Healthcare

Health anyone?

How about drugs? How about we talk about drugs? Have you heard about “the war on drugs”? Come on guys—when you want to win a war, you don’t want the one in charge to be a “private”! You want a “general” in charge—someone who has some experience…not some “suit” who fancies himself an expert and doesn’t know the first thing about the subject. You want someone who has “been there, done that”. 

Now then having said that, I’ve got some experience; I didn’t just “experiment with it a little when I was in college”; I actually did some a couple weeks ago, as a matter of fact. I happen to like the stuff—pot to be specific.  (Click on title to read more.)

I actually can tell you many cool things about pot. I can tell you that it can increase one’s focus on any number of tasks with which one is involved such as cleaning the yard, attention to detail, cooking a meal, having a conversation, listening to a lecture, thinking on a subject, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

I don’t have an “addictive personality” and going to a “narcotics anonymous” meeting wouldn’t be for me because I am not addicted to drugs; I just happen to like getting high every once in a while.

Therefore, I have two options: 1) snob those of you attending those anonymous meetings; or 2) wait a few years to find myself wishing that I had been more aware of the seriousness of what could land me in a humiliating predicament, like begging a drug dealer for a hit or, further yet, witnessing one of my nieces or nephews in such a bind.

Speaking of “drug dealers”, if you happen to be one, well let me tell you—“I love you!” But, I hate what happens to those customers of yours who happen to be victims of a real problem almost impossible to control. If you happen to be in prison, I understand why they locked you up; but do I think that’s the solution to the drug problem? Nope, not at all! Finding the big time drug dealers and locking you up aint gonna solve nothin’!

However, since I’ve got your attention, let me plead with you, because you—the “generals”—are the greatest hope to winning this war. Certainly, to nark is not the solution! The solution is this…you have the opportunity to share your light of wisdom with your fellow human being, addicted to worse and worse drugs out there, as the finest way to avenge yourself with some highly noble redemption. You, my dear friend, are the biggest hope to leading us sensibly on “the war on drugs”!

General! I am your soldier, like a private, sir! I will immediately make a commitment that I will never again touch the stuff! It is easy now but, should I continue, it might not be so easy later on! Thank you in advance for caring about those of us who might not think it’s such a serious game! If we expect to see the strides, a change of heart is the only way this battle must begin and with kindness must be fought, along with some humble honesty from those courageous enough to step up to the plate—like George Valdes! WOW! I promise to pray for the victory to which you can lead us. May God bless you!

To the rest out there—whose experience might be more associated with the colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, corporal, specialist, or the private—the game of drugs is a conniving game; it starts with something that can justifiably be considered not to be all that big a deal. Some of us might even physiologically be strong enough to do it all our lives without serious ramification. But, we’ve got to be strong enough to help those who are not as strong by giving them some real support by not doing them ourselves. This is the only way they can hope to look up to our strength, because this will prove to them that we really care! It just might take a bit more strength for you and me to show some restraint, because we really could “get away with it”! We can’t help them quite as much as those like them can, but we can help them in this way. And, they are the only ones who can help our family and friends who are addicted. Therefore, we can collectively contribute only what we can!

A change of heart? A human being must want to improve the life within; a human being must want to quit the habit that will deteriorate one’s life and those of others, whether one’s habit is for the drug itself or for the income it supplies. When our fellow human being hurts for the substance of addiction, it hurts all humanity—we are a family! You know what I mean? Like your buddy in the foxhole—yeah, that’s your brother, your sister! Each of us has a buddy who is addicted!

Winning at anything, there’s gotta be some unity; and if we want to win this war, we’ve gotta have some courage in our “unit”! What do you have that you care to contribute?

Doing what we ought to do is the only way to work toward freedom! Doing merely what we want to do is one sure way to shackle ourselves within the boundaries of mere license. The current licentious drug problem that plagues us is anything but freedom! This point is spelled-out so profoundly by the teamwork in the movie, TRAFFIC, starring one fine cast of brilliant actors! Bravo!

