My New Years Resolutions: Reflections on the Value of Good Health
Happy 2005 from All of Us at The Wellness Club. We wish you and your families one of the best years ever!
This was a sobering holiday season for me in many ways, but it taught me some valuable lessons and helped me make good resolutions for this year. I’ll pass on my story in case it might help you, too.
I was involved in an automobile accident, had to see my family doctor for the aches and pains, was hit with a lawsuit, and then to cap it all off a member of my family passed away. As you might well imagine, this got me to thinking about what is and isn’t important, and about how we pay for the things we see as being important to us.
First, the auto accident: Icy streets, I was able to come to a stop when the light changed, the driver behind me wasn’t. Bang! Fortunately there was insurance all around and I thought all would be well. Of course, the insurance did not reimburse for the fear, pain and inconvenience of the ordeal, but I was sure that because I faithfully paid my insurance premiums all these years (and the other driver did hit me from behind after all!) that everything would be “looked after.” As it turned out, I was naive, and as anyone who has had an auto accident can tell you, it wasn’t so easy! Despite the fact that I’ve been with the same company for many years (long enough to have paid for a new car with all my premiums!) and I’ve been claim free, it was a very difficult and stressful experience, and I’ll never look at insurance companies in the same way again.
Of course, being involved in an MVA (motor vehicle accident) means doctors, x-rays, and prescriptions for muscle relaxers and pain pills. Silly me, I should have known to call Dr. Myatt right away. The muscle relaxers and pain pills did nothing but make me dopey. I guess to some that means feeling better, but after a week of no improvement, I called Dr. Myatt. She explained that the x-rays were necessary to rule out fractures, but that there were better, safer and more importantly effective alternatives to the chemicals that had been prescribed by my conventional doctor. “He has done the best he knows for you” said Dr. Myatt, “but muscle relaxers don’t heal bruised muscles! Now let’s get going with some things that will actually help you feel better and heal faster.” In a couple of days the pain and stiffness were just a distant memory! The conventional treatment and drugs were paid for by my “insurance” but I paid for Dr. Myatt’s fees myself and her advice was a bargain. (Here’s a tip: she recommended Bromelain and Grape Seed Extract, and some special exercises.)
Just as I thought the car accident was behind me, I was notified that the other driver was suing me! I won’t belabor the details, but the whole thing was completely groundless — a bluff on his part because he was the guilty party. As soon as I hired a lawyer to respond to his foolishness the suit was dropped. Still, it cost a pretty penny to hire that lawyer, and I’ll never see that money back. It would have been more expensive not to have hired the lawyer because the other driver had a hungry and aggressive lawyer working for him.
In addition to this, an elderly aunt passed away before Christmas. It was not unexpected, and Auntie had a number of health problems in addition to the cancer which took her. Because we knew her time was near, the family was able to gather at her bedside to celebrate one last Christmas with her. She passed peacefully with friends and family near. What was distressing for me was that I had tried to convince her to arrange a consultation with Dr. Myatt to discuss the options available to her, and get a genuine “second opinion” about how she might deal with her illnesses, but that didn’t happen. I know that Dr. Myatt cannot “cure” advanced cancer, but I also know that she has a number of patients who are confounding their conventional doctors by living long past the brief time that they had been told they have left. At first Auntie refused, saying that she didn’t believe in all that “hocus pocus stuff” of alternative medicine and preferring the traditional white-coated western way of “cut, burn and poison” to treat her cancer. When it became obvious that those methods had failed her, she considered contacting Dr. Myatt until she learned that neither her veterans benefits nor her Medicare would cover Dr. Myatt’s alternative services, so she decided against it. As Auntie remarked, “my insurance pays for all my other treatments.” (Right-o! The ones that aren’t working!). Interestingly, Auntie didn’t object in the least to paying the fees for the lawyer that she called in to help her tidy up her affairs and update her will. She also didn’t object to the huge fees demanded by the funeral home that she made her final arrangements with!
So how does all this tie together, and what does this have to do with my New Years Resolutions? Well, it made me wonder why many people don’t think twice about paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to a lawyer to help them out of some non-life-threatening predicament while they balk at paying a few hundred dollars to a doctor could help them live longer or enable them to enjoy the days they have left free of pain or disability. Auntie suffered quite a bit at the end and was certainly not as comfortable as she might have been if she has allowed Dr. Myatt to help her, but she chose instead to save a few dollars by going with the treatment that was covered by her insurance.
