THE MOST Affordable Health Care Acts

Professor J,

I read this morning that an 86 year old woman who finished the New York Marathon died a day later...in her sleep. That's what people say they want, isn't it? But then most Americans live a lifestyle that says they really want to enjoy smoking, eating a wretched diet, and spending hours in front of the television. I'm constantly intrigued by the ability of humans to fail to face reality and act accordingly. And if I've learned nothing else in the last year, it is that the universe responds to action.

If we are delusional about global problems and things like hunger, poverty, environmental destruction and national problems like our increasing polarization, failing education system (compared to the rest of the world) and idiotic politicians you would imagine people would want a little control. The prudent course of action would seem to be that even if you can't solve all the really big multi-level problems you would take control over whatever is within your power and the number one thing there would be health and well being.

But we see the delusion and distraction continue on a family and personal level. People seem unable or at least unwilling to hash out a personal action plan for improvement.


I recently saw a Ted Talk and then read the book, Blue Zones. (Watch the video here.)  Living longer and healthier, staying active for your entire lifetime and dying peacefully in your sleep without a drug induced stupor is possible, even in America among a group of Seventh Day Advenists in California. All of the people living in these areas had particular things in common. They are, not surprisingly, things that Americans are less and less good at like connecting, and having a sense of purpose.

One of the things I found most interesting in all of this was the need for an Ikagai or reason to get up in the morning. How many Americans have that? You are supposed to be able to articulate it in about 20 words or less. It has overtones of a mission statement reduced to simplest terms.

I'm giving this a lot of thought.

With all the recent talk of health care and the Affordable Care Act, it seems a perfect time to be thinking about health and well being.

Plus, we'll beat everyone to the January resolution rush. ;)

I introduced a new label: Health. Unfortunately it sounds like something I remember being taught by an overweight bored coach between his smoke breaks. Have something better?