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, you are the heroes here! I look-up to you! And, sometimes I actually wish some of my many problems had such an efficient solution as the twelve-step program. Those of you who work the steps are the ones in this world that I look-up to the most with so much respect, admiration, and gratitude! Thank you for your serenity, courage, and wisdom! When you sit at your daily meeting, please remember that “the war on drugs” is a daily accomplishment and, by doing your part, you are helping even those of us who don’t have that problem since you are helping our family and friends for whom we can do nothing but count-on you!

That chip is like a blue ribbon that is most certainly handed to you anonymously by your higher power—God! My dad just received his fifteenth birthday chip; and although I did a better job than my sister in keeping the tears from falling, I was just as honored to join the celebration, along with three of my dad’s grandchildren and my mom…so, for the last fifteen years, I’d like to thank every one of you in Alcoholics Anonymous!

What’s the subject? Ah yes—healthcare.

Have you ever been drunk—not just tipsy or a little buzzed—RealLy drunk? Me too.  No, I’m not right now but I have been. It’s a terrible experience.  You don’t know what yoursaying.  You’re completely oblivious as to what yourdoing until you pass out, only to wake up to a severe headache; but then you step out of your bed and onto a puddle that must have been from your stomach because it alone can explain the powerful breath from your mouth. You take off your soggy socks and go into the bathroom to rinse your mouth. You reach for the mouthwash, and the mere recognition of its alcohol content causes you to throw up. When you finally finish, your nose is filled with gross stuff so you blow your nose, and your head starts throbbing with enough pain to cause you to regret having blown your nose.

The intention had been to go-out and “have a good time”. Obviously, the result of temporarily losing your mind was self-induced; after all, it was a “conscious” choice with an obvious lack of lucidity.

Well, there is in fact a great lesson derived from every stupid mistake. You get a sense of what it feels like to be out of your mind, from which you have the wherewithal for comparison between extremes...

Have you ever done something that was amazing…not just good or excellent but extraordinarily awesome? Once you were finished, you couldn’t quite believe that you did it. You were not being egotistical or arrogant; you simply acknowledged that wow, you had no idea that you could actually do something so, well, um, brilliant!

Eventually, others notice the product, but they don’t know who produced it. They are simply awestruck by the work as they begin to study it with critical appreciation. They question certain aspects only to conclude that it’s not only brilliant but it also has an obvious sense of genius. Then you enter the room and go toward the product, and they laugh and whisper insults to one another as to your inability to understand such a product, only to be shocked that you did it. Thereafter, they begin to give your work a closer look and treat you with a bit more dignity.

Suddenly, you begin to recognize something quite profound:  neither you nor your dignity has changed! Rather, your dignity simply hadn’t been adequately represented, as had your insecurity with a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Peer-pressure does have its positive moments.)

People might think they can, but they can’t take away your dignity. They can only respect or disrespect it; and your dignity can only be represented or misrepresented by you, whereupon others can find difficulty or ease to acknowledge the respect your dignity in fact warrants.

I introduce this chapter with extreme ends of lucidity only to highlight that one’s dignity can best be represented in thought, word, and action by one who is healthy. If you find this logical, you will agree that not only does wise or whacky thinking feed your conscious capacity, but such is also the case with food, drink, and medicine that are either awakening or numbing to one’s lucidity.

Having acknowledged this simple commonsense, one might question or confirm whether one’s intake—into the digestive or nervous system—is a cure or a “fix”.

Drugs are illegal unless you get them at the pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription. There’s a pharmacy on nearly every street-corner in America. Great achievements in the field of medicine are impressive. Medicine is amazing and a noble means for healing, but when it’s overused or abused, it defeats its purpose and becomes a poor substitute for health! Obviously therefore, fitness is rarely addressed within the “issue” of healthcare. This is precisely the point upon which interested human beings find the balance between the problem and the solution!

I have read approximately thirty books on fitness; twenty-eight of which are good moneymaking products and two of which make healthy sense. One of these two books is too complicated for some doctors looking for fitness tips to easily read; it’s more like a dissertation than a fitness guide. The author uses words such as fructose and lactose rather than the word sugar; vastus lateralis rather than outer thigh; gracilis and adductor magnus rather than inner thigh. However, the other one of these two is an extraordinary book, brilliantly written but simple enough to be understood by a strong seventh grader. Bill Phillips wrote a book called Body For Life, which is extremely simple, to the point, and effective toward optimal fitness.

