Who Owns Your Health?

Part 1

Unfortunately, for most people seeking personal transformation the answer to the question of “Who owns your health?” is usually met with a moment of pause, a narrowed gaze, reflection… then more pause.

Caught a little off guard, I’ll usually offer an answer that goes a little something like this:

“Not you.”

Now don’t get me wrong. It’s not like you’re freely giving away the keys to your most precious vehicle (your body) here.

Quite the contrary.

You’re willingly paying good, hard-earned money for someone else to dictate the state of your health.

A Visit Top Side

To be on the path of personal transformation is to first acknowledge the fact that your ship is sailing off course, and to then possess the desire to right it.

A reprieve from your cabin of complacency down below and subsequent visit topside may reveal that not only is the destination not on the horizon, but nothing is.

Standing out on the deck, peering over the bow in wonderment, you’re mind may race with confusion as it tries to find some purchase on clarity. Unfortunately, none is found and you soon work yourself up into a fit.

Hoot and holler.

Wish on a few stars.

All fine, well and dandy.

However, it’s only when you become aware that it’s not you that’s commanding the wheel that you’ll understand the destination will only be met by a consequence of sheer luck.

Unless, of course, you declare mutiny and take charge.

Hey, it’s your vessel anyway, right?

But to take command, you first need to find the captain’s mast. So, if you’re not playing the role of top navigator here, then who is?

Show Me The Money

It may be an overstatement at this point, but health care costs are on the rise. And while many like to focus on the fact that total expenditures are well over $2.2 trillion per year, close to $8 thousand per resident, (which accounts for 16.2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and is among the highest of all industrialized countries) these figures really come into play after the fact.

What we’re going to do is take a look at where your money may be going before the need to spend it on health care and just what kind of health it’s buying you.

Up first: a not so happy meal…