Associated Press on Alternative Medicine....my response

The failings of the US health care industry have never been more in the spotlight. Not only is the health care industry crumbling under its own weight, similar to the auto and banking industries it is so huge and integral to our economy that it is helping to fuel an even bigger crisis nationally. The Obama administration is faced with changing the system which, if ignored, threatens our national solvency and security.

As a health care solution for a large nation, ours has proven that it does not take care of people proportionally to the amount of money it costs us all in far too many cases. By virtue of its "free market" foundation, it is shown that the profit motives of a corporate health industry create demand for costly, invasive procedures at the neglect of more effective, less invasive simple measures. The poor get no treatment, and the rich get way too much. Risks are increased, costs are increased, good responsible citizens go bankrupt every day trying to pay for unexpected costs, businesses go out of business, and all the while the health and wellness of our nation continues to decline.

Perhaps the "a best defense is a good offense" attitude has helped fuel a recent AP series on Alternative Medicine, which was negatively biased against complementary health treatments. I wrote a response to these articles -- which attacked alternative medicine -- and portrayed the two fields of complementary and conventional medicine at odds with each other: Alternative Medicine Maligned. The issue of complementary and integrative medicine is just one small piece of the giant puzzle. But the promise of good integrative medicine -- less invasive and costly care of the whole person in ways that encourage the body's own innate healing ability and the overall wellness of a person -- is certainly pointed down the right direction.

The ultimate answer will be balanced. We will all need to assume our share of responsibility. Doctors, hospitals, and healthcare institutions --- pharmaceuticals -- complementary medicine practitioners -- insurance companies -- the government -- and us. Yes, as in me, you, and all of us.

Health can not be paid for and bought...insured and forgotten. Our wellness is determined by our values, our personal choices, and our willingness to look within and without and take responsibility for ourselves. The solution-makers should not spend a lot of time pointing fingers -- let's all agree to share the burden and remind each other that it is never too late to start making different choices.