Obama hit the nail on the head when he said we don’t have a health care system, we have a health treatment system. If we spent a quarter of our resources and time on preventing disease instead of how to treat it, we’d certainly be in much better shape financially and physically. We know the pharmaceutical companies love to treat our disease and in some cases (I’d say many) they harm rather than help us. It is rare that as we age we do not prescribe to some medication or other that we are told will help us grow older. We need to lower our cholesterol, lower our blood pressure, regulate our insulin levels, reduce pain, clear our allergies, and on and on. Our country is one of the few that allows the drug companies to advertise on television – and advertise they do, constantly offering their sleep solutions, arthritis relief, penis enhancement, and a thousand other drugs that state more side effects than benefits. It’s a wonder anyway takes these medications given the possibilities for harm.

Or is it a wonder? There are many ways one can improve health by making lifestyle changes, but often it is just easier to take the drugs.  It is always a choice. So many are uninsured, the steps to better health certainly cost less than the drugs.  Here are the ten steps one can take to make a difference.

1. Eliminate sugar from your diet. Sugar is one of the biggest culprits in causing obesity, diabetes, inflammation leading to arthritis, and overall sluggish health and hormone imbalance. It rots our teeth, gives us useless calories and keeps us addicted to all the wrong foods.

2. Eliminating sugar means not drinking sodas. This ubiquitous soft drink is one of the main reasons our children are obese and our population is unhealthy. We should ban all soft drinks and make them illegal! Lose weight by stop drinking these poisonous drinks.

3. Eat whole foods – all processed foods have lots of sugar and hydrogenated oils. Our fruits and vegetables are far less wholesome than they used to be due to pesticides and farming practices, but they are certainly better than anything fast food chains have to offer.

4. Take a walk, join a gym, get on that treadmill, run around the block, use the stairs instead of the elevator. Get some exercise! Cardiovascular health is so important to circulation and blood pressure. We sit, sit, and sit some more in front of our computers. We must move our bodies. Yoga is great as it integrates breathing and wholeness in our bodies and minds.

5. Stop smoking. Tobacco and nicotine clog our arteries and damage our lungs. Why does anyone smoke? (it’s addictive and the tobacco industry is HUGE)

6. Breathe. Yes, breathe! Most people breathe very in very shallow breaths. We need to oxygenate our lungs and cells by taking big breaths, holding them, then releasing, say 10 times in a session, and a few times a day. This is what yoga is all about. Learning to breathe and integrate our bodies and minds. Look into taking a yoga class in your area. Or practice deep breathing at least twice a day. A good ratio is to breathe in for two counts, hold it for eight counts, then release for four counts.

7. Take some time for yourself. All work and no play is a recipe for stress and depression. Watch a good movie, put the kids to bed and read a book. It’s important to reflect and find some inner peace. Wherever we are we can take a moment to enjoy some tiny detail in our lives.

8. Take time with friends and family. Our social connections keep us healthy. When we are disconnected from our loved ones we definitely alter our immune systems.

9. Express gratitude. There are numerous stories of people without material luxuries who go through life happy and content, grateful to be alive and of service to others. “As we sow, so shall we reap.” What we give is what we get back. No one ever achieved greatness without caring for others.

10. Everything is a state of mind. Concentrate on the positive, don’t sweat the small stuff (it’s all small stuff), and know no one gets out alive. We are all bound to meet our maker. Belief is a strong anecdote to pain and suffering. Our strong belief systems go a long way to helping our bodies heal themselves.