I know from experience that his plan works. As a matter of fact, back in my high school years in the track team, I ran the two-mile in 11:21 and the one-mile in 4:52. Because of his book, I’m certain I could break my records today. However, I’d rather play tennis than prove my point. Thanks to Bill Phillips who has written such an effective book, I’m in the best shape of my life “...for life”.

I have recommended this book to many people; one to whom is a fifty-eight-year-old former NFL athlete who had been fifty pounds overweight with diabetes. Body For Life dissolved the extra fat and reversed the diabetes. My dad also improved his health by at least using the nutrition part of the book. I also gave it to a former colleague who went on to place second in the Olympics.

This author should be connected somehow with our nation’s Department of Health and Human Services. We shouldn’t merely be interested in his political affiliation, nor whether he can spell potato. Instead, we should tune-in to the level of brilliance and inspiration he can convey so simply to human beings—sincerely interested in healthcare. We should be less interested in whether he can put together an eloquent speech and more interested in his obvious ability to inspire our country with real health (as he has inspired me with mine).

Although many a health enthusiast has purchased his priceless book, his goal was obviously not about how much money he would gain. I know lots of fans that have benefited immensely by optimal fitness due to Body For Life. Therefore, I understand a shortsighted quest for money would certainly not have improved the zeal, enthusiasm, and energy that such brilliance in fitness so accurately conveyed. Bill Phillips so obviously has tremendous connection with those of us who can relate with the struggles of fitness, most of whom he hasn’t even met. That kind of communication derives from the core—the cardiopulmonary organ that keeps on ticking in rhythm that makes sense, as it pumps on-beat to those who have an ear for the simple but brilliant road to health with a Body For Life!

I enjoyed studying all the courses within a healthcare curriculum. One of the courses highlighted a certain country’s nationalized healthcare system…many of whose citizens of affluence tend to their healthcare needs here in the United States, which obviously implies that “the grass is greener on the other side.”

There are countless nutrition experts and medical physicians unquestionably at the top of their field. If we’re truly determined to improve our healthcare in America, we can surely make any system worthy of our sick and elderly. We cannot expect our President to efficiently improve any system without our support and effort.

My favorite comedian (Chris Rock) is funny and brilliant on a broad range. He is “right on target” as to how Americans get hooked on legal drugs. Clearly, there is a commercial for every drug chemically and physiologically experimented and produced, upon which the concoction is tested and passed if marketable and profitable within the US. Might this be so because of another statement this insightful comedian makes by saying that “America worships money”?

We can certainly improve our healthcare; the question is do we want to? Rather than looking for the “quick fix”, how about we turn to the genius of those like Chris Carmichael and Bill Phillips for a sensible cure. Wow, imagine these two collaborating on healthcare!

Bill Phillips, if you happen to be reading this, thank you very much for writing the best book out there on fitness. Of all the books on this subject, at least that I have read, Body for Life is absolutely the best. It’s not merely about losing weight; it’s about becoming and remaining healthy. “Sculpting up” is only a bonus. I have recommended your book to countless eventual fans and they are in the best shape of their life. (By the way, where’s my cut?) What I appreciate most about your book is the fact that although brilliant you “keep it simple”! You don’t misguide with “low carbs” and “high protein”; you clearly rather understand “low” is not enough and “high” is too much.

Since you helped me out so much, I’d like to give you an idea in return…

A common problem is the time to prepare the meals (or the inclination). The convenience of a fast food restaurant is often tempting enough to make one deviate from your plan.

Therefore, if page eighty-three of your book were the menu of a fast food restaurant in every city with absolutely nothing else on the menu, America would find convenience in your superb and second-to-none fitness plan. Perhaps the portion sizes could be measured by small, medium, and large. Also, a “value meal” could include the vegetable that you recommend in two of the six meals.

This way, when one is limited with time and in a hurry during the lunch break, one can easily drive by the Body For Life fast food restaurant. Of the selections from each category, following is an example in such a restaurant chain.

