The above statement is an oversimplification.
It is, however, nearer the truth than the prevalent attitude of considering "heroic intervention" the essence of good healthcare.
Not only does medical heroicism focus on "catching the horse after it's fled the barn," in the process we help the horse escape.
Here is what we know incontrovertibly. Eat a Mediterranean diet and walk two brisk miles a day and, by every statistical measure, you will live a healthier, longer life than couch potatoes who eat lots of sugar and fat.
A revered physician at Duke Medical Center confided: "Universal adoption of a Mediterranean diet would have greater health benefits that the cumulative healing power of all drugs in the pharmacopoeia except insulin and antibiotics."
***
Dear Fred,
The current sickcare system is completely contrary to self-reliance.
What we have is an open invitation to disease and dysfunction.
Benighted Americans -- kept in the dark by a "healthcare" system that peddles cures rather than prevention -- become seriously ill at ever earlier ages. http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/healthcare/a/usmedicated.htm
When their health does unravel, they immediately (and in most cases "forevermore") suck huge amounts of goods and services from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies, whose economic upshot is to break the nation's bank.
I have lots of physician friends and not one wishes to "perch on patients' shoulders."
Instead, their shared intent is to develop a central pillar of morality (at least as we understand morality in the Catholic tradition) and that is the pillar of "informed consent."
The current "system" conspires to keep people stupid.
Instead of cultivating awareness of healthy living -- simultaneously spotlighting the limitations and drawbacks of "after-the-fact" medical intervention -- the medical-industrial complex imparts the central belief that "Medical Heroes are standing by to rescue your ass."
It is hard to imagine a system more intrinsically pathogenic. (Not to mention more costly.)
"Nope, don't need no Nanny State here!" http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/12/nope-dont-need-no-nanny-state-here.html
Alan
U.S. Healthcare Focused on Healing Disease, Not Maintaining Health
This approach speaks to self reliance - live how you choose, feel free to make a mess of your life and ruin your health
and when you fall apart, just show up at the ER and we'll do what we can to patch you up and send out of the door again
So, instead, this good doctor says we should help people to stay healthy -- which I like at first blush, but then I discover that this involves the good doctor perched on my shoulder 24/7 reminding me to make healthy choices -- after a while I tell the good doctor to fuck off -- I'll drink my whiskey and die when I choose to.
So the disease is a reflection of individualism, and the health model is a reflect of community support --- I'll take a little of both, if I can.
--
Fred Owens
cell: 360-739-0214
My blog is Fred Owens
send mail to:
Fred Owens
35 West Main St Suite B #391
Ventura CA 93001