I drove up to the cottage yesterday after a 8AM visit to the dentist to have my wisdom tooth extracted. I hated to see it go, but it was loose and effecting it’s neighbor, so having it pulled was my only good choice. I am leery of going to too many doctors and specialists and having too many blood tests or exploratory tests (such as ultrasounds), especially when they are ‘prescribed’ as routine and preventative, not because of any problematic symptoms. The dentist and optometrist, however, are my exceptions, and I’m keeping a eye, or rather an ear, on my hearing.
A few weeks ago I met an acquaintance from my early teaching days who told me that since the birth of her last (fourth) child forty years ago, she has never been back to a doctor. “Just eyes and teeth,” she told me. Admittedly she is in good health (as I am): her attitude resonated with mine.
Another friend told me that her mother, who died at age 96, claimed that she was living so long because, “I don’t let anyone have my blood.” No blood tests, no meddling, no medicine.
I try to stay away from doctors and medicine as one of the simple ways to keep my life simple. For example, my body didn’t have to wonder what all that flu vaccine was doing inside, because I did get a flu shot. “Why put ‘poison’ into a healthy body?” I asked myself and since I couldn’t come up with a satisfying answer, I avoided the needle prick and possible shot symptoms. I figure that if I get the flu, my mind/body/spirit will deal with it. All worth the chance.
I can’t count the number of times a headache as disappeared after I didn’t take a Tylenol. Since I don’t watch TV very much, I don’t learn about all the physical problems I might have and the meds I can take just in case. I do my best to live with a ‘no med’ policy. I take a few vitamins, and for the most part I eat healthy, although I love chips and anything salty.
I don’t mean to sound arrogant or invulnerable. I have two friends who had successful brain surgery this past year, and believe me, I’d have done the same in their situation. I’m just sharing some of the ways that I try to lead a simple life, which in some small measure means not giving attention to medical issues that don’t exist. I want to lead an intentional, and yes, a simple life, not a long one. I am not interested in living in the medical world, now, while I’m healthy, or later for any extended period of time when my body breaks down. That being said, I did have Novocain at the dentist yesterday!
A few weeks ago I met an acquaintance from my early teaching days who told me that since the birth of her last (fourth) child forty years ago, she has never been back to a doctor. “Just eyes and teeth,” she told me. Admittedly she is in good health (as I am): her attitude resonated with mine.
Another friend told me that her mother, who died at age 96, claimed that she was living so long because, “I don’t let anyone have my blood.” No blood tests, no meddling, no medicine.
I try to stay away from doctors and medicine as one of the simple ways to keep my life simple. For example, my body didn’t have to wonder what all that flu vaccine was doing inside, because I did get a flu shot. “Why put ‘poison’ into a healthy body?” I asked myself and since I couldn’t come up with a satisfying answer, I avoided the needle prick and possible shot symptoms. I figure that if I get the flu, my mind/body/spirit will deal with it. All worth the chance.
I can’t count the number of times a headache as disappeared after I didn’t take a Tylenol. Since I don’t watch TV very much, I don’t learn about all the physical problems I might have and the meds I can take just in case. I do my best to live with a ‘no med’ policy. I take a few vitamins, and for the most part I eat healthy, although I love chips and anything salty.
I don’t mean to sound arrogant or invulnerable. I have two friends who had successful brain surgery this past year, and believe me, I’d have done the same in their situation. I’m just sharing some of the ways that I try to lead a simple life, which in some small measure means not giving attention to medical issues that don’t exist. I want to lead an intentional, and yes, a simple life, not a long one. I am not interested in living in the medical world, now, while I’m healthy, or later for any extended period of time when my body breaks down. That being said, I did have Novocain at the dentist yesterday!