Have you ever been in a situation where someone leaves you speechless? And not speechless in a good way, either. While at a recent holiday gathering, a friend was talking about her recent health scare. However, the way she said it, one could tell it wasn’t a scare at all. It was almost as if it was her “norm”, therefore she was okay with it. You see, she was admitting that she had a problem, but was acting as if she didn’t because nothing changed. She continued to live her life as she had been, medications and all.
Prescription medications offer us a chance to cover up what is wrong with us, rather than correct it. From type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and pain. This approach gives us a false sense of reality and the impression that life is full of quick fixes. It also sends the false message that we can continue to treat our body poorly and get away with it. We cannot help that we feel this way because modern media has inundated us with this incorrect message. It’s almost as if big business never wants us to think for ourselves.
The scary truth is that a vast majority of our society thinks this way. In 2015, the north american pharmaceutical industry represented almost 50% of the global market, which totals $1072 billion! What would happen to this industry if people treated their bodies differently? If they fed themselves whole foods, exercised regularly, drank alcohol in moderation, didn’t smoke, got sufficient sleep, and watched their weight. Would we behave differently if we didn’t have a safety net in medications?
In this new year, perhaps one of your resolutions should be one that seeks the truth, while also one that stops you from settling for less than. Rip off those band-aids you are using to cover up the real problem, be it your excess weight, chronic pain, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. Empower yourself to live your best life without the crutches. If you are on any medications, ask yourself why? Do you have control over whether or not you are on them? Or can you change your life in such a way that you no longer need them?
Stop settling and making assumptions about your health, but most of all love yourself enough to do something about it.
Camille J. Brown says
Great article with a message that all need to hear. Medications are most often symptom “Band Aids” . . . they do nothing by way of addressing and fixing the original problem. Certainly, taking them routinely should not be our “norm.” Thanks for posting.