What do you call doing the same thing over and over again but hoping for a different result?
That’s right, it’s called INSANITY!
Stop The Insanity
Our medical system is INSANE! Our current system is always looking for the next medication to “treat” a problem. A pill for every ill if you will! Yes, I’ve been reading a little too much Dr. Seuss lately J!
In fact, worldwide the United States spends the most amount of money on health care services but unfortunately we are still among one of the “sickest” industrialized countries. Essentially we spend a ton of money but aren’t getting any better results.
Could you imagine going to work, spending lots of money and not getting the desired outcome? You would be fired! Yet our current system continues to operate in such a dysfunctional manner because it’s all about the all mighty dollar.
A recent example of our INSANE approach to different health conditions is found in a recent article that I was reading about migraine headache treatments.
The article I was reading was based on a recent study that was published online Jan. 21 in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.
This new study concluded that women who suffer migraines, the frequency of these debilitating headaches seems to increase as they approach menopause.
This is excellent information to know. Now the next logical question is why?
The study went on to determine that changes in female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone that occur during the perimenopause are one of the causes that might trigger increased headaches.
Now we are getting somewhere. There is an increase in migraine headaches as menopause approaches that is most likely the result of changes to female hormones.
So the next logical questions would be why are the hormones changing, what is causing these changes and what can be done to bring them back into balance?
Sounds logical to me.
The solution they came to was that “Physicians can prescribe hormonal therapies that level out these changes that occur during the perimenopause and menopause time periods. If the patient is in early perimenopause, you can give birth control pills that level things out. If they are in the late perimenopause and they start skipping periods, they can be put on estrogen patches.”
Their solution is pills and patches. This unfortunately is the status quo treatment in the medical world. They give a pill for the ill or patches in this case,to address the symptom and ignore the underlying cause of the problem.
Alert: migraine headaches are not the result of an absence of pills and patches in the system. Also exogenous estrogen has been linked to ENDOMETRIAL CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS, BREAST CANCER and PROBABLE DEMENTIA.
So hopefully these medications help with your migraines but by the way keep taking this medication and you may get cancer, heart problems or dementia. But not worries we’ll deal with them if they show up and we have some pills to “help” with those too.
INSANITY!!
The migraine headache is a warning signal that something has gone wrong. That something that went wrong in this study was determined to be changes in hormones.
What caused this change and what can be done to improve it? They don’t care. Instead they will pump more hormones into the system which will only lead to bigger future problems.
This study also went on to determine that the migraines may be the result of medication overuse.
Wait….so now you’re telling us that if you take medications to help the migraines that they can lead to more migraines. Shocking!
Makes sense right?
My point is that there is certainly a time and place for medications (generally for acute situations) but way to quickly people turn to medications as the savior.
You do not have migraines because of a medication deficiency. Instead something has gone wrong that needs to be properly addressed.
Masking the problem with medications will only lead to more problems as time goes on and can no longer adapt.
The solution to many chronic diseases often lies in our nervous system or with basic physiology.
For example, I find that the causes of most migraine headaches are generally the result of problems with anyone or combination of 3 main areas.
- Structural integrity: the individual has a problem with a joint in their neck that causes nerve root irritation which leads to migraine headaches. Could also be a loss of the normal neck curve, tightness of the muscles, or postural imbalances to name a few. A medication is not going to fix these problems. Chiropractic care can.
- Metabolic imbalances: imbalances with blood sugar, thyroid hormone, sex hormones, food sensitivities etc. could be causing the problem. Many times these underlying problems can be corrected by altering one’s lifestyle especially as it pertains to the way that they eat. Again taking a medication may provide a temporary patch but now you have to deal with side effects and overtime the underlying problem will only get worse and lead to more problems in addition to the migraines.
- Stress: stress over a prolonged period of time can lead to both structural and metabolic problems which can then cause migraine headaches. When people are often stressed they will feel increased tension in their neck/shoulders or jaw which can contribute to a migraine headache. Stress can also cause an imbalance in cortisol (“the” stress hormone) which can then go on to cause blood sugar problems, thyroid problems and a whole host of problems which can trigger migraines. Treating the migraine pain with medications does nothing to take care of the problem. It’s just a temporary patch.
I have had excellent results with folks suffering with migraine headaches by using chiropractic care and nutritional counseling. Notice that I didn’t use medications. Instead I addressed the underlying problem.
This flawed thinking of taking a pill to fix the problem isn’t just a migraine issue. Unfortunately this is the way “modern” medicine approaches most every chronic disease. You name the condition and there is probably a pill for it. Blood sugar problems, pain, reflux, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, sleeping difficulty, high blood pressure and the list continues.
If your check engine light came on in your car would you put tape over it and say I fixed the problem? Probably not. If you did overtime your car would break down and lead to a bigger problem to take care of compared to you taking care of it properly earlier.
Don’t Ignore Warning Signals
If you wouldn’t do that with your car then why would you do it with your health?
Medications are masking symptoms and not addressing the underlying cause of the problem just like tape is covering up the warning light. Do you see my point?
Those symptoms I just shared are all warning signs that something has gone wrong and your body is naturally trying to fix the problem. A pill is not the long term solution.
Fixing the cause of the problem is the solution. I know you probably don’t want to hear this but if you truly desire good health then listen in.
The cause of most of these chronic diseases is our lifestyle. They are often the result of what we eat or don’t eat, the way we move or don’t move, our quality of sleep, and our stress levels to name a few.
We bring these diseases and unwanted symptoms upon ourselves through self-abuse.
Sure it’s a lot easier to eat junk and not exercise then it is to eat healthy and exercise. But the outcome of self-abuse is a poor quality of life. Who wants that?
We eat too much processed foods and not enough whole foods. We are too sedentary. We neglect getting a good night’s sleep. We don’t cope with stress appropriately.
Many of us truly wish for good health but aren’t willing to make the necessary changes to achieve it. Sure making the appropriate lifestyle changes is a little more work then popping a pill and eating junk food but the outcome is a heck of a lot better.
Just a little bit of effort to eat healthy and exercise goes a long way with improving your health.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: ultimately it is your health and it is therefore your responsibility.
What is it that you want out of your health and life?
It’s never too late to make the necessary changes to start working on turning your health around. You may or may not get back to 100% health but either way you’ll be in a much better place.
I hope you found this to be helpful insight and please contact me if you would like to get to the underlying cause of your problems and to start addressing them in a way that will lead to a better quality of life.
That’s what I do and I would love the opportunity to assist you like I have helped so many others. Seeing people totally change the quality of their lives through chiropractic and lifestyle modification is the oxygen that keeps me going!
As always, I hope this information has served you and will take you one step closer to your desired health goals.
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Until we chat again remember: Eat Well, Move Often and Stay Healthy!