HEALTH: THE FIRST OF ALL LIBERTIES

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“Health is the first of all liberties, and happiness gives us the energy which is the basis of health.” —Henri-Frédéric Amiel

A CALL TO ACTION 

Fast Company magazine recently reported that Walgreens, one of the world’s largest pharmacy chains, filled nearly 800 million US prescriptions in 2024—an increase of 32 million over the 764 million prescriptions the chain filled in 2017 and the equivalent of roughly 2.3 prescriptions per US resident. Since other pharmacy businesses, grocery stores, and retail shops also filled prescriptions, the total number filled in 2024 is probably closer to 1 billion.

Although this number of filled prescriptions is alarming to me, our medical industry has made medication use so universal that its widespread adoption seems normal. Like a convincing illusion, this conundrum requires us to step back and contemplate the picture long enough to see its craziness. But the situation is also a good example of the medical system’s ineffectiveness in helping people achieve healthiness and its associated freedoms. Unfortunately, the medical industry is very effective in creating dependencies and a monopoly that prevents easy access to viable alternatives.

Like other pressing cultural challenges, we’ll need individuals to engage and take more control. Our Independence Day holiday reminds us that gaining freedom begins with a clear vision of the state we desire to achieve. How might we apply the lessons of gaining independence as a country to our own quest for freedom to build more healthiness? I believe that replacing our illness-focused vision with one that focuses on healthiness is a good place to start.

A VISION THAT MOVES US FORWARD 

Unfortunately, our current concepts of health tend to skew toward the negative—a likely result of illness-focused messaging and illness-focused “health” services. However, a new vision based on our inherent capacity to create vigor, strength, and resilience instead of illness can help us connect with unfamiliar though powerful ideas and galvanize action.

Embracing this new way of understanding provides the clarity and direction needed for success.

HEALTHINESS REVEALED

Healthiness can be thought of as a harmonious state of being that enables high levels of mind and body performance. Its qualities include: an ability to generate energy; a capacity to function well in life; resistance to illness; and little need for medical services.

Healthiness enables us to pursue what matters most to us in life and attain greater levels of fulfillment.

The colorful image below summarizes this vision of healthiness and can be a portable reminder of our power to engage and take more control.

ESTABLISHING A NEW NORMAL

"The inner eye of vision can see what isn't there, can reach beyond present circumstances, and can see what, up to that point, has never been there." —Robert Fritz

Clearly we need to reach beyond our present circumstances and confront an approach to managing health that has an appearance of normalcy but in reality is unacceptable. Although this “normal” is entrenched, it’s also absurd. We can take inspiration from our Independence Day holiday and use its power to begin implementing an effective remedy and restoring freedom.

Building more healthiness is a remedy and a viable alternative. Providing the means to do so is a primary objective of Advanced Wellness Systems.

If you or your company want a robust and radical approach for solving modern, health related challenges, contact us and find out more.

Joyce M. Young, MD, MPH
Managing Director, Advanced Wellness Systems
Lead Expert for the High Health Network

 Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

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