Be honest with yourself

I recently started seeing a new GP because I thought it was time for a physical again (it had been a few years). We talked about my digestion problems and she surprised me by saying that nearly 80% of her patients have digestive issues. That surprised me. Really, that many people? If so many of us have issues, why? What could be the cause?

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this since she told me that. What are we doing, or not doing, to cause our collective digestive problems? What could be to blame? Are we all too stressed out? Likely. Are we taking too many medications that can cause issues? Probably. Are we not eating right? That’s probably the most likely. When I look at the lunches of the people I work with, I see that is the most probable cause. All the highly processed and “fake” food that they are eating cannot possibly help their digestion, only hinder it.

So they run to the doctor and get prescriptions for this and that to mask their symptoms. While I am certain that this particular doctor I’m seeing is more interested in solving the underlining problem than throwing drugs at her patients, most doctors will do just that: throw a Rx at them and hope they feel better, never addressing the cause.

But is that “health care”? Not really. It’s more “sick care”. Health care should really be about returning to health, not masking symptoms with pharmaceuticals. Health care really means looking at the cause of the dis-ease and attempting to bring the body back to its natural state: health. “Health care” should mean being honest about what needs to change in order to regain health.

So, if you’re not feeling well, what are you going to change to get back to health?

For me personally, I have to be honest about the fact that starchy carbohydrates cause me dis-ease. This is why I do best on a low carb diet. It also is what naturally brings me down to a healthier weight. When I eat too many carbs, I cause an inflammatory response which makes my joints hurt and drives my weight up. This is likely true for most of us, actually, but for me, my digestive system really feels it when I eat more than a little bit of foods that are starchy. I simply have to be honest about my condition. I have to accept that this is the way it is, and change my eating habits so that I can more easily lose weight and feel better. Sometimes I am not honest with myself and give in to the thinking that I can get away with eating what I want (like during the holidays!). But then my stomach reminds me that this is a load of crap. And I resolve, again, to get back on the wagon.  Like now.

It's nearly time to make our New Year’s resolutions. I’ve made mine. What are yours? How about making some health goals? How about being honest and finally tackling your health issues? Maybe it’s your heart, or maybe it’s your joints, your brain (depression, anxiety), your energy level, your sleep, that are suffering. Maybe it’s your digestion, too. (If so, apparently you’ve got a lot of company.) Let’s tackle it together! Stay tuned and together we’ll look for ways to improve it.

Wishing you the best of health in 2019.