My hope for the future of healthcare

Last week, I posted an article diving into the dark history of the American Medical Association and the progression of medicine in the United States. Thank you to everyone who read and shared that article! The response was amazing! This is such a huge (and heavy topic) and I am ecstatic that so many of you took the time to read the article. If you missed you, click here to catch up.

This week, I wanted to follow up that article with something more positive. I thought I would share with you my hope for the future of healthcare in the United States. It can be summed up quickly with this - holistic, individualized healthcare. Let me preface this by stating the obvious: I don’t have all the answers and I fully understand that to make these shifts many of the systems we have in this country would need not only a major overhaul but, in many cases, a complete rebuild from the ground up. 

The last several years, going through this “pandemic” has created a major shift in many of us. Regardless of how you feel about the pandemic, the political climate, or the major players in the pandemic game, this article is not a discussion on any of those topics. I’m more than happy to discuss my thoughts on those topics, but that’s outside the scope of this article. Hit me up if you want to chat about any of that. 

The shift that I’m talking about is a shift towards questioning the experts and creating a more simple way of caring for our own health and the health of our family members. The shift that takes us out of the state of blindly trusting the medical system and the government to have our best interest in mind and to help us. To put it simply, the health of patients is not the goal of Western medicine. 

If you remember from last week’s article, the American Medical Association and the pharmaceutical industries developed together and they became just that, industries. By definition, an industry is intended to make a profit. How do you make a profit? You get people to pay for your product or service. How do you ensure a continual profit? You turn those people into repeat customers. This helps to explain why Western medicine is not particularly interested in preventing disease. If they “cure” patients, there’s no need for additional drugs, procedures, or appointments. But if you can continue to treat the side effects of the disease or drugs, you can turn that one-time customer into a repeat customer by making him or her dependent on you. It may sound sinister, but it’s what is happening right before our eyes. And it needs to stop. We deserve better than that. This world deserves better than that.

You may not like to hear it, but we do know how to prevent and in many instances, reverse most cases of heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States and now worldwide. Why are we not doing it? There’s no money in preventing the disease, not when compared to the billions and billions of dollars the medical industry rakes in on fancy surgeries, procedures, and drugs. There’s no comparison. Remember, it’s called the medical industry for a reason. 

But now on to more positive thinking….

Imagine a world where you learn to eat healthy, fresh foods and you learn how they affect your body. You learn how to grow them yourself or source them from a local farmer or neighbor. You learn how to turn those foods into delicious, nutritious meals for your family. You and your family spend time outdoors in the sun every day of the year, even in the winter. You are physically active, not just from working out, but from gardening, tending to animals, playing with your kiddos, walking with friends, and playing sports or games outdoors.

Imagine in that world, you work with a professional to determine any predispositions to diseases you have in your DNA and then develop a plan for how to turn those disease genes off. You use herbs, botanicals, aromatherapy, stress management techniques, nature, food, and many more natural protocols as a way to help prevent those diseases.

Also, imagine in that world, that should you or your family become ill, you go to a practitioner who will run diagnostic testing, only if needed, but also evaluate your body for things like stuck energy, nutrient imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, inflammation levels, and more. That practitioner may not even be a medical doctor. She or he may be an herbalist, acupuncturist, chiropractor, nutritionist, or naturopath. But she or he consults with his or her peers as needed and helps you to create a care team based on your particular situation. Pharmaceuticals will be used as needed, not as the first line of defense. Surgery will no longer be the go-to in most situations but rather used when other forms of less invasive treatments have not fully healed the issue. Your care team would openly communicate with each other and with you. There would be no secrets and no pushing expensive and unnecessary procedures, drugs, or treatments on you. Your treatment plan would be thoroughly explained to you every step of the way and you would know how to directly contact every member of your team as needed. 

Additionally, your mental health would be monitored. Are you happy? Frustrated? Sad? Let’s figure it out together! Your emotions would be considered and you would not be forced or coerced into any treatments you did not feel were in your best interest. Your care would not be determined by what is or is not covered by insurance. There would be an open dialog between you, your family, and your care team about how to help you improve your quality of life every step of the way. 

Most importantly, through this process, you would learn to listen to your body. You would be empowered to be the CEO of you. You would learn signs of imbalances or energy disturbances in different parts of your body and you would learn your own anatomy so you can communicate with your care team most effectively. You would learn to love your body and the beautiful, exceptional piece of art she is. 

Sounds like a fairy tale doesn’t it? 

The reality is, that what I just described is the vision I have for our healthcare system. And yes, I’m serious. Before you laugh, let me point out that that description is a mix between traditional medicine practices and modern naturopathy. I described what life was like before the formation of the American Medical Association when each village had a “medicine man” or herbalist and illnesses were treated more naturally. Of course, in my vision, we would be taking advantage of modern technology such as gut microbiome mapping, surgery when needed, and indoor plumbing! Luxuries they didn’t have back then!

Honestly, working as a holistic practitioner, my practice is not that far from this vision. Many people are now realizing the importance of learning about their bodies - how it works, why things happen the way they do, and what it feels like when something is not quite right. It’s empowering! I believe once we are on the other side of this dark spot in our history, we will come out on the other side with a new appreciation for the human body and the natural world around us. Practitioners like me will be in high demand as more and more people lose trust in the Western medical model and search for more natural solutions. 

I am extremely confident that is the direction we are headed. 

Until then, we need to stand tall, stand up for what we believe in, and not be afraid to ask questions. Something that I say to many of my clients is this, “What you have been doing hasn’t been working, right? If you want a different result, you will need to make some changes.” And in the case of our medical system, we need to make some drastic changes!

When you are ready to look at healthcare and your body a bit differently, you know where to find me. Until then, please keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Know that we will get through this. And also know that our bodily autonomy should not be taken lightly. YOU make the decisions. YOU dictate the direction of your health. And YOU have options and choices to make.

You don’t have to go all-in and abandon the things you’re used to. But there’s a whole new world out there. Dip a toe in, and see what we’re all about. It’s a beautiful world out there. I, as well as my colleagues, want to help you enjoy it and live the life you were gifted. 

Peace, love & kale!

Lindsay