Killing Ourselves

Are we killing ourselves...one day at a time?

A 2004 study by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found attributable behavior lead to more than half the deaths in 2000. Things like smoking, inactivity and bad eating habits and drinking were the top three bad living choices. These top three not only kill but cost the U.S. health care system millions of dollars each year in prolonged and ongoing health care.

With a National Health Care program on the horizon we should address our role in the health care picture. After all it is our health not an insurance company's or the federal Governments. As tax paying citizens being asked to shoulder a National Health care plan we should accept a little more responsibility to our care or self care.

Health Care

Health care is just that...How we care for our health day in and day out, year to year. Lets not confuse Health care and Health Insurance. Being healthy should be connected to our emotions. It should feel good to be healthy and feel good staying healthy. All to often social health studies find that the majority of people live short term or live in the now with little thought for the future when it comes to healthy daily choices.

Health Insurance

Health Insurance is to cover medical bills for unfortunate health crisis, accidents and "life's bumps and bruises." Health insurance offers some healthy benefits such as early detection, health screens, and track health trends. For instance, if you can reflect back on blood sugar readings from the past 7 years and see a rising trend towards pre-diabetes then you could do more to prevent early diabetes. Health insurance though does not automatically make you healthy. A health insurance plan should fit your current health needs. If you require more medications your plan should offer coverage for those pharmaceuticals but also raises the question..."Why is my health picture declining and what can I do to become healthier"

Baby Steps

It takes small changes over time to achieve amazing results. Start with the top three. Stop smoking, control alcohol consumption, and become more active. More importantly try to become emotional about your health decisions. Find services or groups for support and take action. One option becoming more popular is Health Coaching services where you're health coach evaluates your health picture, from health risks to life style choices then formulates a plan and provides resources and accountability to guide you.

The Chiro-Life program at: www.trainerforce.net/chiro-life offers a comprehensive program with health coaching services and resources. With all the health products available and current medical care, the U.S. system still costs the most but ranks in the middle of industrialized nations. We may be living longer but our quality of life in the latter years is in decline. Lets stop killing ourselves and make more conscious healthy decisions and Live Healthy - Be Healthy.

Curtis J Haake D.C.
Health Coach