They cant cure it (blood tests, lose weight, doctor, heart)

[twixcookie]

What really is the point of all this health "lifestyle" stuff?
Not being able to enjoy good food, exercising and knocking yourself out to find you only lost 5 pounds in 2 months.
Taking medicines to control what genetically, you are predisposed to.
High blood pressure, it can't totally be controlled by pills, so you take drugs and they don't control it. They give you more drugs, and it doesn't control it. You walk 3 miles a day, and it doesn't control it.It is a crazy merry go round. And now, since so many employers don't offer insurance, you can't go to the doctor.
And now, since so many employers do not want you taking off work, you CAN'T go to the doctors.
All these mixed and contradictory messages from the well-meaning American Heart and Cancer associations, but they don't live like the rest of us and have to pay out of pocket for a lousy cholestrol check.


What is the purpose of all of this, except to make the docs rich?
I know I am going to die someday of either heart attack or stroke, it is in my family. So why keep trying to put it off? It will get harder to fend off as I age, and I might be a victim of stroke at an old age, and live a crappy life dependent on strangers with no reason to live.

I would rather die young, at least to have some dignity and peace in my 50s.
Time to get real with this. Quality of life is everything, and in my 50s,I think I have lived life.

My blood pressure pills, generic, cost me $60 a month. I am spending $60 a month to keep my blood pressure at a dangerous level.
It is getting to be stupid, and I wonder if others have the same thoughts running through their heads, when they go to the doctor and fork out $115 for a visit where they solve nothing for you.

[pitt_transplant]

I just dont think doctors treat patients fully.
I see here a lot of stress and thats not good for high BP
Your name is twix cookie...Guess a history of bad food?

You didnt get sick overnight and you are not going to get well overnight.

I feel that way and its why I went to alternative health and nutritional ways of healing.
I wouldnt play with that myself since you are already dealing with a medicated body but perhaps consult a pro in the alternative health field to see what your options are there.

[brokensky]

I do understand what you are saying. However, just b/c one has a genetic predisposition to a particular illness or condition, it doesn't mean one will definitely have that condition.

There are usually things a person can do to help the situation - without using drugs. I am very much against most prescription drugs except in cases where nothing else can possibly be done to help the problem.

You say you have high blood pressure. You need to consider what you can do to affect that w/o meds. Are you overweight? What about your diet? Losing weight can - for many people - totally control their blood pressure problems.

So if you need to lose weight - why not do that instead of taking a prescription drug?

My stepson has diabetes and high blood pressure. He has to inject insulin. Yet, he has done nothing to change his diet or eat properly. Plus, he continues to gain weight. I don't say anything b/c he and his wife do not "believe in" adjusting their diets to control his blood sugar. I find it all quite incredible, but - nothing I can do about it. However, my DH and I ask ourselves - why won't DS and his wife change their eating habits and lose weight - rather than continuing habits that are ruining their health? Just seems strange to us.

So if there are things you can do to improve your situation w/o drugs . . . that is where you need to start first.

[jmking]

The op sounds like they want an ok to sit still, eat too much and die? I agree with pitt. Do some home work and surf the net for alternative remedies for high blood presure etc. You've got nothing to lose. In the mean time do walk, cut down on the bad food, eat food that is good for you and take good care. I have a soft spot for caring doctors and I'm super angry with the ones that really rake in the money and manipulate your care through doctors who have to sign the bloody contracts with--The insurance companies!

[pitt_transplant]

Just a share to get you started:

Ways To Lower High Blood Pressure - Foods That Lower Blood Pressure


Now make sure you ask before taking ANY herb or anything like that.
Even the wrong vitamin with high BP can be bad.
You can look it up yourself for now and comfirm with a call to the doc & pharm.


More stuff:
High Blood Pressure Diet (http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtot43.htm - broken link)

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication - MayoClinic.com

Dont hate taking care of yourself. Do it right and you will feel better.
And there are good foods out there to eat. Not everything has to taste like diet food.
Healthy food tastes good when done right.

[Sgoldie]

Most high BP RXs cost $4.00 for a month's supply at Walmart. I take three different kinds. Check it out, they have a printed up sheet at the pharmacy that lists them all.

[SifuPhil]

Originally Posted by twixcookie

What really is the point of all this health "lifestyle" stuff?

I guess it's to extend the length and improve the quality of your life.

What is the purpose of all of this, except to make the docs rich?

Sorry I can't answer this part of your question - I haven't been to a Western doc in over 30 years. See, I've lived the majority of my life with a few concepts such as "moderation", "avoidance of what the masses enjoy" and "heal yourself".

I know I am going to die someday of either heart attack or stroke, it is in my family. So why keep trying to put it off? It will get harder to fend off as I age, and I might be a victim of stroke at an old age, and live a crappy life dependent on strangers with no reason to live.

Very few of us are gifted with the ability to foresee the means and time of our own deaths. But I agree, having had many relatives and friends that ended up as prisoners in the system, that living out the last years of your life dependent upon others is a harsh and terrible death.

I would rather die young, at least to have some dignity and peace in my 50s.
Time to get real with this. Quality of life is everything, and in my 50s,I think I have lived life.

My thoughts exactly. In fact, I just posted as much in DimSum's thread about what you want to do in life.

It is getting to be stupid, and I wonder if others have the same thoughts running through their heads, when they go to the doctor and fork out $115 for a visit where they solve nothing for you.

As I said, I don't use the Western medical machine. I self-diagnose and self-medicate, coupled with exercise, meditation and plenty of sex.

[Beth56]

The other day I was watching a t.v. program where a well-known cancer doctor was speaking. Questions were being posed about the necessity of seeing your doctor on a regular basis. His response was that the most important thing you can do for your health is lifestyle changes.

Again, the question was posed about seeing your doctor on a regular basis. He answered that he believes in the basic tests; the physical, blood tests, pap, mammogram, psa, etc.

Again, the question was posed about seeing your doctor on a regular basis. And again he reiterated that the most important thing you can do for your health is lifestyle changes.

He never did quite answer that question. But, I believe he actually did answer it, by not saying anything. I found it very interesting.

[twixcookie]

Originally Posted by SifuPhil

I guess it's to extend the length and improve the quality of your life.


Sorry I can't answer this part of your question - I haven't been to a Western doc in over 30 years. See, I've lived the majority of my life with a few concepts such as "moderation", "avoidance of what the masses enjoy" and "heal yourself".


Very few of us are gifted with the ability to foresee the means and time of our own deaths. But I agree, having had many relatives and friends that ended up as prisoners in the system, that living out the last years of your life dependent upon others is a harsh and terrible death.


My thoughts exactly. In fact, I just posted as much in DimSum's thread about what you want to do in life.


As I said, I don't use the Western medical machine. I self-diagnose and self-medicate, coupled with exercise, meditation and plenty of sex.

I'd be careful with that plenty of sex...there are so many diseases now out there...

[twixcookie]

Originally Posted by Beth56

The other day I was watching a t.v. program where a well-known cancer doctor was speaking. Questions were being posed about the necessity of seeing your doctor on a regular basis. His response was that the most important thing you can do for your health is lifestyle changes.

Again, the question was posed about seeing your doctor on a regular basis. He answered that he believes in the basic tests; the physical, blood tests, pap, mammogram, psa, etc.

Again, the question was posed about seeing your doctor on a regular basis. And again he reiterated that the most important thing you can do for your health is lifestyle changes.

He never did quite answer that question. But, I believe he actually did answer it, by not saying anything. I found it very interesting.

The last 3 jobs I have had, and I work in healthcare, did not supply health insurance. So seeing a doctor regularly is very expensive.