My son David will be 42 in a few days. This fact reminds me of my age, 69, although I do not feel older. I have friends alive and deceased older that I have friends alive and deceased younger than I am. If one stays healthy one feels and acts younger. However, the health care of Americans, although the most expensive in the world, is on the decline. Studies show that the average longevity of life in the US is on the decline for the first time in our history. Combine this with the increased rate of obesity in the USA, the high infant mortality rate of children five or younger, the growing number of persons without health insurance and the multiplication of illnesses in the USA, it is clear that our health care system is severely broken. Politicians argue over recent health care reforms but the truth is the health of American citizens is on the decline. The decline of health in America hits the poor and near poor the hardest. Thinking of my low income friends most of them have illnesses and do not have the means to treat them.

There is a new book out by Dr. David Agus called the The End of Illness that challenges the bases of our health care system in the USA. In the book Dr. Agus argues for the adoption of a systemic view—a way of honoring our bodies as complex, whole systems. This outlook informs how we can avoid all illnesses and he shows us exactly how to do that so that we can individually create a plan for wellness. For example, he talks about how the length of fingers or whether you wear high heels or not can be important clues of your risk of serious illnesses.

The USA health care industry makes profits on persons being ill. I doubt if there will be serious consideration of how to end illness in this health care environment.

During the last presidential campaign Senator Obama was asked by young woman in a town hall meeting if he thought profits should be made from illnesses. He went around and around avoiding the answer but finally gave a weak no, great profits should not be made off of sick persons. However, when it came to writing a new health care bill, he, now the president, let the health care industry write the bill insuring that it would be a capitalistic profit making system.

Some people,like the early Christian Church disliked usury, making money from money. However, the wealthy make the most money not from their work but from their money. Nowadays most people accept usury but making money, big profits, from ill people seems to be unacceptable. The basic right to life, good health, should not be something for the rich. There should be no making immense profits from illnesses.

Comments

(:commentboxchrono:)