If I hear or read one more comment about the Affordable Care Act –a.k.a.“Obamacare”- I’m going to scream. With our relentless obsession over this political hot potato, we have now become a society that believes that to have some assurances of health, you must have health insurance. We are focusing on “sick” care versus “health” care. I wonder what would happen if just a quarter of the energy being used to fight over this issue was put into creating environments that promote health and well being?
The basics of a healthy diet, exercise and stress reduction,
which could significantly reduce the impact of many chronic conditions, most
often are categorized as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and not
part of the main stream. Yet, if we adopted this as a way to live our lives,
the need for health insurance and health care could be significantly reduced.
Whenever I interject these comments into discussions about
Obamacare, I’m always asked, “so how do you fix it?” The solution rests in
individuals and communities recognizing their importance and responsibility in
promoting and leading healthy lives.
The newly developing Blue Zones communities are being
tracked by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, measure of U.S. residents’ daily heath and well-being. Unless I missed it,
having life insurance isn’t on this index, though there are a lot of health
insurers interested in this research as initial results indicate this is a good
way to reduce costs.
Interestingly, when I talk about the Blue Zones to health professionals I encounter, I would say at least 8 out of 10 have never heard of it. Why is that? If I were to guess, it's because they are so focused on a particular condition or aspect of health care that they aren't looking at root issues and the bigger picture. Also, because many of the Power 9 (stress reduction, diet, movement, spirituality etc.) fall into the CAM camp, it's easily dismissed as not being "hard science."
Health reform is desperately needed. Where do we put our
time and effort? In health insurance? In creating communities where the healthy
choice is the easy one? Can we invest in more than one approach or a more balanced approach?
For all of you who are weary of the debate, below are resources to help you and your communities lead healthier lives:
• Healing the Whole Person: Ways to Increase Well-Being While designed for those affected by chronic and/or life-threatening
conditions, it’s relevant for all.
• The Power 9 from Blue Zones: The common factors found
in places around the world where people live the longest.
• Do What You Can, With What You Have, Where you are No matter how healthy we are, we all will develop something as our final outcome is predetermined. These are ways that individuals, community and hospitals can help when that happens.
• Are Zombie Doctors Taking Over America? Zubin
Damania’s talk at Ted Med. He is the Director of Healthcare Development for
Downtown Project Las Vegas. He is working on a health care model that does not
revolve around insurance.
