The Healthcare Debate: My 2 Cents

Before I even start, let me preface this by saying that I'm in no way an expert on this issue. But, I do have over a decade of experience in healthcare and third parties claims. I've been asked a lot lately where I stand on the issue of healthcare reform and the Obamacare legislation- sometimes because of my experience and others for idle chit-chat. I thought I'd organize my thoughts and what resulted was this blog. Personally I think this is a move in the right direction- not necessarily the perfect solution, but you won't hear me complaining. Let me explain...

I have a friend who has diabetes. Not type 2 diabetes which is the result of poor lifestyle and too much sugar. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile Onset) when she was a teenager. Her pancreas one day just decided to stop producing insulin (I'll spare you the patho-physiological explanation of auto-immune disease.) As a result, she’s had to use insulin injections multiple times a day along with a pump and check her blood sugar levels using a glucose monitor throughout the day. 

No amount of fruits, veggies, supplements with chromium or cinnamon or any other lifestyle changes will make her pancreas start to produce insulin. No matter how “clean” her diet is, she needs insulin injections and constant monitoring to catch any possible complications early. She’s only 33, and with proper care, she’ll have a long life ahead to deal with this. (Fun fact, Halle Berry has Type 1 Diabetes)

She holds a professional degree and has been gainfully employed since she graduated college. However, in this unsettling economy, is now faced with a very real possibility of being laid off. 

So what happens if she loses her job, and her health benefits? I’ve never asked, but suspect the endocrinologist she sees regularly is quite expensive. She has an insulin pump that needs monitoring and a constant supply of insulin. And those test strips she uses to test her blood sugar cost $100-$150 a month alone. And what if she develops a complication from her disease?

My colleagues argue that Obamacare isn’t solving America’s health crisis and that they disagree with paying more taxes into a corrupt system. And although I see their point, and don’t completely disagree, I want to remind them, we must walk before we run. Even if our system was perfect, embraced holistic medicine and preventative care, we’d still be in need of allopathic medicine. There will always be a need for emergent care, surgical care and congenital conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say, if it wasn't for the research conducted from allopathic medicine, we wouldn't know as much as we do about alternative care.

Besides, just because we have our own beliefs about holistic medicine and its impact, we cannot shun and isolate those who are still in need or or prefer traditional care. 

Our current system is no doubt corrupt- but it’s not like the government mucky-mucks were sitting around DC last week and saying, “Hey guys, so do we pass Obamacare, or do we stop supporting the BigPharma agenda/Corporate insurance and start pushing more holistic preventative care?”  That was never the debate, so look at the big picture. 

If this means someone gets diagnosed with high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome or thyroid disease sooner because they can afford doctor visits and bloodwork, then I call that a win. It gives us our chance, as holistic providers, to step in and educate them and their primary care providers on their options sooner. People who wouldn't have gone for a check-up otherwise, can catch disease progression before they’re so sick they can’t work and become disabled (and are now a real burden on the system, or so I hear.)

The system is broken, no doubt. But fixing it isn’t going to be easy and it’s certainly not going to be free. So to those complaining about taxes- our taxes currently fund Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. When folks that don’t have any coverage can’t afford to pay their bills, the effect is reflected on the (even more) inflated cost of drugs, hospital visits and procedures. Just like prices in retail stores are inflated to account for shoplifting. That’s simply how our capitalist system works. To be involved in the solution, we have to change our attitude.

For those fear mongers and those they are trying to scare, I offer this quote:

“Fear is the belief that something bad will happen, while faith is a belief that something good will happen.” ~ Anodea Judith.

I’m going to have to choose faith over fear. Not in the government, but in the shift in people’s ultimate attitudes towards their health, educating themselves and respecting their bodies.

Are Carbs Evil? Part 3: The "Good" Guys

"Good” Carbs:

OK, we’ve spent so much time talking about the bad guys that it looks like Carbs might be evil after all. But no, there are good guys! These are the Carbs that, when eaten, will not cause dangerous insulin spikes. They contain fiber so they will fill you up without making you feel like you need to take a nap. They also have all their natural vitamin and mineral content- including iron and some essential amino acids. And as if that’s not enough, they’re packed with protein!

• Whole Grains- Some of the most popular are brown rice, whole barely, quinoa, “Old Fashioned” Oatmeal (Steal Cut is even better!), bulgur and buckwheat. These grains are unrefined and because they still have their “shell” they keep all their fiber and essential nutrition. No pesky insulin spike and sugar crash and you’re not going be reaching for a snack in a couple hours because you’re not satisfied.

• Real, fresh baked bread- if it’s made with whole grains and lacking all the preservatives can be a great alternative. I’m not talking about processed whole wheat either, that’s still processed. I’m talking about the kind where you can see all the grains in there (because they didn’t mill it down to powder). The difference here, slower absorption and digestion, more filling, more nutrition and no preservatives.

• Veggies, fruits, beans, legumes and yams- Yup of course these are Carbs, complex Carbs. What’s the difference here? Fiber! When’s the last time you heard someone say they gained weight eating too much broccoli? That’s because it’s virtually impossible to overeat when there’s this much fiber involved. So you’re full, keeping your blood sugar stable and adding vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and with the exception of fruit and most veggies, more protein!

• Natural alternatives, like honey, agave, stevia and cane sugar. In an effort to decrease our sugar consumption and as a reaction to consumer demand for healthier products, a lot soft drinks, juices, teas and foods are now switching over. I can go on for days about the pros and cons of each one of these alternatives, but I won’t bore you with that (for now). I will say this, if given a choice between sugar, artificial sugar and one of these, go with the natural alternative. Cane sugar, agave and honey are still a form of sugar so you’re still consuming calories. Stevia is calorie free, but as with all these alternatives, the body will respond with insulin, but at a much more efficient rate. No spike, no crash.

So everyone knows sugar is bad, so why is it so hard to quit the white stuff? Next up, sugar addiction.