REAL "Health Care", Cheap

Today's Shirt: West Virginia - 1 million people, only 15 last names

My doctor doesn't understand. He says emphysema is a progressive disease, and once it begins, there is no way to stop it. And he simply is confused that my own case of emphysema has not progressed at all in the last 6 years.

But I told him. He doesn't hear me. He keeps looking for some "other" way to explain it.

Some of you, I am sure, are likely facing some sort of health challenge. The rest of you would probably be interested in learning how to prevent your loved ones from facing any unnecessary health challenge - or at least reduce the chances for it. So, allow me to tell you what I told my (ex) doctor.

We need to stop looking for ways to fight illness, and look for ways to prevent them. We have become a society that seeks only the "quick and easy" solution to things. Solutions that usually involve medicinal drugs. It has become easy to ignore healthy life choices, and deal with the consequences with a prescription.

When I was first diagnosed with emphysema, and told it would be fatal, I decided to be the exception to the rule. And, while my condition has not gotten noticeably better in those 6 six years, neither has it gotten worse, as predicted. Here is what I did.

First, I decided to use "positive affirmations". A lot like prayer (which I also use), PA is a method of convincing your subconcious (via the power of belief) that you will be this or that. In my case, I used PA to strengthen a belief that the disease would not progress.

The second thing I did was to eliminate all chemicals, pesticides and hormones from my food, and eliminate as many as possible from my immediate environment. My meats are purchased from an all-natural farm right here in Maine - no chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or pesticides. All other food I consume is as natural and organic as possible. And NO "white" carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta etc.

Then I added fiber to my diet - I added about 10-15 grams a day. And fish oil capsules (since I do not like fish, but the oil is rich in Omega-3's, which are critical to good health). And I eat at least two eggs every day - the myth that eggs are bad for you is just that - a myth. Cholesterol that you consume does NOT become cholesterol in the body. And eggs have a lot of protein and Omega-3's. And then I added REAL fat to my diet - not the man-made poison, but real, healthy fats. Our bodies require fats for good health. And, contrary to belief, fats you consume do not become fat in the body. For the most part, it is carbohydrates that become fat. So, I won't touch margarine (a chemical that even flies will not touch), and replaced it with real butter. And the only oil I use for cooking or consumption is either olive oil or coconut oil.

I also subscribe to moderate exercise daily - sometimes I give myself a workout on the Bowflex, but mostly aerobic style exercise, such as walking, working in the gardens etc. You rarely see me sitting during a 7 hour car show.

There are other lesser steps I take, as well. But the crux of my "therapy" is based on one, simple premise: live the way we were intended to live. Man was created to spend most of his day foraging for food - NATURAL food. And mostly RAW food, and FRESH. The act of foraging is the "moderate exercise" on a daily basis.

But today, we do not have to spend the day on the hunt for food. And our food is no longer food - it is nothing more than chemically preseved man-made foodstuffs designed to feed too many people at the lowest cost and highest profit margin possible.

For those of you with health difficulties, or those who wish to avoid them, the only secret is to live as we were meant to. Moderate daily exercise. Good, natural, fresh foods. A healthy environment. A good, healthy attitude and strong belief structure. In short, "live like a cave man", in the ways that are conducive to maintaining health. And ditch the attitude that you can eat all the crap you want, and if a problem develops, just get a prescription or a tummy tuck.

If all Americans were to follow this simple method, "health care" in this country would not be a problem because we simply would not need it very often.