We argue about Healthcare, meanwhile, the Elephant laughs (pls read!)

Can we get serious about Healthcare for a moment?
Can we cut the Republican vs Democrat bull crap for one thread? (/pipe dream)

None of this "All Democrats want death panels to kill grandma!"
None of the "No Republicans care about minorities or poor people!"

Let's talk about whats really going on.

For starters, why do we need Health Insurance?
Basically, we need it because otherwise, if/when we get sick/hurt, we're hung up to dry in oceans of debt. Ever had to go to the emergency room, much less have a hospital stay? Then you know the reason insurance helps so much. The bills are exorbitant!

A large part of this is because of the high price of drugs and treatments. Not surprisingly, you being sick/hurt is a HUGE industry (read as $$$$) for a relatively small group of people. (Read as 'Big Pharma.")

Who are these people? (This list is most likely incomplete, but I believe the ones I name are, at worst, purposefully attempting to create/perpetuate sickness/illness/cancer/malnutrition, and, at best, are complacent with taking a pleasant kickback (read $$$$) for allowing it to happen.)

American Cancer Society (ACS)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Monsanto
Big Pharma
Center for Disease Control

These institutions are silencing Natural, cheaper treatments. The education our western Doctors receive is nearly 100% funded by these institutions, with an obvious bias towards their 'western' approach. They treat symptoms, not the root causes of dis-ease.
True health comes from a combination of:
A) Good mental health (optimistic views, minimal amounts of stress, a sense of overall happiness and well-being)
B) Good physical health (moderate exercise, activity and physical exertion.)
C) Good diet (This is ESPECIALLY key, in my opinion.)

Yet these institutions do not seem to take many of these aspects into consideration, definitely not to the extent they need be. Our Daily Recommended Values of vitamins and minerals are a joke. Even achieving their standard daily recommendations would still leave the average human being malnourished . Many diseases and illness's can be cured by changing diet alone. Yet, instead of addressing the 'patients' diet, prescription pills are prescribed. On a large scale, prescriptions do MORE harm to the overall functioning of the body than they do to benefit the system.
To a high degree, cancer patients who decline any Chemo/Radiation therapy will actually outlive the patients who DO choose to go forward with these modern treatments. Meanwhile, there are many many natural 'cures' and treatments for all kinds of ailments available if you just look.

Most diseases and ailments could be completely PREVENTED if we just adhered to an overall healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, most people are completely unaware and uneducated as to what that actually means. And in the meantime, companies like Monsanto run amok with steroids and antibiotics and GMO's and other poisons, all with the permission of our Government (AKA the FDA.)

You don't have to look much further than the controversy surrounding rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) which is injected into cattle to produce more milk and more meat. rBGH is also directly linked to cancer. Directly linked.

People who try to come out with cures and natural remedies are quickly shut up and often times thrown into jail. Why? Because natural cures do not make very much $$$$. And there is an entire TRILLION dollar a year industry built up around you being sick.

Will Mitt Romney address any of these issues? No. Will/has Obama? No. They will both continue to let Monsanto do whatever they want to do, which usually includes having 'employees' of Monsanto who are also our politicians. (Hillary and Bill Clinton being only two examples with many many many more to boot.)

All of these pieces combined fit together to form the perfect storm to create a Healthcare 'crisis.' Millions and millions of unhealthy, malnourished people willing to pay un-Godly prices for 'treatments' that will ultimately make you more sick, weaken your own natural immune system, and require you to buy more treatments for 'new' symptoms. It's a horrible cycle.
Of course people 'deserve' access to health care. That's based on basic human compassion and the belief that 'all Men are created equal.' But just because you made the decision to live an unhealthy life and then rack up thousands and thousands of dollars on worthless treatments, doesn't mean that the rest of us need to foot the bill.
My solution starts with YOU.

Live a healthy life. Be aware of your thoughts and how they are affecting your emotions, thus affecting your chemical/hormonal balances, your stress levels, and your overall health.
Eat right. Eat organic. Limit (or completely extricate) preservatives and additives. Don't drink non-organic milk (actually...just don't drink milk, period.) Exercise Exercise Exercise! This can be as little as a 30 minute walk a day. You are an animal! You are not meant to live a sedentary life. Your lymph system relies on movement, and there are so many other important reasons too.
Try to avoid pharmaceuticals and opt out for vitamins, supplements, and natural remedies/cures. There are definitely still reasons to go to a doctor, but perhaps do your own research first and see what some cheaper, healthier options are.
Breathe. Relax. Make sure you get adequate rest and mental peace. Limit your alcohol intake, and seriously...just stop smoking cigarettes.

