Canada - Who can you trust in health care

Who can you trust in health care By Dr. Tara MacartJul 17 2007The Canadian Cancer Society says 50 per cent of cancers are preventable. Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Many diseases are preventable — once you know how, you must choose to do what it takes. We do have choice. We choose to pick a healthy snack or junk food. We choose to get regular exercise or sit on the couch and watch TV. Sometimes, however, our choices are stripped from us and decisions are made for us. The irony is that we gladly let it happen. There is a large segment of the population who just wants to be told what to do for health. Seeking advice anywhere from their doctors, dentists, pharmacists, health food store clerks, trainers at the gym, the anchor on the six o’clock news to the latest article in Readers Digest, some of us are misled. Let us recall a few of the misdirected atrocities of the establishment and organized groups: 1. Medical doctors were used in public relation campaigns to sell cigarettes. These trusted authority figures promoted a morbid and lethal consumable for people. Where was the proof that smoking was safe? Apparently safety is not a requirement for medical advice. 2. Dentists promote the use of fluoride in drinking water. This was spearheaded by Dr. Harold Hodge, the preeminent scientist at the time who was involved with the Manhattan Project (nuclear weapons development). This is the same guy who injected several humans with radioactive plutonium. “Well if you say so, it must be safe.” 3. Pharmacists dispense the latest trend in magic bullets. Hormone replacement is in fashion, then it is out; Vioxx is in (making billions), then its out (after 30,000 Vioxx related deaths.) Who are we supposed to trust? There is so much money to be made on the public’s naiveté. 4.) Even in the so called health food or natural medicine department, there are shysters. Every couple of years, a new line of snake oil surfaces. Many formula multilevel marketing (MLM) companies put forth their collection with the promise of health and wealth. The typical tonic-laxative-nutrition combo with a chocolaty coating may work for the generally disease free masses, for a while, but is this the answer? Probably not. Who can we trust? It should rattle your false sense of security that health authorities do not always work in your best interests. Be it maliciousness, ignorance or just a plain need to preserve the status quo (no matter how wrong it may be) it is your responsibility to think for yourself. Why do we give up our choice so easily? We live in an information age. It is phenomenal what we can access. Make up your own mind on the difficult and uncomfortable issues. Question your own observations. I say, get informed and find the will power to apply your knowledge to your life now, before it is too late. Who cares about your health and the health of your loved ones more that you? Dr. Tara Macart owns and operates Opti-Balance naturopathic medical clinic in Qualicum Beach, alongside her husband Jonathan.