Health Care - What If We Play the Games Differently?

Twenty-plus years ago I worked for an attorney who said that whatever didn't require his law degree to do, could-and should-be done by someone else. He trained his staff as paralegals. I started my professional career learning to think strategically and ask different kinds of questions--about a lot of things. Today that includes health care, health insurance, and the increasing costs to both employers and consumers.

I'm a business and human resource professional, a consumer, educator, and wellness coach. I know that people behave and act based on motivators and rewards. In general, wherever the incentives are placed, and or monitoring is done, action will take place and the monitored results will be achieved. Parents know this; teachers know this. It's a basic principle of education.

The answers will not come out of one essay. The subject is complex and as individualized as its participants. And it's unrealistic to think one solution will fit all contingencies. My objective here is simply to tap the interests, experience, and expertise of the players, and get all of us thinking outside the "rules" a bit. Like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, we all have important pieces of information and experience to contribute.

In childhood, we learned the value of playing outside the rules once in awhile to achieve the objectives we wanted. I did. Our family version of Monopoly included IOU sheets. Mom invented them so she and all of my siblings could stay in the game and play as long as we wanted (allowing her to keep us occupied and together where she could see us)-her desired objective at the time.

Asking questions is key. Different questions get you different answers. Knowledge is interesting and empowering. Here are some questions I'd start with:

Health Care

What requires a doctor's medical degree? What doesn't? What medical, health, or wellness practitioner has the expertise needed and is the most practical (and cost-effective?) resource to address your condition?

What is the best utilization of RNs, for example, and other health and wellness practitioners? Now? In the future?

Key to Optimal Health

Optimal health means more than the absence of pain, sickness and disease. As important as it is to be physical healthy it is equally important to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy as well. Optimal health, therefore, in context of what is being written here, is a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. Let us take a look at each of these aspects, beginning with physical health.

Physical Health

So much has been written about the subject of physical health in the categories of health and wellness, diet and weight loss, fitness and bodybuilding etc. In this article I will primarily deal with physical health in its internal aspect which includes building a healthy immune system, detoxifying the body, healthy and quick elimination, and nourishing the cells with proper nutrition. Aging itself can be slowed down by keeping the internal aspect of our physical health up to par. Wouldn't you love to have a healthy, youthful, energetic, strong, lean body which is free of disease, sickness and pain well into adulthood beyond the age of 40? It all narrows down to what type of food we put into our bodies - either food filled with toxins and poisons, or healthy, living, vital food.

How Does Exercise Improve Mental Health

Exercise for Mental Health

• Exercise is not only good for the body, it is good for the mind. People suffering from depression and/or anxiety in particular seem to respond well to exercise. Research quoted by the North Lincolnshire Mental Health Service showed that 83 percent of mentally ill people found that exercise put them in a better mood. Exercise is not a cure for mental health problems, but rather a tool that can be used to help a person feel better.
  There are a few theories as to why exercise benefits mental health. The theories include: an increase in self-esteem, better physical health, distraction from life problems, increased serotonin and endorphin levels, and social interaction.
  

Self-Esteem

Exercise can lead to a person having a better body image. When a person feels good about the way they look, they often feel better about themselves as a person. A lack of self-esteem can cause depression. High self-esteem can lead to healthy and positive thinking.