Treating Ulcerative Colitis Without Health Care

Yikes. I could say that if I didn't have ulcerative colitis, my finances would be a lot better than they are now. But who knows, perhaps I would have spent the same money that I have on my health on ridiculous unnecessary expenses, as many Americans do. I know that I've certainly become wiser about spending money, since I don't have extra money to dispose of due to the fact that most of the money I make goes towards supplements. I currently do not have health care (I haven't had it since last year) for two reason: it's unnecessarily expensive and also, I no longer believe in the medical system.

The medical system is designed to make money off of our prescription drug purchases. Doctors are practically paid according to their sales ability, since pharmaceutical companies pay them for distributing these drugs. When I was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, I did indeed have health care, but my naivete of the health care system allowed the doctors to cause me further problems (see my other articles, particularly "Overcoming Inflammatory Bowel Disease in High School"). So I learned the hard way (even though I'm glad I did) that having medical coverage was not at all indicative of how well the care that I was provided would be. In fact, I feel a hundred times safer now taking matters into my own hands. Sure, the supplement regimen that I've honed and now adhere to has gotten to be expensive. I spend possibly one hundred dollars a month on all of my supplements. But these supplements are meant for better health in general, and as a benefit, I've noticed that my moods are more manageable, my hair and nails are thicker, and my skin is enjoying a lot more clarity and improved color. However, the stuff my doctor put me on (benzodiazepenes were also included, to alleviate those anxiety-triggered episodes) made me groggy, made me put on weight, made me constipated and slow, and just made me feel terrible all over. My skin condition was suffering from the beginning of my experience with bowel problems (believe me, the two are linked), and was somehow made worse through prescription drugs.

After I got off all of the chemicals, all of which are synthetic, meaning they aren't meant to mesh completely with the human body, I no longer felt as if I was abusing my body. Now, I watch everything that goes into my body-- food, liquids, desserts, even chemicals that come from cosmetics and hair dyes-- and I feel as if I'm becoming stronger and stronger. So by all means, become educated on achieving optimal personal health through natural means, learn to exercise good judgement when choosing what methods, and possibly you too could eventually stop being dependent on doctors, believing that only through them can you be lead to recovery. The key is actually in your hands once you start learning.