WAIT! Was that an earthquake?

Did you feel that? Did the earth move? Was it real?

No - that wasn't an earthquake, believe it or not that was "The Wellness Shift"! The what?
The Wellness Shift - don't you see it? feel it? are you a part of it? Finally I can see and feel the beginnings of a total paradigm shift related to health care in this country. And it's about time.

More people are beginning to take notice and pay attention to how nutrition is playing a vital role in their health, alternative health care is more acceptable and even Drs are getting on board to promote nutrition and supplements to their patients instead of prescriptions (and getting better results and healthier patients!)

I actually feel bad for Drs - in the old days they performed a service, they were paid for it and the patients felt better. Now... insurance companies are telling Drs how much they will reimburse them for treating the patients - and not covering alot of services that Drs feel patients should have. Drs also get bonus money when they have certain tests done - did you know that? Yes, that last MRI or CAT scan or XRay that the DR said you needed could have been because they needed bonus money - or had to meet a quota or were covering their butts and their malpractice insurance won't cover them unless certain tests are performed. I'm not kidding - that really is the truth.

So - Drs are having a hard time financially just like the rest of us. Remember when your parents used to pray you'd marry a Dr... wow, that was the ultimate, the gold medal and you would be set financially for life! But hold on.... those Drs... they are in massive debt from student loans and have certain re-certifications they have to do every year, two years etc. - are you sure your Dr is doing all of that?

So the insurance company puts a price on a certain service and that is what the DR gets paid... so follow this - YOU go the Dr, you have insurance and that insurance company will only pay $70 for an office visit which normally the Doc charges $100 for. (Its in the Drs contract w/ the insurance company that only $70 will paid - and the Dr can't argue that because then they will be kicked out of that insurance companies network and some of their patients would be gone because they have that insurance) - so they accept what the insurance company is willing to pay.

The Dr sends a bill to the insurance company for $100, the insurance company pays only $70 - you owe nothing. But the dr is out $30. How do they make that up? You can figure it out.

What can the Dr do? How about starting to offer some health and wellness products and not just prescriptions - how about getting back to getting the patient HEALTHY!

I'd be willing to bet that most Drs went to school to learn how to HELP people stay healthy. - I bet they didn't go to learn how to prescribe every medication that the pharmaceutical companies are pushing down their throats - and how many patients go in to the Drs because they saw a prescription commercial on TV and are thoroughly convinced they "have that disease"??

Crazy stuff.... I say we all need to step up and LEARN - get educated on what is happening with our bodies. I have been doing alot of reading lately on health and nutrition and I am appalled at our food industry. Thats another story! :)

Update on the process of becoming a CWO

After several more visits to the docs with no results and doing some serious research on my own - and with the help of my fabulous acupuncturist Akhil Kaplan - Three Moons Wellness we believe it is my lymphatic system! For some reason it doesn't seem to be "moving" and getting rid of toxins like it should. So, a few solutions that have been offered up that have most definitely helped. I bought a rebounder (a mini trampoline) and I bounce on it every day for about 10 min in the morning and another 10min in the late afternoon - what a difference in my neck and shoulders! I also met an awesome massage therapist named William Wood - he is located in Stowe, VT but does house calls and wow- he is good! He did what is called an lymphatic drain massage - and it made a world of difference to me. I am having my 2nd one on Monday and cannot wait. If you are in this area (VT) you should check him out - email him William Wood I highly recommend him.
My issues are not solved but at least I feel like someone is actually listening and taking this seriously. I am not normally a hypochondriac and was beginning to think I was going nuts with all this pain that no one could figure out! Alternative medicine/therapy and preventive nutritional supplements are the way to go - and that is the way I'll be going from now on!