A FORCED TIME FOR REFLECTION. SICKCARE OR HEALTHCARE?

Shanee Moret Joseph Scalia, Jr. Louis B. Cady, M.D. Mary Pennington, MD, RN, MBA Kenneth Sun David A. Pellegrini Achint V Choksy MD

WELCOME TO WORLD MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY.

Over the past six weeks, Florida has experienced two major hurricanes, each claiming lives, destroying homes, and forcing many of us to barricade ourselves in our homes or seek safe havens elsewhere. The media saturated the airwaves with updates on the destruction, flooding, and the sense of hopelessness faced by those battling the forces of nature. During this time, many of us were fortunate to survive unscathed, although we felt the effects of power outages, which meant no electricity, no air conditioning, and not-so-romantic candlelight meals.

On the positive side, however, we were forced to engage in serious conversations with those we share our homes with. Under the umbrella of collective fear, we were able to do some soul searching.

Naturally, discussions arose about the future and our state of health and wellness. It became clear to me that we need to make dramatic changes to our healthcare system and bold decisions about our lifestyle choices. Imagine not being able to run to the doctor for every trivial ailment and having to seek alternative or complementary solutions. For example, the psychological stress from the hurricane, which caused emotional anxiety and mental strain, leading to insomnia, constipation, or diarrhea, prompts us to introspect and consider how mental health impacts our physical well-being. This situation provided an opportunity to think about taking control of our health without relying on allopathic remedies.

We have become accustomed to relying on the pharmaceutical industry to solve our problems, but this situation forced us to consider how we might address constipation or diarrhea with food and improve sleep through mental exercises and herbal infusions. This is where we begin to think for ourselves.

I believe mental health is the foundation of our physical well-being. It is often under duress that we become creative and think outside the box. But first, we need to understand what this "box" refers to—traditional thinking, societal beliefs, and the ways our communities have evolved. Each generation is different from the previous one, and the influence of media, including social media, has led to dramatic changes.

I previously mentioned that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only two countries where the pharmaceutical industry can advertise prescription drugs, which means the general public is presented with health "solutions" without fully understanding the ramifications and potential adverse reactions.

The hurricanes, in a way, provided a social remedy for the mental anguish that might otherwise have been addressed through medication. The common experience of people huddled together fostered a bond of emotions, where the human connection prevailed over pharmaceutical options. Evidence of this communal spirit is seen in the aftermath of tragedy, as strangers come together to help one another, and empathy flourishes.

In studying the Blue Zones, one factor contributing to the longevity of its inhabitants is the social bonding that occurs when emotions are shared in a more authentic way. Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day, an excellent opportunity to embrace a new mindset focused on preventive health and personal responsibility for our health and wellness.

You are cordially invited to join me LIVE on Saturday October 12th at 10:30 AM EST where I will be going into details about monetizing Preventive health with Dr. Achint Choksy.

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