I'm not a fan of insurance, but...

... it has it's place.

Being a heath care provider, I used to have this love-hate relationship with insurance. You know, it's one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't things. It seems you can't afford to be without insurance. But, you can't afford to buy it, either. Small business owners and those in life transitions seem disproportionately affected. So in many cases, folks just don't buy it.

Well, there's a time and place for everything. Health insurance is NOT about health. In fact, I think it often creates more health problems than it either prevents or corrects. Insurance really is designed to protect you from catastrophic and unforeseen events that could cause you irreparable financial harm if you're not prepared for it. In fact, most bankruptcies in America are caused by either a health problem or a legal problem.

Health insurance costs could be reduced dramatically if folks would simply understand that their health is THEIR responsibility. Lose weight, exercise, eat better, drink water, work on your spiritual life, do more with your family, find effective ways of reducing (or managing) the stress in your life and, of course, find a good wellness chiropractor.

Here's the point. A good friend of mine had a massive heart attack at his gym on July 4th. Fortunately, the General Manager of the LA Fitness where he worked out, knew CPR and how to use the emergency defibrillator. My friend is still alive, but in a coma in the local hospital. There's not yet a prognosis. Regardless of what the prognosis turns out to be, the medical costs are going to be astronomical. Because my friend was between jobs (and had been for some time) he was without insurance. If he recovers physically, he might never do so financially.

So, find a way to get even a ca strophic hospitalization policy to protect yourself and your family financially should something unexpected happen to you. While not a fan of insurance, I do understand that it protects you from extremes. You can keep the costs to a minimum if you just cover the extremes. But by all means, cover at least that.

Stay healthy. Say "I love you" to those you love. And NEVER take life for granted.

The Incredible Shrinking Chiropractor

Those of you that know me, know that I had gained a lot of weight over the last several years. It’s funny in an odd, sad kind of way that while I would be talking to the public about health and a wellness lifestyle, I was doing so while being significantly overweight. It’s obvious that the message that was REALLY getting out to the public was that while I might be a nice guy and that the message SOUNDED good, that I either didn’t believe what I was preaching or at least not living it fully.

Like most folks, one day I reached a point where I had to honestly face the man in the mirror and say “Enough!” We all reach that point at different times and with different circumstances. Sometimes, it might be weight or other health issues, financial matters or even personal or spiritual issues. But, we all have (or will have) those moments.

So one day, I chose one of those infomercials (Michael Thurmond's Six Week Body Makeover) that I KNEW to be more rational and scientific than the others and went to work. I’m glad to tell you that, so far, I’ve lost 55 pounds! Now, I’ve still got a a good bit more to lose, but it’s coming off almost effortlessly. Maybe the difference this time is that my resolve is not as much to lose the weight but to LIVE how I want to be living in my 80s and 90s, active and healthy.

One of the things that I’m enjoying is working out again. There’s something special about the FEELING of muscle under your skin. Maybe it’s a guy thing. But, it gives you a sense of power. And, that feeling of power affects the way you approach every other aspect of your life. The other thing I really enjoy about this program is that it’s neither starvation, faddish nor unrealistic. It’s a reasonable food plan that encourages you to simply eat what you like that is GOOD for you and avoid what is NOT. Oh yeah, the program also encourages you to do a simple routine of resistance exercise that you can do at home or at work. It’s the increased muscle that burns those calories 24 hours every day, even while you sleep.

If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll stop in and check out “The Incredible Shrinking Chiropractor” in action. And, keep me in mind for those folks you know who are interested starting down the path toward wellness without drugs or surgery.