10011 Your personal health

Diet

Many functions and systems in your design support your personal health. One of the most critical systems is your diet. Your body needs healthy food in the right amounts. “Nothing to excess!” is the motto here.

Avoid food, water, and air pollution.

The unfortunate truth of modern life is that we swim in a stew of chemicals. There is a war of scientific evidence in progress about the impact of these chemicals on our bodies. I think the common sense approach is to avoid all of these chemicals as much as possible. No one can be 100% free of chemical pollution, but there is much that we can do to lower our risks:

Consult 02381 for information on which vegetables and grains should always be eaten organic and for other information on avoiding food pollution and food-borne illnesses.

Stock your house with two houseplants per 100 square feet to keep your indoor air clean. 09171 has other suggestions for avoiding the problems of air pollution.

Avoid plastic as much as possible. If you buy food in plastic packages, when you get home remove it from the plastic and repackage it in glass, metal, cloth, or paper. Never heat food in any kind of plastic in the microwave, even if the dish is labeled “Microwave Safe.”

09161 has information on avoiding and reducing your exposure to water pollution.

Physical Activity

A second critical system in support of your health is physical activity. Modern urban life is mostly sedentary. People abhor even the thought of manual labor and avoid it like the plague. That’s not good for our bodies. Everybody should get some aerobic activity in their life. If your daily activities don’t provide that naturally, you’ll need a program of exercise to meet this critical health need.

Companionship

The third critical systemic support for personal health is companionship. Our mental and emotional health is as much a part of our personal health plan as anything in our diet or medical care. Being part of a community of companionship, compassion, and care, with many beneficial connections of interdependence and mutual responsibility, is important for your personal health.

Health Issue Response

Prompt attention to health issues — whether it be a developing chronic condition, a disease, or an injury — is often critical to successful treatment outcomes. While some medical issues resolve themselves with time, many others don’t. Few of them will benefit from waiting for treatment.

Be an informed health customer.

You are in control of your health care.

Don’t take anything for granted with your health care. Ask questions of your medical provider about any treatment he or she proposes. Ask about alternatives and about the prices. If the doctor wants to prescribe test procedures, like CT Scans, don’t go with his or her first suggestion. First, shop around and ask for prices. If a particular provider won’t quote a price, go elsewhere. Read extensively on the internet about any medical condition you get. These are the kinds of things you’d do if you shopped around for a car or house repair. Why shouldn’t you do this for your health care? If your health care provider objects to these common sense activities, find another health care provider.

Beware of doctor-caused disease.

People die every day from diseases caused by medical treatments. Every day doctors, nurses, and other professionals in health care make mistakes that kill and maim people. This suggests a need for conservatism when contemplating medical care.

Stay out of hospitals as much as possible. If you are in the hospital, do not allow any health care professional or worker to touch you without washing their hands in hot soapy water. Use of an alcohol hand cleanser does not give the same protection as washing the hands in hot soapy water.

If a medical professional gives you medications to take right away, always ask what each pill is and what it is for. If you are uncertain about anything, refuse to take it and ask to speak with your physician about it or research it on the internet.

Be as wary of high pressure sales techniques in doctor and dental offices as you would if you spoke with a used car salesman. Such techniques signal danger. My advice is to find another medical professional and get a second opinion. This is a particular problem in the dental industry.

The bottom line take-away is that your personal health is critical for your good life. Pay attention to the details of your health care and take nothing for granted. Eat good, clean, and wholesome food. Avoid the chemical stews of modern life as much as is practical.