Independence Day

Here are some thoughts on this Independence Day 2009. This is the day we celebrate freedom in America, which is something that sometimes we take for granted. Think about it, we have freedom to make choices in what we wear, where we go, what type of work we do, how we travel, how/where we are educated, where we live, who we marry/date, and what we eat. Those are just a few of the choices that we have in the United States. The consequences of the choices we make can have positive or negative impacts on our health and wellness in every dimension: physical, mental, emotional, interpersonal, occupational, spiritual, and environmental. Our freedom to make choices in the types of food we eat and the type of recreation we engage in has created an epidemic of obesity and overweight adults and children. Those choices have created an enormous burden on the public health and health care industry because chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cancer have become much more prevalent and are associated with the unhealthy choices relating to food and lack of physical activity. Health care insurers deliberately choose to refuse insurance coverage to many individuals based on the existence of these diseases and the cost of care, which ultimately has an impact on their ability to make a profit. Health care providers charge high fees to those who can afford to pay and those who can't afford to pay go to public hospital emergency rooms when they get sick, knowing they will not be turned away. Drugs are being prescribed at a higher rate for diseases that are preventable and numerous individuals are going bankrupt due to high medical bills.

This year the United States made world history with the swearing in of President Barack Obama, an African-American. We now have a first lady and first family who are African-Americans in the White House. We have made the choice to change the way Americans are viewed by ourselves and other countries. However, there are more choices we need to continue to make. What is stopping us from making the choice to change to be healthier? What choices do we have to make to change the way healthcare is administered and paid for? What choices will it take to assure that EVERYONE has healthcare insurance and receives quality care? No one said that every choice would be easy or should be easy but true change involves everyone and may involve some sacrifice but what choices do we have? Americans continue to make changes that lead down destructive paths all in the name of freedom. I think it's time to rethink the choices we make in order to improve both our lives and the lives of others.

What do you think?