Drive Buy aFfordable heaLthcare

Portion Sizes:  Small  Medium  Large

#1 Omelet (egg whites, tomato, onion, green peppers)

Value Meal includes Strawberries, Mellon, 16 oz. water

#2 Salmon Steak, Steamed Brown Rice
Value Meal includes Peas, 16 oz. water

#3 Grilled Chicken Breast, Baked Potato
Value Meal includes Asparagus, 16 oz. water

#4 Turkey Sandwich (100% whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato)
Value Meal includes 16 oz. water

#5 Top Sirloin Steak, Baked Potato
Value Meal includes Mushrooms, Onions, 16 oz. water

#6 Burger (Lean Beef, 100% whole wheat, Onion, Lettuce, Tomato)
Value Meal includes Apple, 16 oz. water

#7 Myoplex Shake

Keep the portions the same, the prices low and, like McDonalds, this franchise will be a success proven by the healthy smiles of the billions you will serve. On any given day-off or on business in a neighboring state, citizens everywhere will have much easier progress with fitness and in all we do!

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While I’m waiting for this manuscript to be accepted by a literary agent and a publisher, I’m not only editing mistakes and fine-tuning the fluency of it but also adding and deleting paragraphs or entire chapters. Well, following is an experience I’m currently going through right now (February 2009).

I went home for a much-needed vacation in 2006 and tried to distance myself from this manuscript as much as possible because I simply needed a break from it; I was “too close” to it to do it much good. It took a while—maybe a year—to finally remove myself completely from it. When I first arrived, I set out to put my grandmother’s house back into living conditions for the house had been abandoned for some twenty years.

Then after two years, I went to Phoenix to again have access to technological tools and other resources that just weren’t accessible at my very rural hometown. I had to put an end to my vacation and did so with an extreme leap-of-faith. With not even a dollar to my name, I asked my parents to drive me half way and had a friend pick me up and take me the rest of the way. I had no place to stay, but I simply couldn’t continue stalling on doing whatever had to be done to get this manuscript to a publisher.

Finally, another friend said he’d drive me to my brother’s house but I finally convinced him to let me stay on his couch instead. Well, that was in late October 2008. Since then, I haven’t had to worry about keeping myself warm or fed since my friend has been extremely hospitable. I occupied myself with absolutely nothing else but finalizing this manuscript. The only time I leave the place is on Sunday to drive to the church.

I have been sitting on the couch, reading, editing, writing, and eating the entire time since. I have gained more weight than I’ve ever thought possible. My friend brings such amazing dishes from fabulous restaurants and I just have taken a complete leave of nutritional habits of health. There’s no sense of comfort with such small gestures such as to simply cross my legs. Sitting on the floor is no longer the comfortable thing it used to be. My heart has strange feelings every once in a while and I just wonder if the rest of my body is slowly shutting down as well. I have become so fat that I have a hard time finding clothes to wear on Sunday and I really have to make myself go because I just will not miss going to the church on Sunday.

Night before last, I was on the phone with one of my best friends and, as usual, I joke with how fat I have become and we simply laugh-it-off for it’s only a temporary break from the usual vigorous lifestyle that each of us lives that of course includes fitness. We talked about the eating habits of Americans from an outside-looking-in perspective. I have always been above average where health is concerned and have always looked at people’s lack of motivation with confusion…not being able to fathom how some people seem to have such a lack of drive. Then it dawned on me…when I suddenly recognized that very feeling within myself.

For the very first time in my life, I understand what it feels like to eat whatever I want while doing absolutely no exercise. It’s a horrible feeling. Nonetheless, I am not thinking of going to the gym right now; I’m rather thinking of going to the fridge. I’ve developed a bad habit and it’s going to take some real willpower to fight this inertia to revive myself back to health.

Suddenly I understand the reason that so few people are pursuing dreams, and the problem in healthcare is at last so obvious to me. Of course, somebody has to help us to the pharmacy to get whatever medication will allow us to feel anything but this horrible unhealthy feeling that comes with a lifestyle that seems to be finally within my grasp.