Do we want to be better or not? Maybe the answer is not…if it means any sort of lifestyle change. I don’t believe we can’t be better or do better. I don’t believe that we want to hurt or feel tired and miserable. I don’t believe we want to take fistfuls of drugs with frightful side effects or deadly risks. But I’m beginning to believe that a large portion of us are more than willing to endure those things as long as we don’t have to change anything.
I’d say that’s an indicator we’ve become complacent or maybe even spoiled and lazy, which is a natural tendency when abundance reigns. But given the talk of impending tariffs on drugs, we may need to locate our drive to be better because some treatment could soon be in short supply.
If you have a disease or condition that can improve with lifestyle changes, now is the time to get educated and motivated. Just consider what will happen with your ulcerative colitis if your meds are not available next week. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574654/ Can you keep your prediabetic blood sugar regulated without metformin or possibly reverse diabetes with diet? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7400171/ Would reducing inflammation by changing your diet mean less joint pain that you’re currently treating with ibuprofen? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597377/
Reducing the amount of medication you need to remain symptom free through lifestyle changes will be worth it if medication availability becomes limited. And diet isn’t the only factor. Physical activity can also be beneficial as can trauma treatment for those who have unresolved trauma and recurring gut issues.
We live in a time when information is at our fingertips. Yes, some websites are being dismantled and others feature less science than conjecture. But with some vetting, it is still possible to find reliable sources that can assist you in following a less, or non, medication plan devised with your doctor should it become necessary. Preparing now will put you in a position to control symptoms without a gap.
No matter how frustrating you may find the state of affairs we’re navigating, using your energy and effort to form and implement an action plan is more beneficial than using it to rant about the ridiculousness of it all. Of course, you can rant while you plan! I do it often.
Hoping for, and staying attached to, the status quo will get you nowhere fast as everything shifts in the healthcare system. It is shifting now and cuts to funding and staff mean it will shift more, and quickly. It is true more than ever that you must be your own best advocate.
Do you want to be better? If so, you may have to change some habits, feel uncomfortable, ask difficult questions, and push back against some family members. Sometimes taking care of yourself requires hard decisions.
We’d all love for life to be easy so we can do what we want, eat what we want, and put out little effort. Sometimes it’s that way for a moment. But the reality is that most of us must do hard things to get the most out of life. That’s how we get better…