One of my friends and former co-workers recently told me that my superpower is to see connections. I’m seeing how there are so many systems in place to keep us stuck and sustain the problem instead of bring about solutions.
Have you ever noticed that our current systems are designed to sustain a problem? I’ve been thinking a lot about systems as I’ve been actively unlearning racism and my eyes are being opened to the systemic problems in our country for Blacks, Indigenous and people of color. Our systems in America are designed for white males to succeed. It’s ridiculous!
And although that one is so obviously influencing the most people right now there are other systemic problems!
Our systems keep us stuck: healthcare, food, and more
Take our healthcare system – I’ve often heard it described as a disease management system. You have something wrong, you go to the doctor and often receive a pill or a procedure. The problem is presented and the problem is dealt with using many well, unnatural methods. My experience is that often the system designed to help the problem, doesn’t actually get to the root of the problem. There’s a superficial fix or band aid that gets put on. For example, when my mother was diagnosed with heart disease, I encouraged her to read Dean Ornish’s research about how shifting to a plant based diet, as well as lifestyle changes, can reverse heart disease. Her doctor didn’t include this information in her rehabilitation plan.
And it’s not only in the treatment, it’s also in the prevention. Typically, there is very little focus on prevention of disease with more economical methods, such as sleep, stress management, nutrition, exercise, and other more integrative techniques. I’ve researched stroke aphasia (language loss) treatments for years and I’ve often said I would much rather be put out of business because we no longer see people suffering strokes (which are preventable).
Typically, there is little education on nutrition and preventative methods of health and wellness by medical schools, with a focus on treating diseases and illnesses. Now of course, both are needed. We need the doctor to treat us when we have a disease. I’m not arguing with that at all! The system is not set up to support us eating foods that will support our immune system to prevent us from getting some of the preventable problems like heart disease or stroke. Another system that contributes to this is the education systems are serving foods that during lunch meals that are highly inflammatory and lacking nutrition. In short, the health care system is sustaining the problem we have of health in our country.
Another example is our current food system. It isn’t designed for nutrition, only for what tastes good (which often isn’t healthy)! What we see in the stores are aisles and aisles of packaged foods that have little nutritional value. Full of sugar, additives, and things that have been overly processed. Food that is full of sugar and fat taste REALLY good, and then our brain, loves the feel good hormones that are released from those foods. Food that is full of nutrients tends to be whole food in it’s natural state (or very close to it), simple and free of any additives or preservatives. Food that isn’t processed. Fresh fruit and vegetables, brown rice, lentils.
And yet, there is little money to be made from selling food in this natural state. Because it’s cheaper to put sugar in box and sell it (and then people like the way it tastes so they keep buying more). This sustains the problem. People need nutritious food and sustainable systems to get that food, and yet, what we have is an industrialized food system that supports animal agriculture (which is another whole system) and sugar, both of which lead to inflammation. This leads to more pain and a greater desire to numb through the feel-good hormones of food. (and in turn perpetuate the need for the healthcare system).
Whew. It’s a lot – and those aren’t even all of the systems. These are just a few examples of what is currently going on. And these systems, these structures are so ingrained that we can’t even see the problem,
There’s a way to escape
I want to pull back the curtain a bit, and offer to you that there is a different way of seeing how we can do things today in the US. We don’t have to stick with systems that keep us stuck and perpetuating the very problems we are trying to overcome. I feel like it’s time for many of these systems to change. People are fed up in this country and it doesn’t have to be like this.
I want you to consider this – there is a different way to do things. I want to offer you a new perspective on your health and wellness. A new way to see your *own* wellness. Instead of covering up the problems with systems that keep us stuck, there’s a way to get to the root of the problem.
It’s part of why I offer this podcast is so you can start seeing a different way of being. What if when you want to a wellness professional, they looked at all parts of you. Physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual. What was going on with you physically- such as what you are eating, how much sleep you were getting, and how you moved your body. Do you love your body? Is there gratitude for this body on earth? The Centered Wellness framework is a different view of the system for wellness.
Wellness *is* possible. And it doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, you don’t even have to wait for the systems to change to get started right now. Now that you see how the systems can keep you stuck, you can begin to make changes. You can use the Centered Wellness Framework and the 5 Wellness Bodies can lead you to feeling more energized, healthy, and ready to move forward in your life. And by each of us changing in our own lives, I believe we will ALL start to shift these systems that are ready to be shifted for something that serves us ALL: a system that brings more health and wellness.
Alright friends. Thanks for listening today, and know I’ll see you next time.
