3 healthcare practices that will never occur in 20 years

Along with practical changes you CAN make RIGHT now

Jul 12, 2024

My grandmother’s house was a fascinating place.

As children, my cousin and I routinely climbed the very scary staircase up to the attic. My grandmother had lived there since the early 1940s, and her way of “cleaning house” involved moving everything up to the attic in case she needed it again.

It was a treasure trove for us preteens. Oh, the stuff we’d find!

I still have the salt and pepper shakers I found; they’re sitting on my shelf. They belonged to my great-grandmother, and I adored them. (Still do.)

We also found stacks of old magazines - women's magazines I’m sure my grandmother perused as a young wife and mom. We’d giggle at the unbelievable advertisements and articles.

Did people used to think like that? (Of course, they did.)

How on earth did people survive!?

Time marches on. We learn. We grow.

And eventually, we discover the error in our ways.

How long does it take to find a mistake?

Tobacco has been used for thousands of years. It’s been found in archaeological digs around the world. It’s been used in religious ceremonies, medicinal cures, and for relaxation and enjoyment.

By 1939, enough studies had been performed to raise alarming concerns over what it did to health. Yet it wasn’t until 1969 that the Cigarette Smoking Act was signed, requiring cigarette manufacturers to place warning labels on every pack. Cigarette ads were banned on television and radio in 1970.

It may be declining, but there are still 1.25 billion adult tobacco users globally.

It’s still being produced. It’s still damaging our health.

Such is the nature of human behavior, good vs bad choices, and the never-ending pursuit of health and wellness.

I fully believe health and wellness are not guaranteed. It’s something we each get to pursue if we choose it.

That’s apparent in everyday living. Today, I’m still amazed at how our medical industry behaves on a daily basis. We know - WE KNOW - a lot of things do more harm than good. And yet (for the sake of money) we pretend we don’t.

Seeing things early …

I was in my late 20s when my dad died of a massive heart attack at the age of 54.

Since then, I’ve been on a quest to learn why. Let me tell you what you can learn over 30 years! It’s been quite a ride.

The more I learn, the more I change. This didn’t happen overnight. And in many cases, these past few years have continued to be a huge learning curve.

But I do believe that change only comes with awareness. I didn’t become the plant-powered advocate I am today without 30 years of knowledge.

Yes, it’s easy to look back now and wonder how those cigarette ads remained on air as long as they did. But MANY wellness advocates saw through it - they were the fighters from the very beginning.

If you’re lucky enough to see things early, you can make changes to your life to improve your own health. (And those around you … who will listen.)

I’m calling it now - these are three healthcare practices in overabundance today that I think will NEVER exist 20 years from now. (Why wait? Change your own life now!)

1 - Not using food as a part of the solution

I was devastated when I found out a loved one had cancer. As they were building a treatment plan, I asked: Did they mention food?

Nobody - not one person on the medical team - ever mentioned nutrition. Not surprising, considering less than 20 percent of medical schools have a single required course in nutrition.

But we’re learning.

Just like a car needs quality gas to operate, the human body requires a healthy fuel source in order to function optimally. Fuel = Food. Garbage in - garbage out.

One of the most highly recommended “foods” during treatment was Ensure shakes. The ingredients include:

Corn Maldextrin - derived from genetically modified corn. Maldextrin is a food additive designed to increase shelf life. It’s a lab-created product that while not technically sugar, can cause insulin spikes.
Blend of vegetable oils - canola and corn oil, both of which have their share of problems. Corn oil is derived from genetically modified corn, which has a host of problems.
Natural and artificial flavors - this is also known as “chemicals.”
Cellulose gel - a highly processed gel designed to act as a dietary fiber, which often comes from trees and cotton. It’s a synthetic product that has no nutritional value.

There’s more, but you get the point.

Compare that to a nutritious, plant-based smoothie made with real ingredients. Real fruits and vegetables. Always organic.

Roots!

The 5-Minute Plant-Based Smoothie

Smoothies are such a thing, aren’t they? It seems as if every fitness guru or whole foods cookbook author has several pages devoted to different flavors and styles. I look at them often – I really do.Thanks for reading Roots!! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work…

a year ago · Lori Osterberg

This is just one example in a complicated system.

I consistently see medical professionals suggesting food choices that cause more harm than good. I saw it again recently in the hospital with my mom. She ordered dinner she shouldn’t have been eating. Nobody said a word.

Want to be ahead in this trend? Realize the deep connection between food and health. Every single cell in your body requires nutrients to thrive and optimize energy, lower inflammation, and support your overall metabolic health. If you want to feel better, start with your food.

2 - Writing a prescription before changing lifestyle

The solution to a lot of problems in Western medicine comes in the form of a prescription. Western doctors hand over pills for just about anything. As such, we’re on more prescriptions than ever. One study found that 38 percent of adults aged 20-29 were taking at least one prescribed medication per day, and by age 40-49, that percentage rose to 58 percent.

