A recent (May 6) Op-Ed article in the Los Angeles Times entitled, “Diagnosis as disease” brings out some very interesting points about medical diagnosis and thinking of people as diseased. It tells us that “low diagnostic thresholds lead people who feel well to be labeled as unwell.” “Not surprisingly, some subsequently feel less well.” “In short, low diagnostic thresholds introduce more ‘dis’-ease into the population.”
“promise |ˈpräməs|noun declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that guarantees that a particular thing will happen” (New Oxford American Dictionary) “I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord;…” (KJV Jeremiah 30:17).
by Callmetim
One of the Easter hymns in my church says, “Let us sing of Easter gladness that rejoices every day…”¹
Jesus’ resurrection has meaning for us every day. It shows us, among other things, that the real essence of our being is spiritual. And this leads to more health and happiness.
It’s clear that Jesus’ resurrection showed us that true life is eternal. But a material mortal has a material birth, a temporary material life and a material death. So what kind of being has eternal life? Not a material being. So if our true life is eternal, our true being is spiritual. The resurrection reveals that we’re really eternal, spiritual beings.
Mother and child from "egg on stilts"
This isn’t the easiest subject to talk about, but here’s something that got my attention recently and I hope it gets yours: Michigan is ranked 37th in the U.S. in terms of its infant mortality rate. Then consider that the U.S. is ranked 33rd in the world. Ouch! In the 1960’s the U.S. was ranked 19th in the world in infant mortality and then-President Lyndon Johnson called this appalling.
Of course, this isn’t about performing better than other states or other countries. It’s about doing better and better until a rate of zero is achieved. It’s about saving lives.
Christian Science has taught me that God loves everyone, and His will for all children, for new and expectant mothers – indeed, for all of us – is always good, always health and life.
Look at this comforting Scripture from Isaiah that conveys God’s mothering love:
“Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord” (66:9)
“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you” (66:13)
“…he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (40:11)
We’re having fun now. Stairs can be fun. Better behavior is better. And a change of motivation or thought can lead to better behavior. But can a change of thought really lead to better health? Is it possible to experience weight loss and better health through prayer? In the video below entitled, “Are you ready
Change behavior for the better by making it “fun”. That’s the theory. It’s called the fun theory. A change in motivation, a change in attitude, a change in thought. A change in thought leads to a change in behavior. So, is it possible that a change in thought can also lead to better health? And
Stairs in the Michigan Capitol
I was sitting in the back by the door. After the meeting, and after many there had left, as two Michigan House Health Policy Committee members were walking out of the room one suggested that they take the stairs and the other concurred.
In the committee meeting, Meghan Swain of the Michigan Association for Local Public Health shared that childhood obesity has tripled in the state and adult obesity has doubled. A member of the committee shared that some of the members of the committee are now encouraging one another to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
The point was made that it’s not enough to talk about the importance of these things as they work to improve health in the state, but that they need to do something.
This past week an acquaintance of mine asked a thought-provoking question.
We were discussing the federal health care law and how, as it currently stands, come 2014 all Americans will either have to have purchased health care insurance or pay a financial penalty. The one asking the question, like me, is a Christian Scientist. I generally choose spiritual care in Christian Science because through the years I have found it to be effective, and I could tell from their question that they do too.
Capitol Hill Question Mark
Here’s the question that they asked: “if we purchased the required insurance for medical care coverage, would we have to use it?”
So, do you have an altimeter on the dashboard of your car to gauge your altitude?”
In my last blog post I discussed how metrics need to fit the thing being measured and how a one-metric-fits-all or one-metric-says-it-all approach can be misleading.
I attended the organizational meeting of the Health Policy Committee in the Michigan House of Representatives last Thursday and had the privilege of speaking with a number of committee members afterwards. Chairman Gail Haines of Waterford really has a good group on this committee. They bring together a very broad and diverse set of backgrounds in the area of health policy and they clearly have a passion for making improvements in our state in this area. I think that they will work well together and listen to a broad range of points of view as they do some good things in our state.