Where we spend our money speaks VOLUMES. So don't give to big pharma. Don't give to Monsanto and other food industries that care ZERO about your health when it comes to the Almighty Dollar. Shop with local, organic farmers. Get familiar with your local health store. Be PROACTIVE when it comes to your health.
Look in to 'Blood Type Diets.'
Boost your intake of fresh veggies and fruits.

You will be amazed at how much healthier and happier and more energized you feel.
You'll be grateful for how much easier your bowel movements become.
Your 'significant other' will be very pleased with the other areas your energy and stamina increase.
AND you will begin the decline of our dependence on a corrupt and unhealthy institution.

Don't get me wrong, I acknowledge there are still times when Western Medicine is extremely valuable, particularly in the trauma departments and situations where immediate attention is required. But, all in all, Western Medicine is a very heavy, unhealthy elephant sitting in the corner of the political pulpit with nobody talking about him.

So forget about pretending that the "Democrats" care more about your health than the "Republicans" or vice versa. The only person who truly matters when it comes to who cares about your health...IS YOU.

Loving our body does not mean accepting our unhealthy, destructive habits and telling ourselves "I love me regardless."
Loving our body means acknowledging your unhealthy and destructive habits and then promising yourself you will do whatever it takes to make it the most healthy, functioning system it can be.

You will never know your true power until you've reached the power of true health.

Good luck on your path, and excuse me for not citing any references. I trust that if you care about your health as much as I care about your health, you'll do the research yourself. Trust me, honoring and taking care of your physical vessel is one of the most important things you can do in this life.

Cheers!

I could not agree more with your post! S&F! Years ago, I decided that I would take control of my own healthcare. I rarely go to the Dr. and have diagnosed myself several times. I've used Western Medicine when I need it, and the others, I'm treating myself. We use herbs, enzymes, colloidal silver, etc. It's amazing what a good herbalist can do!

Alternative medicine is the way to go.

The health insurance companies are a rip off and we should do everything we can to take the control of our health care. When I do go into the Dr. I'm prepared with information and I have learned how to talk to my Dr. so he doesn't treat me like an imbecile.

Thank you. I hope a lot of other people read this too.

I almost didn't read it ! I thought it was just another argument about who should be paying the bills. Glad to see a discussion open up about why those costs are so high, and whose making all the profits on it all. The cost of health care has escalated due to the fact that it's big business creating a bigger market for the public misery it profits from. And, while I'm all in favor of charity, the big "non-profits" have a perverse interest in keeping the misery level high too. The FDA approves poisons, and then more poisons to ease the side effects of the other poisons. It's insane.

Heath care, like public safety and education, is an emotional issue. Many people feel deeply without thinking critically, and believe that questioning the high cost and the profiteers would be insensitive to those who suffer. The result is that much corruption, waste and needlessly high costs are tolerated, and the only solutions offered simply feed the source of the problem even more.

For the sake of our health, and the health of our society, we need to get past that.

For the sake of our own health and the health of this country, we do need to get past that attitude.

reply to post by eleven44


Nicely written.

As long as there is Health Care for Profit, Americans will lead lives with Ailments and Injuries.

As long as there are Lobbyist for Pharma and Healthcare, Americans will suffer.

Discuss any other Option, and be labeled a Socialist by the MSM.

S+F for your post. I get tired of all of the left vs right rhetoric, when I know most of the time is distraction for the guys picking our back pockets.

Personally though... I dont ever see the US health care system being overhauled without some massive struggle. Not to be a downer, but theres to much money in it for TPTB to just let it go away.

Americans pay far more than any other OECD nation for health care, yet they have among the lowest life expectancy of these nations.

Americans also spend more tax dollars on health care than other industrialized nations, despite the fact that most of the citizens use private health insurance rather than public.

The U.S. did rank well for survival and screening rates for both cervical cancer and colon cancer.