Antidepressants, ADHD, statins, steroids, blood pressure meds, blood sugar meds, antihistamines for allergies, proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux. These drugs can be used wisely for many people in many different situations. But I’m willing to bet in the future, they won’t be prescribed first without a conversation.

Sometimes what ails you can first be addressed with a lifestyle change. As medical professionals move from sickness managers to wellness advocates, they will understand more options and be able to recommend lifestyle changes before they push prescriptions.

Diet and nutrition should be at the top of the list. That should include eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Reducing processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats. And taking in good amounts of fiber to improve digestion and overall health.

From there, it can be based on what impacts well-being most. Exercise and physical activity, stress management, or good sleep hygiene.

Just saying all of this brings up a host of problems. Should it start with our medical system? Our food system? Pharmaceuticals?

The only way to truly change it all is to make changes to every system. And that’s going to take a lot of pressure to move that needle.

Take food as an example. With thousands of options in the typical grocery store, how are you supposed to decipher what’s good and what’s not, and still make it home in time to cook dinner?

This is where your wellness advocacy comes into play. When you pay attention to your wellness, you start making better choices. You can’t fix something if you aren’t aware.

It starts with you. You decide what to eat, what advice to seek, what advice to take. What you put into your body, and what path you’re willing to follow. Speak with your wallet.

In all cases, there are people out there trying to make a difference. If you run across people who diagnose within a minute or two and write a prescription instead of listening, know that you have other options. Only you can decide what advice to follow, and what action to take.

I like to think that if more of us think critically about this process and make our opinions heard, there will be changes in the future. We were once a nation much healthier than today, and we can get back there once again.

3 - Expecting a doctor to manage your health

For years, I’ve been talking about foundations. When you have foundations in place, they set you up for peak performance.

Gardens are a perfect example. I believe gardens grow when you have a strong foundation - quality soil, quality seeds, and nutrients that benefit both. A little sun, a little water, and the roots quickly grow. Strong roots support healthy plants, which in turn provide you fruits to enjoy. Take away any piece, and it all caves in.

I think we’re moving in the right direction with the growing niche of functional medicine.

Functional medicine focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Instead of walking into one healthcare provider - a general practitioner - and expecting them to “cure” one problem, health becomes a team practice where you have an entire team helping you achieve wellness.

We won’t separate out general practitioners, eye doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and nutritionists. Instead, they will all be a part of a team that gets to know you and digs deep for a more in-depth understanding. You won’t rely on one opinion without understanding how it fits into the overall plan …

But here’s the thing: Your doctor won’t spew advice and expect you to conform. It’s a team approach, with you as CEO over your own body. You’ll solicit advice from many resources. They’ll build a plan, all working together to give you a path toward a healthy future. You’re the “tweaker” who says yes and no along the way, crafting that plan to your perfection.

You are in charge of the team. You are the only person who will have ultimate control over what you do each day. With the team behind you, guiding you, helping you determine your best choices.

Doesn’t that sound like a great way to live!?

It all sounds futuristic, and yet it doesn’t have to be.

Let me tell you a story.

A few years ago, the holistic provider I’d been working with for a decade suddenly passed away. We’d become friends, and I miss her.

I found myself without a prescription for my bioidentical hormones, and without a doctor to test and provide advice. I scrambled to find one, did my research, and booked my first appointment.

A few months into the pandemic, everything was virtual. It wasn’t a perfect visit; I didn’t agree with everything she said, but it was a difficult time. We agreed to meet a few weeks later to get more in-depth with testing.

The second appointment was worse. A lot worse. She reverted to Western medicine thinking, demanding I follow standard Western medicine protocol. I argued and stood my ground. I wasn’t taking tests I didn’t believe in. She laughed, and said I must - she needed the results to complete the process and provide me the prescription I needed.

I felt we were at an impasse - I wasn’t going to follow her advice, and no longer trusted the advice she gave. So I found someone else to put on my team.

I eventually found a new holistic practitioner. It took work. Online research. Emails. Meetings. But I’ve worked with my new practitioner for two years, and I love her approach. I’ve shared resources with her and she’s followed up and done research of her own.

I love that about her - she knows there’s always more to learn. And she’s willing to help me be MY best, and learn to become better at what she does in the process.

I do believe we’re learning these lessons as a society too. We’ve gone down the wrong road for too long, and it’s showing up in our collective health. Some are waking up, noticing the problems, and doing what’s necessary to change it around.

We’ll get there. But why wait until it’s mainstream? When you see it clearly right now, you can make your own changes, and define your own wellness path.

Or Gorgeous Wellth, as I like to call it.

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