritis). And 1 in 4 have multiple. On a world scale, in Kuwait, as many as 75% of people are overweight or obese; 25% are diabetic. Hypertension is predicted to hit 1.5 billion people worldwide by 2025.
The US spends $3.2 trillion on health care, 86% of that goes to chronic illness. Spending on chronic disease worldwide is predicted to reach $47 trillion by 2030. Sickness is a massive industry.
Three things seem to be influencing this problem.
One- Doctors and hospitals weren’t created to handle this. The medical system was built on emergencies or trauma, and classic diseases or conditions. Chronic disease, caused by long term poor lifestyle choices, have only come about over the past 40 years or so, really getting its start in the late 80’s. Medical professionals are not equipped to handle the coaching and lifestyle change that is needed to avoid, or reverse the chronic diseases we are seeing today.
Two- Letting the pharmaceutical companies attempt to find “solutions” by masking symptoms will do nothing except perpetuate and expand the currently outdated and ineffective system. These companies grow in direct proportion to the increase in chronic disease. They have zero motivation to find actual solutions- it would shrink their market. They ride on the backs of the chronically ill like leeches, slowing sucking the life blood and energy out of the human population.
Three- Government programs making large general recommendations are heavily influenced by biased companies like Coke, Nabisco, Kellogg’s, etc., slanting the “recommendations” towards the products their company produces. The USDA Food Pyramid comes to mind. It takes decades for these bloated agencies to get the message out and turn the ship, and decades more when the “recommendations” miss the mark- think low fat diets. Meanwhile hundreds of millions of people are suffering.
But why is this happening? Why are we getting sicker and sicker as a species? Because government programs aren’t effective? Because pharmaceutical companies choose profits over people? Because too many of our leaders don’t know, don’t care, or are getting their pockets lined? Yes and no to all of these. Yes, all of these statements are true. Our society is slanting towards immorality, and people in high positions with massive moral conflicts are becoming the norm. But no, that’s not the reason why we are getting sicker. You can’t look out into the world and blame it for your individual health. You can’t say “I’m not healthy, and it’s YOUR fault”. Well you can, it just won’t do you any good. Health is a personal responsibility.
The only way your health will ever change is through your efforts. Nobody can exercise, and chew and swallow your food for you. Ever. That is you and your responsibility. How could it be any other way? You have to choose to get your health in line. You have to choose to take care of your body. And you can. How can you do that? By doing a little bit every day and building on that. With small consistent efforts you, we can build a body that avoids chronic disease, is resilient to infection, and is a joy to be in. And we can move $3 trillion away from “treating” chronic disease, and towards a better future.
We have the power to stop all the above nonsense today, by taking responsibility for our own bodies. Me and mine. You and yours. Look at it like this- your body will either serve you and your needs, or someone else’s. Most likely, their bank account.
For a healthier future through personal responsibility,
Dennis Fenrich
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