Most people are so accustomed to having medical expenses covered by insurance that they cannot think of any other way, yet these same folks don’t object to spending thousands of dollars for a lawyer or an accountant even though neither of those professionals typically deal with our life or health. Many other people (I have a sister who is one of them) think nothing of paying a cosmetic surgeon thousands of dollars for breast implants or nose jobs – work definitely not covered by insurance. Still others like Auntie will scrimp and save, avoiding potentially helpful advice from someone like Dr. Myatt because the fees are not covered by insurance, and then without so much as a quibble pay many, many thousands of dollars for a lavish funeral. We know that our lawyers, our accountants, our cosmetic surgeons and our funeral homes are not generally covered or paid for by insurance and we pay with little or no objection. Not so with our doctors – we expect them to work for “free” – at least free to us, paid for by some sort of “insurance” program.
So, what are my New Years Resolutions? First, I resolve to love and enjoy my family more. Every day that we are allowed to be together is a gift. Next, I resolve to try to leave my new car and my precious body at home if the streets are icy – no more needless risk-taking for me! I resolve to call Dr. Myatt sooner sooner instead of later for what ails me even though it is a modest but out-of-pocket expense. It was so very worth it to start feeling better the same day I talked to her! Finally, I resolve to take control of my own health instead of leaving it to some insurance company or HMO. I had forgotten how I had done just that a number of years ago when I first met Dr. Myatt and together we got me back on the road to good health. It seemed expensive and “risky” to defy convention then, but today I know it was some of the smartest money I ever spent. And I resolve to book an annual medical review with Dr. Myatt (this can be done on the telephone), and more often if needed, because to me, my good health is priceless.
‘Tis the season… for Colds and Flu!
On a different note, Dr. Myatt asked me to remind everyone that this is cold and flu season, and include some information to help you keep yourself as healthy as possible.
First, make sure your immune system is in the very best shape possible:
- Get regular exercise: exercise stimulates the immune system. Just 10 minutes of good, all-out exercise each day is all it takes!
- Use immune-enhancing herbal formulas – Immune Support is one of the very best.
- Practice stress reduction.
- Use positive visualization and affirmations – Dr. Myatt’s Body / Mind video will help you develop this skill.
- Practice meditation or a relaxation technique.
Give your body the raw materials it needs to keep your immune system fit:
- Eat plenty of protein. The body needs generous protein for maintenance and repair.
- Avoid fruit juices and sugars – sugars suppress the immune system.
- Be sure to use a good multi-vitamin. Dr. Myatt’s MaxiMultiis the very best available.
- Drink 64 ounces (2 quarts) of pure water or herb teas (non-caffeinated) daily.
- Be well-rested.
If you do catch something, start Dr. Myatt’s Acute Immune Protocol right away.
The “acute protocol” should be started for all active infections: colds, flu, other respiratory, skin, dental and internal infections. In many instances, antibiotics are unnecessary. This protocol may also be used alone for acute infections.
- B.A.M. (Broad Anti Microbial):
Suggested dose: 60 to 80 drops, 3 to 4 times per day. Take in a small amount (1 to 2 ounces) of water on an empty stomach (at least 15 minutes before meals or between meals). - Immune Boost:
1 teaspoon, 3 to 4 times per day. Take with B.A.M. - Bromelain:
2 caps, 3 to 4 times per day between meals. - Vitamin C (buffered):
1,000 mg every two hours throughout the day. - Whey protein:
2 scoops per day (more if desired). Take in water or other liquid or as a “pudding” (see our recipes). - selenium: 1,000mcg per day until symptoms subside.
Immune Boost and B.A.M. are potent liquid tinctures that keep indefinitely, so I recommend having them on hand right now. Don’t wait until you need them to place an order! Those two days waiting for them to arrive can make the difference between having a full-blown cold or other infection or staying well! Bromelain, vitamin C and selenium also keep well and should be on hand in your medicine cabinet. I also recommend having a bottle of Inspirol inhalant on hand for colds and sinusitis. This super-powerful inhaler is hard to find in most health food stores but WOW! Does it do a great job of opening the sinuses and clearing your head and lungs!
With these items on hand, colds and other winter infections and ailments don’t stand a chance 🙂
Until next time,
Healthy, Happy New Year to One and All!
Jamie Jameson-White
Editor, HealthBeat Newsletter
