I was driving to the post office the other day and noticed a new business going in. Another pharmacy! How many pharmacies do we need? It seems like there are now more pharmacies than gas stations or even churches. What does this mean?
Well, one thing it means is there must be a lot of prescriptions being written or a bunch of over the counter medications being sold. The fact this type of business is growing makes me concerned over the health of not only the country but the world. Why do we need so many medications? Are the real problems being adressesed? Can a trend like this mean the economy is going to improve? I doubt it. How can a society be creative and productive when they are taking more medications than ever?
It is now time to look at the reason why. In my experience as a physician, I have discovered that modern medicine does a great job at helping in an acute, do or die, situation. We have been less successful at solving chronic problems. A medication has never cured type II diabetes. A CPAP mask has never cured sleep apnea. A blood pressure medication does not cure hypertension. A narcotic does not cure the cause of the pain.
We are not living the way we were designed at creation. With this causes stressors, from not getting enough rest or water, to carrying extra weight and having strained relations. I define stress as anything that we do that goes against our original design. When I think about my life, I see many stressors. This is the first step, realizing what might be causing our chronic problems.
These chronic stressors come with chemical changes, epinephrine, cortisol, cytokines, leukotrienes, and a host of other reactions. This is great if needed to fight, or better yet, to run away from a bear, but hour after hour, day after day, week in and week out, year after year, these chronically high level of stress chemicals damage our bodies and can change our genetics. Have you ever heard of the word epigenetics?
Sooner or later these chemicals cause a symptom- insomnia, palpitations, headaches, heart attacks, anxiety, and the list goes on. The symptoms indicate a physical abnormality and guess what, a prescription will soon be written or a self medication bought and the need for another pharmacy might be needed. Has the problem been solved? Of course not.
The solution is to move toward our original design. Develop a relationship with the Great Physician, the one who will help you find truth and give you the power to make seemingly impossible changes. This can start with a prayer, a walk in the woods, a trip to church, or opening the Bible. Asking for help is a great place to start.
This type of healthcare plan cannot be legislated. It must begin one person at a time, giving a plan that has hope and healing, a plan that does not judge but loves, a plan that meets an individual where they are and taking them to where they are designed to be.
A new health care plan complete with long term insurance for the future is available. It is great for chronic problems and can be used as a way to prevent as well as treat chronic disease. This is the new health plan I would like to introduce. I think this makes perfect sense.
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