Americans have fewer doctors and hospital beds, make fewer doctor visits, go to the hospital less often and stay for shorter lengths of time than about three-quarters of the other OECD countries.

Pharmaceuticals cost significantly more in the U.S. than their counterparts in other OECD nations.

www.hcqualitynews.com...

You shouldnt blame Democrats or Republicans, you should blame both. Americans should be asking why America is so very useless at providing services for its people. Why is it so hard for America when America has the worlds largest economy? Why do citizens of the worlds superpower pay more for healthcare than other OECD nations? Why does America have fewer doctors?

Why do Americans have to choose between corporatist healthcare and more corporatist healthcare.

It is clear that the United States Government thinks Americans are a bunch of idiots that think America is the only place in the world. Americans only have to look at how much better healthcare is in other OECD nations to see that it is not impossible at all. Its not so hard. Its only hard because both sides of the American political duopoly are raging corporatists. The politicians of America treat Americans like complete morons. I cant understand how you put up with it.

reply to post by eleven44


YES.

I woud only add the need to call out "Big Pharma" by name. Please go into your medicine cabinet or if you are truly "off the grid" your local pharmacy. Notice how many times you see the name "Novartis." There's your enemy.

i think you have made some very great remarks, but all that stuff doesn't even matter,, you know the health care bill/program will be crap, how can one figure this out, easy,,,,,, no one in government will be on this program,,,,,, when someone tells you something good for you but then doesn't follow own advice, don't follow that person, ever!


the only reason why big pharma researches cures, is to get this,,, make sure someone else cant get the cure first and actually USE IT !! haha wow

reply to post by freemarketsocialist


The simple answer to your questions is: life and death decisions, or matters of "personal comfort", are motivated by money in the US. Illness and lifestyle ailments are big business in the US. Cancer will never be "cured" because it's a huge cash cow. Your personal well being comes with a price tag. And don't you forget it.

reply to post by ~widowmaker~


This is the main point. Big Pharma is not interested in cures!

Statin drugs are the biggest scam going. Do your own research. Big Pharma came up with their own "numbers" of what "high cholesterol" is. and then they try to say "everyone should take Crestor, no matter what your cholesterol is".

If you eat only cheetos and McDonald's, you deserve to die, and have a large Coke with it.

Why does an MRI cost $10,000.00?

They have a machine, someone has to read the results?

Why do americans think they need a drug? to make them happy? The second biggest scam in america. If you take ritalin in the morning, you can "focus". I guess coffee isn't enough.

If you take ritalin, you get a diagnosis with it. You can even get a "disability" payment of $800.00 a month. That's my mortgage payment.

"I have adult onset ADD. I'm disabled."

I'm also a psychiatric nurse and have been for the last 28 years.

Why does "healthcare" cost so much?

Good rant, S&F.
I always wondered why medical care is so horribly expensive. How we got here.
And why, while the medicine and research are always developing and advancing, we are more and more sick, with every generation. We are not healthier, in spite of annual billions spent on medicine, drugs research and genetic research, and everything else. We are more and more medicated. Just open your drug cabinet, and see. Just look around to see how many persons you know without some kind of chronic ailment, or disorder of some kind, that needs permanent medication, regardless of their age.
This is not "health" care, is not meant to cure us of something. It's only meant to keep us in the loop for as long as possible. It's "profits" care at it's best, on our expenses.

Originally posted by osirys
Personally though... I dont ever see the US health care system being overhauled without some massive struggle. Not to be a downer, but theres to much money in it for TPTB to just let it go away.

But you don't have to overhaul it! You just have to live your own healthy, positive way and other people will see that and ask what the secret is. "why dont you ever get sick?" "why are you alwasy so happy?" "How do you keep in shape?". Some people wont care, or will be cynical. But even if each person who lives this way reches one or two people, over time that adds up and creates change. When there is less money in health care - thats when it will be reformed.


s&f for this post. In this society this isnt' an "easy" way to live, but it truly is the best. Though I'm still not sold on the blood type diet

reply to post by natters


Exactly! "Change' doesn't always (or rarely) happens over night. It's a steady process. Even if we did 'overhaul' the healthcare system tomorrow...I guarantee you people wouldn't have the slightest clue as to what to do to take care of themselves.

