How Certain is Your Health?
The old adage goes: There are only two things that are truly certain in life…death & taxes. When it comes to our health, there is really nothing much more uncertain, because we never know what tomorrow holds. That said, it’s really all about putting the odds in your favor to keep your well-being and avoid the possible pitfalls of compromised health. I hope to give you some insight into how to increase your odds of living a life of health and happiness.
What do we want? We can all agree that happiness is the greatest thing a person can have. I remember going on a trip back in the late 1980s to East Berlin, Germany. Although it was a wonderful trip and learning experience, what stuck in my mind most was observing a society of such unhappy individuals.
On the outside, it looked like a typical city, but none of the people were smiling. There was some Western music playing, and in fact, even a carnival I went to, but the people still didn’t smile. What makes us happy? There are many contributors to human happiness. However, there is one thing that research has shown that gives us the most happiness: Contribution.
Contribution = Happiness
Contributing means giving. It means engaging in the world; it means helping others. Not only has this been determined to be the most rewarding thing we can do, but we in turn gain more than the people to whom we are giving. Who can be the contributors in society, and who are the “takers”? When not limited by physical health challenges, you can contribute with your body and soul; those who are fighting to regain their health, often have a much more difficult time giving of themselves and often have to be “takers”.
When a person is sick or unhealthy, that person has to become “selfish” by focusing on getting better, on survival. In turn, this makes it more difficult to contribute when you are fighting to regain your health that has been lost. That said since health is so uncertain and there are clearly no guarantees, how can we give ourselves the best chance to regain, and maintain good health to have that chance to contribute to our family, to our friends, to our community, and to society?
Our current health system in the United States is not about health at all. It is about treating disease with chemicals and surgery. In our “fear-based” model, you go to the doctor, take a bunch of tests, pray you don’t get that dreaded diagnosis, and repeat the same process next year. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Happiness-Centric Health Care
Imagine, instead, a system that was empowering. A system that incentivized being healthy. One that helped you attain and maintain health through exercise, nutrition, and an often overlooked aspect of positive health: posture and ideal spinal structure. This concept is not new. Thomas Edison said it best: “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” We just have not heeded this important message.
Thus, if you truly want to be happy, then you will want to invest in your health now. You will realize that you have to exercise regularly. You’ll understand that body fat and diet are under your control. You’ll realize that health is not found in any bottle. You’ll also realize that the force of gravity is breaking down your body at an accelerated rate if your spinal structure deviates significantly from normal. The more “in line” and close to normal your spinal biomechanics are, the stronger your body will be to resist the constant, ongoing, degenerative force of nature that impacts us 24/7.
What does your internal structure look like? Will it give you the best chance for a long life of good health? Invest in your happier, healthier future. Invest now to be a contributor to your happiness now, and in the future. Don’t live in fear of loss of health. Improve the odds. Your health is within your control, much more than you may think.
About the Author
Dr. David Shapiro, DC, CEO of Complete Spine Solutions
A graduate of Life University, School of Chiropractic 1993 (4600 postgraduate hours). Board-certified licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. Passed 3 national board tests and the state of Georgia board examination. Also certified in therapeutic modalities.
Advanced Certified in Chiropractic BioPhysics, the most evidence-based technique in chiropractic. He’s been in private practice for over 25 years.
