If your car breaks down, or has an issue that will lead to a costlier problem down the road if you ignore it, what do you do?
For most of us, it’s a no brainer. We fix the car.
Funny isn’t it, how we won’t think twice about putting money into the care and upkeep of a replaceable object, but then choke on the idea of investing in our own health. It’s almost like we value the object – the convenience it provides, the status symbol it may represent – more than we do ourselves.
This point recently came up for Dr. Paradis while discussing with a female patient and her husband the necessary steps in order to address her health issues.
Worth the investment
A few days later, the husband called Dr. Paradis because he had additional questions. The husband mentioned that, while his wife wanted the care, she wasn’t sure about investing the money in herself.
But the husband reminded his wife of an incident a couple of months back, when their car broke down and required $1,800 in repairs. At the time, getting it fixed was – you guessed it – a no brainer. She had no problem paying for that. In his opinion, investing in herself was much more important.
This gentleman GOT IT!
Too many people don’t. They fail to appreciate how lack of action, lack of appropriate intervention – whether it is Chiropractic for a spinal issue, or changes in diet, or regular exercise – will have long-term negative consequences. It can impact their health, their quality of life, and ultimately, their relationships with the people they care about.
The crutch that is public healthcare
We do have in this country a public health care system that we should value for its many benefits. On the other hand, it appears to have bred a common mindset that we don’t have to do anything, invest any personal funds, in our health. The system will take care of us, no matter how poorly we may take care of ourselves.
Isn’t it better to avoid an illness than to struggle with it? You do have only one body. Unlike a car, when it’s broken, if often can’t be fixed.
Living on borrowed time
Dr. Paradis recently witnessed this first hand with a 77-year-old gentleman with heart problems. After previously having had double bypass surgery, he had to undergo another emergency procedure. The family looked to his doctors to deliver a full resolution of symptoms. But the damage had been done – resolution just wasn’t possible. He could never have a full recovery, only “bought” time.
With what we know today about nutrition and fitness, with the avenues each of us has to stay healthy, to arrive at this sad point by 77 is way too young. Think about how much this family would like to go back in time, possibly change some habits that may have contributed to their father’s current situation, so they can have him around for another 20 years.