About the Blood Type Diet: do whatever suits you. Listen to your body.

For me, I ate meat for the first 23 years of my life. I grew up going hunting, eating Medium-Rare steaks, burgers, chicken fried steak, you name it! I loved meat and thought I could never be a vegetarian. (I also had horrible IBS through most of High School....but figured it was 'normal.')

Then, a little over a year ago, I started having a few 'signs' pop up in my life that pointed me in the direction of going Vegetarian (or at least trying it out.) This was before I heard of Blood Type Diets. So I tried moving to an all veggie/fruit diet for a few weeks. I noticed easier bowel movements (slightly TMI, but it's the truth) and overall just felt healthier. When I was done with my trial and went back to eating meat my stomach immediately rejected it! So I stuck with it and kept learning. It wasn't till a few weeks/months later that I learned about Blood Type Diets and the fact that I am A-. 'A' Blood types...go figure...are best as vegetarian. This is because we have a lower amount of stomach acid content, and it is therefore harder for our bodies to process/digest the meat. It actually creates more stress and harm to our system than any benefit we may get.

I don't adhere to a super strict 100% blood type diet, but I definitely try to incorporate as much of it as I can. The more I do, the better I feel.

But, with anything in life, only do what resonates with you. Listen to your body. And it never hurts to try it out.

Cheers!

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I could not agree more with your post! S&F! Years ago, I decided that I would take control of my own healthcare. I rarely go to the Dr. and have diagnosed myself several times. I've used Western Medicine when I need it, and the others, I'm treating myself. We use herbs, enzymes, colloidal silver, etc. It's amazing what a good herbalist can do!

Alternative medicine is the way to go.

The health insurance companies are a rip off and we should do everything we can to take the control of our health care. When I do go into the Dr. I'm prepared with information and I have learned how to talk to my Dr. so he doesn't treat me like an imbecile.

Same here, I also cured my lyme disease with salt, it was not pleasant but it did work!

It's pretty hard to believe that cancer of all things would be on a list of illnesses secretly perpetuated for the sake of money. I can see common colds-- in fact, Zicam was virtually overthrown because the nasal spray form worked too well, with "reduced sense of smell" being given as a reason for recalling it thanks to people not having the common sense to not snort the goo straight up into their nasal cavities.

Speaking of conditions that one could easily treat without medicine... such as depression and anxiety, for instance. The self-help tips are good for general health: get enough sleep and abstain from caffeine and junk food. I sleep well enough, and my eating habits are good, aside from a liking of chocolate during certain times of the month... as for coffee, I don't care what the benefits are, my daily gourmet coffee is one creature comfort I'm not giving up.

Now, a lot of happy people take care of themselves worse than that, including not exercising, so why do people like me have to be the ones saddled with something that raises the mood baseline requirements to having to live like a health freak? Maybe there's a mystery cause that no one's telling us about, untreatable except by a cure that just doesn't exist yet.

Why would such wonderful self treatments be out in the open if they supposedly work so well? Wouldn't they be stamped out due to the fact that passing up the cookie isle in the grocery store doesn't make money for the medicine industry?

reply to post by eleven44


I gotta tell you, you're right on the money. We eat crap and that's why we feel crappy. What we have done to the food supply is just outrageous. Eat better be healthier. I'm thinking, however, it just might be a little late for most of us in this country. Sure your doctor can tell you to eat better stuff. But he's not going to tell you how to do it. That's up to you and that involves breaking some ingrained habits.

I say, we as a collective people, should never have let those bugger flipping bastards get control of our food supply. Just to make a buck.

However you do have a real point. Medicine should take on a more stern tone. Your doctor shouldn't be as friendly. Instead, he should tell it to you straight. give you the real dope. The problem is, people would just look for another doctor. I know people, that should the doctor tell them they should stop drinking alcohol, they just wouldn't go back.

Well you should feel good about being right. But what are we gong to do with all these sick people? I say give them comfort, forget the hope. Hope cost way to much.

the whole premise of our current government is to keep us divided by red and blue based on polarizing topics such as abortion gay marriage, and the boogie men who are terrorists. People are too dumb to get over this and so the media and our government focus on that.

