A Path for Better Health
A Path for Better Health
January 1, 2024
Joy Stepinski, MSN, RN-BC
For many years, I worked as a bedside nurse on a fast-paced medical-surgical nursing unit. I felt very devoted to my patients, especially the senior adults. One of the most challenging aspects of bedside nursing was witnessing the amount of suffering from complex and chronic illnesses. Sometimes the road of illness was a long and bumpy one, yet at other times conditions happened quickly. Some patients acquired an extensive medical history, took an abundance of medications, and/or lost the ability to engage in basic hygiene. Occasionally, the patient’s body showed significant signs of decline with stiffened extremities, swallowing difficulties, memory problems, or the inability to communicate. These issues dramatically contributed to quality of life. As I quickly walked down the halls to my patients’ rooms, I constantly wondered a series of questions. At what point did someone become so sick? Was disease a random affliction? Is health so uncontrollable? Why aren't people aging well?
The answers to these questions take a little bit of consideration. According to the Commonwealth Fund [1], the United States trails high-income countries in health, compared with Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, France, Switzerland, and Canada. Their report revealed that the country scored worst overall in health outcomes despite the highest amount of spending of its gross domestic product. Furthermore, the United States has among the highest infant mortality, maternal mortality, preventable mortality, and avoidable mortality. Delve through past scorecards and one can easily see that the United States has ranked worst since 2004! In other words, the poor health of Americans has not changed in 20 years! Despite cutting edge healthcare facilities, advanced treatments, and an abundance of options given to patients, the state of health is simply not improving.
Yet is disease so random and uncontrollable, like I first questioned? American culture is bombarded with catchy advertisements, appealing food products, and claims for ailment cures. Many food habits and other life choices are steeped in the deep traditions of families across the generations without a second thought. Furthermore, views and beliefs about aging and health create a mindset of relating illness and pills with getting older. Even when interviewed in a small qualitative study, participants associated aging with declining and deteriorating health [2]. Yet among certain regions of the world, people commonly live long lives without significant health problems, like in the Blue Zones. In these areas, chronic disease occurrence is less, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer [3]. Aging and deteriorating health do not have to go hand-in-hand.
Disease is like a warning sign. Symptoms may start small and are manageable for a while. However, one issue may lead to another, which potentially could result in even greater problems. Perhaps the patient is diagnosed with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar. Pretty soon, the record of medical problems grows and the list of medications increases right along with it. Although medications can be beneficial, there is often a risk of side effects, adverse reactions, and potential harm.
The human body is like anything that requires tender loving care. When a garden is planted, the plants need nutrients from the soil, light energy from the sun, and sufficient water to grow, bloom, and fruit. When bread is baked, the loaf needs the right amount of flour, yeast, liquid, and heat in order to rise. The body likewise requires just the right nutrients, hydration, exercise, sunlight, and sleep to function well. When challenges are experienced, like stress, insufficient water, not enough movement, and intake of items not meant to be consumed, then disease manifests in the form of obesity, depression, cancer, heart disease, etc. To become healthier, being healthier is fundamental! The journey towards better health starts with us and the daily choices we make. Interested in reclaiming your health? Please sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website.
References:
1. Schneider, E. C., Shah, A., Doty, M. M., Tikkanen, R., Fields, K., & Williams, R. D. (2021). Mirror, mirror 2021: Reflecting poorly. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/aug/mirror-mirror-2021-reflecting-poorly
2. Lindland, E., Kendall-Taylor, N., Haydon, A., & Fond, M. (2016). Gauging aging: Expert and public understandings of aging in America. Communication and the Public, 1(2), 211-229. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057047315625340
3. Dan, L. (2022). The Blue Zones: Lifestyle habits of the world’s longest-living populations. Fullscript. https://fullscript.com/blog/blue-zones