Marlene Buckler, MD, FACEP

I attended a medical conference this past weekend, entitled "Cardiovascular Symposium: Disease Prevention Update". It was well attended and featured cardiologists and other clinicians, well known and respected on both the local and national levels.

Of the seven doctors who spoke only two stressed the importance of lifestyle choices in the whole cardiovascular picture, and how disregard for healthy eating and exercise are linked to increases in obesity, diabetes (DM), hypertension(HTN), coronary artery disease (CAD) i.e. heart disease, high cholesterol and stroke. The other speakers seemed to concentrate more on the many drugs that are available to treat the signs and symptoms of the above-mentioned conditions. They appeared to be encouraging doctors to prescribe such drugs.

Prevention has to do with adopting measures that help prevent HTN, CAD, DM, etc.  Prescribing pills would fall into the category of treatment.  Since this was supposed to be a symposium on "Disease Prevention" I began wondering if we, as a medical community, by being so willing to prescribe drugs, are in fact enabling patients to continue down the wrong path, the path which lead them to disease in the first place.

In order for a person to be healed, to be whole, that person must decide to be an active participant in the healing process.  Allowing oneself to become a repository for medications and then to continue unhealthy behaviors as well, leads to further disempowerment of an individual already challenged.

I'm not saying that it's always wrong to take pills.  I'm not saying that drugs and other medical interventions are not at times indicated and appropriate.  What I am saying is that ultimately a doctor cannot make you healthy.  You are the only one who can get yourself on the right path to health.  But you must want to take that path and you must actively walk that path.  Passivity is not the way.  Action, determination and the expectation that you are and will continue to be healthy are the ways.

The most common ailments in Western society are preventable by adopting habits of proper nutrition, adequate exercise and a positive attitude.

So, are you into prevention?

Marlene Buckler,MD, FACEP          www.StayOutOfMyER.com ;