Even if we get over that the candidates we have to chooose from are not chosen by us but chosen by others because the fit the criteria of the status quo.

You are dreaming if you think this will change without a major overhaul that might require a full blown revolution.

reply to post by eleven44


Thank YOU so much For that Post.. I Agree With you 100% I watched two Members of my Family ..A Husband and Wife mind you Find out They Both Had Cancer..They went ahead with the Chemo ..NEITHER..Made it Past 3 Months after Diagnosis..BEFORE Diagnosis they had NO Symptoms of the Dis-Ease! I am working on Changing my Diet now and REALLY Needed this Today! Thank you..Namaste'..''''

Originally posted by eleven44

All of these pieces combined fit together to form the perfect storm to create a Healthcare 'crisis.' Millions and millions of unhealthy, malnourished people willing to pay un-Godly prices for 'treatments' that will ultimately make you more sick, weaken your own natural immune system, and require you to buy more treatments for 'new' symptoms. It's a horrible cycle.
Of course people 'deserve' access to health care. That's based on basic human compassion and the belief that 'all Men are created equal.' But just because you made the decision to live an unhealthy life and then rack up thousands and thousands of dollars on worthless treatments, doesn't mean that the rest of us need to foot the bill.
My solution starts with YOU.

Live a healthy life. Be aware of your thoughts and how they are affecting your emotions, thus affecting your chemical/hormonal balances, your stress levels, and your overall health.
Eat right. Eat organic. Limit (or completely extricate) preservatives and additives. Don't drink non-organic milk (actually...just don't drink milk, period.) Exercise Exercise Exercise!

Yep. The #1 most effective thing the government could do in relation to "healthcare reform" is to OUTLAW DEDUCTIBLES!! In the '50's it was discovered that making patients pay 100% of X amount of the FIRST costs as opposed to say an even 10% of ALL costs resulted in people making RADICALLY fewer Dr. appointments and go only going in "when they were really, really, sick".

Sounds great on the surface...but in the real world the result is that minor health issues which aren't making people "really, really, sick" go undetected until the blossom into things like heart attacks, strokes, and stage 4 cancer.

Think about it...detecting something like skin cancer early results in the Doc freezing the cancerous region w/ a little liquid nitrogen in his office..a couple hundred bucks TOPS. Late detection involves chemo, radiation, prolonged hospital stays, and possibly skin grafts.

Guess where skin cancer gets detected early? IN THE ANNUAL OR BI-ANNUAL PHYSICALS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T SCHEDULING BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO FOOT THE ENTIRE BILL THEMSELVES!!!

C'mon people...it's the same reason why BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes provide free oil changes to their lease customers. They know that even very, very, wealthy people are FAR MORE LIKELY to change their oil on schedule and by an authorized dealer if it's free than if they have to pay even $20 and they want these cars in excellent condition when they are turned in at the end of the lease. Incidentally, it's the same reason your dental insurance offers free cleanings and check ups.

Thus...if we want a healthy society...the ONLY rational approach is to provide "free oil changes". Everybody freaks out at the how "expensive" socialized medicine is. Well no sh^t...you're calculating in hundreds of billions of dollars of completely avoidable medical expenses that could easily have been prevented through early detection.

So...why don't we eradicate insurance deductibles for the uninsured and provide completely socialized and free BASIC medical care? Why is socialized medicine an "all or nothing" proposition? I think it's pretty unrealistic to think that society can afford any and all treatments for zero cost to the patients. Those new robotic hands are frickin' EXPENSIVE. However...I also think it's a crime that people in this country can't get a $10 bottle of penicillin when they pneumonia....especially when we have no problems spending a trillion dollars on a fighter jet that doesn't even work and makes the pilots pass out for some weird reason and we spend another trillion dollars fighting wars that any 6th grade social studies student could have told you are completely unwinnable in the first place.

Seems like it makes sense to me.

love love love your thread. my wife and i have been eating mostly organic and all natural for a little under a year now. i've been excercising for just under a year now and i put down the bottle a little over 8 months ago, which was a big deal, and just quit smoking about a week ago. it makes ALL the difference in the world with your health. i think the combination of doing it all together is key.

it's a lifestyle change, but it's a good one. don't be afraid of it! you are depriving yourself of not taking the step!