The Let's Help Each other Get Healthier Thread!!!

[callinectes]

You know what worries me about Nationalized Health Care? Speaking as a government employee (state now, but have worked for the feds) the very fact that the government will be running it guarantees it will be an enormous cluster fuck. It will be an inefficient and bloated agency filled with "I'm from the government and I am here to help" types . And while the cost may appear to be less than private medical care that will be an illusion because in reality it will simply suck up money from other areas of the general budget.
If I could think of a single large scale program the government runs well I might be a little more optimistic.

/rant

Sorry to hijack.

 

[callinectes]

Back on track..

Does anyone here belong to Curves? How do you like it?

 

[WantToBeMounted]

I don't belong yet. But I just got a free week trial. Ive been 4 days and LOVE it.

 

[Netzach]

You know what worries me about Nationalized Health Care? Speaking as a government employee (state now, but have worked for the feds) the very fact that the government will be running it guarantees it will be an enormous cluster fuck. It will be an inefficient and bloated agency filled with "I'm from the government and I am here to help" types . And while the cost may appear to be less than private medical care that will be an illusion because in reality it will simply suck up money from other areas of the general budget.
If I could think of a single large scale program the government runs well I might be a little more optimistic.

/rant

Sorry to hijack.

Why are there a whole bunch of other nations able to run things on this model, westernized and non-messed up ones, without killing everyone then? I'm sure there are less than ideal moments in Australian or Canadian health, but it's not like you have people completely shut out and dying in the streets or losing their housing and every piece of property.

Nobody's OK with status quo. Not patients not MD's, not even the businesses who are being stuck with insane costs to insure employees - it benefits no one but the insurance industry.

 

[Netzach]

Many colleges offer plans through the school at a steep discount. You may wish to look into that.

Yes. We had to be insured to be enrolled and they provided cheap and decent basics coverage as part of the package to students, optional to those who didn't have other coverage. I was on it - your accident would totally be part of what's covered. I've discovered that there are also systems in place in non-profit hospitals for patients who are financially not well off - my hospitalizations were capped at 1 grand each by a program at the hospital for people with income under a certain amount. Now, I HAD to have care after that, clearly, and diagnostics, so I'm still looking at a tab of 20-30 grand, but it would have been 40-50 without that program. If I can get a choice of hospital I'll pick a NON Catholic Christian affiliated one to get sick at, personally, at least here.

 

[callinectes]

Why are there a whole bunch of other nations able to run things on this model, westernized and non-messed up ones, without killing everyone then?

Yeah, well, the key words there are "other nations". Maybe it has something to do with the size of our population. Maybe it is because our political leadership is comprised of a strong good-old boy network and elitism. I dunno. I just know I am hard pressed to think of a single well-run social program. I can't think of more than two well-run state programs.

I'm not knocking the idea of national health care. It's the reality of it seen with an insider's view that scares me.

 

[Netzach]

Yeah, well, the key words there are "other nations". Maybe it has something to do with the size of our population. Maybe it is because our political leadership is comprised of a strong good-old boy network and elitism. I dunno. I just know I am hard pressed to think of a single well-run social program. I can't think of more than two well-run state programs.

I'm not knocking the idea of national health care. It's the reality of it seen with an insider's view that scares me.

Good point. I can't think of any either.

 

[WriterDom]

National health care would be good for people who aren't covered. But a fucking nightmare for everyone else. Government only does a few things well, and health care isn't one of them.

 

[Netzach]

my discoveries about physical exertion:

1. go
2. things that helped me go are classes, the fact that trainers at the gym in the hood I go to charge 10 bucks per session (!) and the fact that M and I go together once a week.
3. I dunno 'bout you guys but without accountability peer pressure and telling someone who's going to ask if I went, I am so not going.

this is natural. Even my yoga instructor said "if I didn't teach you think I'd do this as often as I do?"

 

[Netzach]

National health care would be good for people who aren't covered. But a fucking nightmare for everyone else. Government only does a few things well, and health care isn't one of them.

Considering that's a fair chunk of the populace, fix what's broke seems like a good mandate. But I don't really feel like a 1900 dollar per person deductable is encouraging me to seek out maintenance care and get the meds I need at 260 per month and I think I'm pretty normal.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

3

 

[xxCrystal4314xx]

I do think that the NHS isn't perfect, but to be honest, given the financial situation I've been in since I left home, I would have starved by now with the amount of medical costs I'd have had to pay in the US. Very sad, when people can't afford to be well because the government can't/won't get itself in gear.

Then again, to have a healthcare system like ours, there'd be more taxes, and you might even end up paying as much for fuel/gas as we do

 

[reignophelia]

3

How are you? You've successfully taken your medication three days in a row?

I've been horrible. I've got to stop drinking coffee.

