The Hope of Humanity: Shifting to Wellness, Part 2

The Behavior that's Killing America
This is where the rubber meets the road. There is actually a multi-billion dollar industry that preys on this behavior. In fact, it is bankrupting America. By the time you finish reading this, you should be ready to make a change.
Most of us do not like pain. It scares us. We run away from it. This running from pain towards relief is a powerful behavior. In fact, for most of us, it is our habit. It is the habit of being reactive.
What it means to be reactive is that whenever you come up to a painful feeling, you run back to comfort. Here is the problem...
When you experience a pain or symptom in your body, it is your body's way of telling you that you must do something different. Doing something different means changing a behavior or changing a habit. Changing a behavior or habit is painful.

Here is an example:
I love chili dogs. When I eat them, I get bad heartburn. In fact, it is so bad that I cannot lie down at night because it is so uncomfortable. My wife hates it too. The gas is horrendous. The dogs even clear the room. So what's really going on?
My body is letting me know that chili dogs are bad for me. It is showing me by giving me heartburn and gas. It just cannot adapt anymore to this poor food choice. Rather than allowing it to kill me, it is sending me signals to stop. My wife is even letting me know (as well as the dogs).
But I love chili dogs. Giving up something that gives me emotional joy and comfort will hurt. I think, "It's not so bad. My body can take it. I'll just sleep in the other room or my wife just has to put up with it because she loves me." So I keep eating them until the symptoms (my body's warning signals) get so bad, that I take action.
Do I quit the chili dogs? Remember, this would cause pain. So, no. I go to the medical doctor to find out what's "wrong" with my body. I choose denial.
What does the medical doctor do? They listen to you describe your heartburn and gas, diagnose you as having acid reflux disease, and write you a prescription. All in under a minute!
Here is when you should get pretty upset...
What just happened? Did the medical doctor ask you about your diet? Does the medical doctor really care about what is causing the heartburn? Do the drugs that he or she prescribed really fix anything or are they just quieting your body's alarm system?
Here is the big question... Please pay attention...
If you are eating something that is killing you, and your body is letting you know about it the only way it can (symptoms), and somebody gives you something that silences your body so that you can continue to do the thing that is killing you with more comfort, is that a form of assisted suicide?
Please read it again.

Here is my disclaimer to medicine.
We have one of the best crisis care systems in the world. No doubt about it. If I cut off an arm, I am going to the emergency room and I am extremely grateful for the medical care that I will receive. The best... However, where medicine fails is in the concept of wellness care. Where they fail is in keeping you healthy and giving you the tools to be healthy.

Think about it, they have drugs and surgery as their main tools. These are awesome and powerful tools when you are in crisis. How good are they at keeping you healthy?
Fact:
The number one cause of death in America is medical care.
So where is the hope of Humanity? How are we to become healthy? Are you ready for some answers? Before we go there, let's look at one thing first...