As a health care professional in the traditional medical system from nursing assistant in the VA Hospital to registered nurse in the USAF, my training and experience was treating sickness and disease. At the time, it seemed I was on the right path toward helping folks. However, once I retired from the Air Force and stepped away from that ‘sickness’ world, I see more clearly and understand the challenges of helping people with their health concerns in the current often-flawed system.
I decided to further my medical, health and wellness knowledge by getting my Masters degree in Counseling and Human Development and burying myself in books, seminars, conferences and my own self development work. I have come to the conclusion that the most important and fundamental key to optimal health and wellness is the food we eat. There is more to the health and wellness journey, but it all starts with what we put in our bodies. I have worked with many health care professionals (civilian and military) who were dedicated souls doing their best to help and support health-challenged people, however, we were all taught by sickness-related people (i.e. the pharmaceutical companies). Many physicians admit to only having received only an hour of nutrition in their medical education. Hopefully that tide is turning, but here’s the deal…health-care professionals can’t keep on top of all the new health and wellness options. Therefore, it is critical that we become warriors and take ownership and responsibility for our personal health and wellness.