 

[FurryFury]

my discoveries about physical exertion:

1. go
2. things that helped me go are classes, the fact that trainers at the gym in the hood I go to charge 10 bucks per session (!) and the fact that M and I go together once a week.
3. I dunno 'bout you guys but without accountability peer pressure and telling someone who's going to ask if I went, I am so not going.

this is natural. Even my yoga instructor said "if I didn't teach you think I'd do this as often as I do?"

As much as I might "want" to be in tighter shape, I know I won't do it without a partner and/or accountability either. I just don't enjoy it enough to do it otherwise.

 

[coyotesmile]

I don't mean to take this off track again but I just want to point out that a lot of other countries can do nationalized health care because they have higher taxes and a smaller standing military. I'm not excusing the poor state of things because I really think that something needs to change.

But I know in Canada (not sure about the whole country, but at least one of the provinces my friend lives in) the sales tax rate is around 14%, whereas in the US it's usually around 7%.

 

[FurryFury]

I don't mean to take this off track again but I just want to point out that a lot of other countries can do nationalized health care because they have higher taxes and a smaller standing military. I'm not excusing the poor state of things because I really think that something needs to change.

But I know in Canada (not sure about the whole country, but at least one of the provinces my friend lives in) the sales tax rate is around 14%, whereas in the US it's usually around 7%.

*nod a lot*

And we'd all bitch like hell if our taxes doubled believe me!

 

[FurryFury]

You know what worries me about Nationalized Health Care? Speaking as a government employee (state now, but have worked for the feds) the very fact that the government will be running it guarantees it will be an enormous cluster fuck. It will be an inefficient and bloated agency filled with "I'm from the government and I am here to help" types . And while the cost may appear to be less than private medical care that will be an illusion because in reality it will simply suck up money from other areas of the general budget.
If I could think of a single large scale program the government runs well I might be a little more optimistic.

/rant

Sorry to hijack.

I totally agree with the fact that anything the government runs likely will be a mess of hell.

BTW, I did some martial arts today!

It's soooo not my thing. I just went for my girl but I'm already feeling sore dammit.

I guess I should bask in the glow of being righteous or some shit though, huh?

*growls*

 

[myinnerslut]

i had a horrendous eating day yeasturday. npot only was the crappy cam lunch macoroni and cheese, but i absolutly binged on it (mac and cheese is my favorite food, and i was alreaddy starving when lunch time came around).

after that A and i went to wendy's for dinner that evening (his choice) so i ate more bad food, then felt disgusted.

t school i have a gym buddy who goes with me several times a week, but i havnt been to a gym once since summer break started. i feel rather disgusted with myself right now. i really need someonoe to chase me around and remind me to excesize.

that being said, i am getting off the computer and going to do something productive.

 

[Netzach]

worked out again today, this time with the trainer and M and this weird russian weight swinging thing. I am really sore, like really really sore already.

Bough food - good for body horrible for finances. I figure I'd rather spend it on food than on medical bills though, I tell myself this as justification. I need to start hitting the farmers' markets for veggies, I'm sure they're cheaper for the locally grown.

 

[brioche]

my discoveries about physical exertion:

1. go
2. things that helped me go are classes, the fact that trainers at the gym in the hood I go to charge 10 bucks per session (!) and the fact that M and I go together once a week.
3. I dunno 'bout you guys but without accountability peer pressure and telling someone who's going to ask if I went, I am so not going.

this is natural. Even my yoga instructor said "if I didn't teach you think I'd do this as often as I do?"

I'm the same.
Last time I went to the gym it was a kind of come in whenever you want system and whoever was on shift would set the machines for you. I rarely darkened the door.
This time I make appointments with my trainer who is always my trainer (unless I wanted to switch) and I see the physio by appointment too.
It works much better. If I'm only accountable to myself, I won't go in, but when I have someone expecting me (who will call if I don't show up, btw) I go. Which is better for both parties.
Even last Thursday I made myself go in when I was tired as hell. Because they were expecting me.
I also learned to stick with one person. The trainer who screwed up my rotator cuffs badly enough for us to stop working them totally for weeks was on the weekend. I'm going Monday Tuesday Thursday now to avoid having to see someone else. My trainer knows me and my limitations well. Someone in for the weekend doesn't.

