This week I completed a health risk assessment for my yearly health insurance plan. This new trend in health care insurance is driven by money under the guise of tracking your health using a point system. Someone determined what the ideal healthy person looks like and then assigned points as an incentive to get you to exercise, lose weight and lower your blood pressure. I found myself very frustrated with the whole process. I log points for sitting at a computer, reading about how to exercise and what foods I should be eating according to a standard that is entrenched in a western medicine philosophy. In order to get discounts, I must keep a log of how much exercise I do, how much water I drink and how many fruits and vegetables I consume. I am placed in a medium risk category because I take blood pressure medicine, I avoid cardiac exercises and I am overweight. It doesn’t matter that I stayed illness-free all year.
I’m frustrated with this system because I have made significant changes to my overall health in the past few years but I don’t get points or credit for the things I have chosen to do. This system has no real accountability. It is a false system of self reporting which encourages dishonesty in order to get a better score. This system doesn’t acknowledge alternative medicine or even a holistic approach to health.
I’ve tried the traditional western medicine approach to wellness over the years and it just doesn’t seem to work well for me. Health and wellness generally implies that I focus on the health of my physical body through exercise and healthy eating. Addressing mental, emotional and spiritual health are often neglected or taboo subjects. There are many conflicting views as to which diet to follow, what exercises are best and when to use medication to control symptoms. The ultimate goal in this approach is to “fix” things. If you do A, B and C, then you will achieve X, Y and Z. There are rules to follow, calories to count and points to earn. This approach leaves me feeling defeated and overwhelmed with long-term goals that seem unachievable.
I’ve tried the traditional western medicine approach to wellness over the years and it just doesn’t seem to work well for me. Health and wellness generally implies that I focus on the health of my physical body through exercise and healthy eating. Addressing mental, emotional and spiritual health are often neglected or taboo subjects. There are many conflicting views as to which diet to follow, what exercises are best and when to use medication to control symptoms. The ultimate goal in this approach is to “fix” things. If you do A, B and C, then you will achieve X, Y and Z. There are rules to follow, calories to count and points to earn. This approach leaves me feeling defeated and overwhelmed with long-term goals that seem unachievable.
So what is an alternative approach that does work for me? I choose to shift my focus from a fix-it model to a wellness model for my health. I am on a quest for healing and wholeness of mind, body and spirit. This approach works from the inside out, instead of the outside in. I start with my inner spirit, by learning to love myself as I am right now. When I love myself, I become more motivated to take care of myself. Next, I pay attention to my feelings and emotions. I notice how they impact my reactions to stress. I identify patterns of behavior that I can change in positive ways. Healing myself becomes a spiritual practice for me, not a competition to achieve the most points. When I tend my mind, body and spirit, then I am healthier. Little changes start to happen. Yes, even in the areas of diet and exercise! These small changes lead to bigger changes and I feel better about myself. I shift my focus and make lifestyle changes that make sense for me based on this wellness model. This is a more positive approach to health than the fix-it model.
I created the Balance Resource Cards as a way to give myself the gift of health. I could spend all morning doing yoga, journaling and meditating, yet I would not have enough time to do all the good things I could do to influence my health. These cards give me a fun way to pick and choose a few things to do each day and keep my wellness routine from being boring. The cards help remind me what is really important in my life. Sometimes I even try something from the cards that is outside of my comfort zone just for the challenge. I like this fun approach to creating a wellness plan for my life. This is more satisfying to me than accumulating points for my insurance company’s risk assessment program.
I created the Balance Resource Cards as a way to give myself the gift of health. I could spend all morning doing yoga, journaling and meditating, yet I would not have enough time to do all the good things I could do to influence my health. These cards give me a fun way to pick and choose a few things to do each day and keep my wellness routine from being boring. The cards help remind me what is really important in my life. Sometimes I even try something from the cards that is outside of my comfort zone just for the challenge. I like this fun approach to creating a wellness plan for my life. This is more satisfying to me than accumulating points for my insurance company’s risk assessment program.
I’d like my insurance company to eventually change the way they log health and wellness, even if it is self-reported and subjective to measure. I know there are great incentive programs and apps such as Lose It and SuperBetter, which give you positive encouragement, stickers and fun ways to view wellness. These programs allow you the freedom to add in the various things you are doing to improve your health including the alternative medicine approaches. You can choose the activities you prefer that work for you instead of a predetermined program that may not fit your needs. I can even add the activities I do from my Balance Resource Cards! To make these cards a positive influence in your healing journey, just click on the link below.
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