I loooove reading, watching, and listening to anything health related. I also enjoy sharing this information with people. You’ve probably noticed a few of these elements woven into my books. I became a Certified Health Coach so that I could share my passion with others and try to part of the solution in our country’s current health crisis. To learn more about Health Coaching, visit my personal site for Health Coaching here.
There’s a lot of suffering out there and our health trajectory as Americans is truly frightening. Don’t we have the most advanced healthcare system in the world? And why are our health outcomes as a country lower than any other developed nation despite this and the fact that we pay over 3x more for this advanced care?
Through my research, I slowly and reluctantly came to the conclusion that conventional medicine may actually be a big part of the problem. Not because conventional doctors are evil but because there are too many private interests pulling the strings behind the curtain. Science has become polluted due to corporate-funded studies and our public health agencies have been captured by the Pharmaceutical Industry. The Pharmaceutical Industry lacks a moral compass. Yes, at some point in your life you probably thanked them for providing you with some relief in some way or maybe even saving your life. Their services are necessary. Yet, they’ve also been tried criminally many times in court (and lost) because they lied about safety data. There are new cases every year. Vioxx is perhaps one of the more popular examples. This is not an industry that should be dictating the standards of care. Not only do they have a questionable moral compass but they stand to profit from disease. Which, I would argue removes a lot of incentive to actually cure people of anything. More people on more drugs for as long as possible is the most profitable scenario for them.
I use conventional medicine as a last resort for myself and my family. Of course, it’s not that black and white. There are aspects of conventional medicine that are necessary for human survival. To paint a broad stroke, that mostly includes emergency intervention type of care. If you get hit by a bus, you go to the hospital. Even drugs have their place.
There’s something else I’d like to say. We’ve been marketed to heavily in order to brand conventional medicine in a certain light (healthcare is a business so this is only logical). We’ve also been programmed to believe that conventional medicine equals science and science has been heavily branded as well. The goal is to equate anything labeled as “science” with truth and evidence of that truth. Science should be respected but we should always be skeptical. Science is for sale. ‘Who stands to benefit?’ Should be a question we ask when weighing the risks and benefits of any medical decision.
I don’t get along with the pharma cheerleaders out there. Science has almost been converted into a religion for some. I’ve heard it referred to as the Cult of Scientism. These are the people that believe anything other than pharmaceuticals and conventional standards of protocol is pure “quackery”. These are the people that believe everything their conventional doctors and the media say. These are the people that comply strictly with guidelines set by authority. Something need only be labeled a product of “science” to receive unwavering commitment from some people. Of course, science touches every aspect our lives and has provided us with many conveniences and saved many lives. However, should we just bend over and take something because it was produced in a lab and the industry-funded studies say it’s safe and effective? Should we pop those pills without questioning the studies behind them because we use a microwave, drive a car, or buy packaged foods?
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the history of science involves most people being wrong most of the time. It’s an evolving process that often raises more questions than answers and it’s certainly not black and white. Remember when doctors prescribed cigarettes? How about when mercury and arsenic were considered medicine? Remember when DDT was sprayed on children to keep bugs off? There are absolutely things being done today that we’ll curse ourselves for a hundred years from now (if we live that long as a species). I think our health statistics speak for themselves on our current methods. When it comes to my body, I choose to take an empowered approach and keep a skeptical, commonsensical lens when sifting through the science on any one topic.
Conventional medicine has surprisingly few answers, abysmal “cure” rates for chronic disease, and is very slow to implement foundational science into clinical practice but it STILL has many devote followers. I really blame that on the branding that’s peddled by mainstream media. Is the media perpetuating weak science and aiding in the “branding” because a majority of their revenue comes from Pharma? I think it’s a fair question. Ever heard of Iatrogenesis? It means doctor induced illness or death and it’s the third leading cause of death in the United States using conservative estimates.
As mentioned, science is treated more like a religion today. Few put in the time and effort to understand the scientific process. Instead they have faith in experts (prophets) to tell them what to believe and how to behave. Sadly, many of these experts and science as a whole have been tainted by industry influence. This influence has fueled human suffering all because of two powerful words: profit motive.
Is it just bad luck that in the United States we have the worst health outcomes of any developed nation (by far!) and pay the highest in healthcare costs (by far!)? I don’t think so. This isn’t a “broken system”. It’s a fixed one.
If you follow mainstream medical advice, you’ll be subject to mainstream statistics. You don’t have to listen or explore these discussion points further but I will say, when you elevate your overall understanding of health, the human body, science, regulatory factors, and industry involvement, you’ll feel much more empowered and secure in yours and your family’s health and future.
Prevention is best but it’s also possible to cure some diseases you may already have. The earlier you address it, the better your chances. It’s my belief that “they” will never find a cure to cancer. There is no silver bullet and waiting for that without addressing your lifestyle will only greatly increase your odds. Do you think that a multi-billion dollar revenue source would be given up for a cure? Is it in Pharma’s best interest to acknowledge that the science of prevention exists? There are answers to cancer out there today in alternative health realms but none of them include swallowing a pill and being magically cured. Like all good things, health requires commitment and ownership.
If you’d like to learn more, check out my blog here.
Hailey Gosack 