Healthy People, Healthy Planet

To heal the planet, we need to begin with ourselves.

Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic on Unsplash

The United States is a sick nation.

I cannot sugarcoat this in any way. We as a nation are suffering. This is impacting us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

First, there are these artificial divisions that are having a real impact on our minds, emotions, and spirits. The divisions between black and white, gay and straight, genders, Christians and atheists, Republicans and Democrats — all of these are entirely artificial. Yet they are used to keep us divided and in combat and competition with one another — both figuratively and literally — by too many of our so-called leaders.

Then, to add insult to injury, healthcare is expensive, treated as a privilege rather than a right, and bankrupts people because its focus isn’t on wellness and prevention, but rather diagnosis and treatment. Because of this broken system, by the time a person has no choice but to get treatment they’re going to spend an obscene amount of money and suffer on lots of levels.

Finally, mental health is given little respect and is also wicked expensive. Because of the stigma attached to it, we don’t give it the kind of attention it deserves until, again, we’re diagnosing and treating rather than practicing wellness and…