Edited to add: And she makes me do mat work. I actually find this harder than the machines - probably because it's tailored to my weaknesses.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I've complained of back problems for years, and my doctors have agreed that I do have back problems How often does *that* happen? However, the bad part of their agreement with my diagnosis is that - excluding the occasional bout of sciatica - they've all said pretty much the same thing: "The biggest problem with/for your back is your front!" (The medicine ball I carry around in the front of my shirt. <Sigh>)

I know there are two things I need to do to resolve the greater portion of my back problems, and as a desirable side effect, help with my body image issues:

1) Lose weight - a substantial amount. I currently weigh in the neighborhood of 270-275, and at 6'3", the "charts" say I should weigh approximately 216 pounds (yeah, right!) and my BMI is 34.4. I would be happy to bring my weight down to around 230-235, and ecstatic at 220-225. I can do that, if I get motivated enough, mostly by cutting down portion sizes, cutting out the snacks and going back to Atkins (which the doctor *has* said she wouldn't recommend, but would *allow.* She also said a by-product of going back to Atkins would probably be to help with my non-insulin dependent diabetes, which is part of the reason why she wouldn't say no to it.

2) Tighten up some of the parts of my body that have never gotten enough work, particularly my abs. That means sit-ups (a *lot* of 'em), push-ups, and pull-ups. I have the necessary equipment to do the first two (a floor ), but not the pull-ups. The problem again is motivation, and figuring a way to get myself to do it regularly.​

I can't afford a gym membership - that's not even *near* the equation, let alone in it. For those who *do* work on their bodies on a regular basis without going to a gym/spa/whatever, how do you "enforce the discipline" on yourself to get it done?

 

[Netzach]

I've complained of back problems for years, and my doctors have agreed that I do have back problems How often does *that* happen? However, the bad part of their agreement with my diagnosis is that - excluding the occasional bout of sciatica - they've all said pretty much the same thing: "The biggest problem with/for your back is your front!" (The medicine ball I carry around in the front of my shirt. <Sigh>)

I know there are two things I need to do to resolve the greater portion of my back problems, and as a desirable side effect, help with my body image issues:

1) Lose weight - a substantial amount. I currently weigh in the neighborhood of 270-275, and at 6'3", the "charts" say I should weigh approximately 216 pounds (yeah, right!) and my BMI is 34.4. I would be happy to bring my weight down to around 230-235, and ecstatic at 220-225. I can do that, if I get motivated enough, mostly by cutting down portion sizes, cutting out the snacks and going back to Atkins (which the doctor *has* said she wouldn't recommend, but would *allow.* She also said a by-product of going back to Atkins would probably be to help with my non-insulin dependent diabetes, which is part of the reason why she wouldn't say no to it.

2) Tighten up some of the parts of my body that have never gotten enough work, particularly my abs. That means sit-ups (a *lot* of 'em), push-ups, and pull-ups. I have the necessary equipment to do the first two (a floor ), but not the pull-ups. The problem again is motivation, and figuring a way to get myself to do it regularly.​

I can't afford a gym membership - that's not even *near* the equation, let alone in it. For those who *do* work on their bodies on a regular basis without going to a gym/spa/whatever, how do you "enforce the discipline" on yourself to get it done?

Hm.

I think I could get somewhere if I agreed with myself that I could not visit my vibrator until after I'd visited my thera-band. Videos, while stupid at times, work well too, if you really just force them into routine. If you brush your teeth, you use your equipment, that kind of thing. I'm not wealthy at all. I'm looking at expensive groceries as "this means I can't eat out at all" and I'm looking at the 20 bucks a week on yoga as money I could blow on fast food but can't now. Budget can actually help if you use it as a tool.

 

[HottieMama]

i'm craving popcorn and Sno-Caps. i think PMS has hit HottieMama land.

i will not give in. i will not give in....i will NOT give in.

 

[FurryFury]

I refuse to think of carbs as wrong. I must have my carbs.

I exercise in part to be able to eat what I want, when I want and when I'm not too lazy to go fix it.

LOL.

 

[Hisbabydoll26]

i'm craving popcorn and Sno-Caps. i think PMS has hit HottieMama land.

i will not give in. i will not give in....i will NOT give in.

Hottie what about low fat micro popcorn? I'm not trying to feed your craving but also believe if you go a couple of days and really still crave it you need to have something to get it out of your system. I use http://www.orville.com/products/microwave_popcorn/smart.jsp the low fat, use pam spray (fat free butter spray) and then sprinkle Molly McButter cheese powder on top. The cheese powder and spray are minimal so basically you get cheese popcorn for 2 grams of fat. *shrugs* It helps me so hopefully you can find that useful. Sno-caps...um yeah might want to stay away from.

If you like ice cream sandwiches (I'm thinking chocolate for you) you can take low fat chocolate graham crackers and fat free cool whip and make your own low fat version. Take one graham cracker (looks like two) break in the middle put cool whip in between and freeze. You can make a bunch at once and they are much better for you than the real thing. I also find sugar free Jello pudding snacks (they now have a chocolate mint flavor) is good. Oddly enough it's better for you than the fat free and tastes like a thin mint. They also have caramel in the sugar free. If you want it to be more like mousse you can add a cup or half cup of fat free cool whip to the pudding and stir.

Sorry if I made anyone hungry I was just trying to offer some ideas.