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[ Comments Off ]Posted on December 24, 2008 by admin in Health & Wellness
Wednesday, December 24th, 2008And why I’m going to write about it
There’s a little irony in the idea that I’m starting a health column. I rarely go to the doctor, I rarely get sick, and I don’t trust modern medicine. On top of that, I used to drink heavily, and still smoke. So what’s my interest in doing a health column? Well, it’s manifold. First of all, I became more angry than usual about modern medical practices last year when the University of Michigan Health System decided my 82-year-old mother needed a colonoscopy, then botched it. My energetic, witty, and still-active mom suddenly was burdened with a colostomy bag, and a number of new health issues that were a direct result of the bunged procedure. Why the hell give an 82-year-old woman with no family history of cancer a colonoscopy in the first place? Even if a person that age DID have some early form of cancer (which was in no way indicated via symptoms), the treatment would surely kill them before the cancer would. Although it was fairly clear there might be grounds for a malpractice suit, my mother was adamantly against it for several reasons, one of which was that she felt she might not live as long as the litigation process would take. So that’s one set of motivations; the fact that ageism is so rampant, and that so many unnecessary procedures are pursued primarily because the insurance money is there to do it. Another motivation for me is that in the last couple of years I had some minor health problems of my own relating to an over-aggressive immune system, and I eliminated pretty much all of the symtoms (joint and back pains, fatigue, weight fluctuation, depression) through some simple diet changes suggested by a doctor who specializes in treating immune disorders with natural remedies and diet management. So this column will focus on alternative health, questionable medical practices, and general wellness. Hopefully I can share some things that will enhance others’ wellness.