My Plan for Health Care Reform

The new health reform bill has excited a lot of people. And why shouldn't it. The White House website states: "Health reform will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable, expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the Federal budget, and the economy." 

Now that sounds fantastic, but, I hate to rain on everyones excitement; it doesn't say it will make anyone or the U.S. a healthier nation. Now you might think just because we have all these new benefits we will get healthier; well I think that's an illusion. This bill will not move us from the 37th healthiest or unhealthiest country ranking based on the World Health Organization Raking to one of the top 10. 

I believe this reform bill only makes health care available to the people already sick. This tells them not to worry about being healthy, you now have health care so keep doing what you have been doing and just go to the doctors when you need to.  Back in the 1960's President Johnson's solution for poor people was a welfare system; it back fired because it eventually made it desirable for poor people to stay poor; it gave them no incentive to get off  welfare.  Health care reform is a similar program; where are the incentives to inspire, motivate and empower people to change their behaviors so they don't get sick. 

What is really needed to improve the overall health of our country and its citizens is a lot more than just access to health care. Health care is where you go after you are sick, we need a national program designed to keep people from getting sick in the first place. There needs to be programs that encourage a massive lifestyle change; something that makes people get up and exercise, eat properly and manage their stress better. 

Today more than 80 percent of the causes of death in America are life style behaviors, things that are in the individuals control. Yet, nothing about this bill address that, it only provides health care for all the people that are getting sick; and of course that's great. But, the real solution to the health problems in America I proposed several months ago, and apparently the president didn't see it. 

My proposal would provide a financial incentive for all Americans to embark on a healthy life style program.   Just like the tax refund program inspires many people to fill out their taxes early, this program would inspire many people to get healthy, because they want the Health & Wellness Refund.  And because the most unhealthiest people are those with the least amount of money this will appeal directly to them 

For starters the program would be called The Health and Wellness Plan.  It would list several requirements to get the money:

1. Stop Smoking
2. Be drug free
3. Participate in a specified exercise program
4. Join and make progress in a weight management program if required
5. Attend a bi-annual or yearly stress management program
6. Attend a yearly healthy eating and cooking program
7. See your dentist and health care provider on schedule

At the end of the year your requirements would be verified and based on your success a check would be mailed out for a certain amount. The big question is always were does this money come from; it comes from the same place your take return money comes from; you pay it into a tax pool. At the end of the year just meet all requirements and you get it back. Fail to meet them and it goes into the pool for paying for your doctor bills.


So, essentially your taxes go up but you have to opportunity to get a refund at the end of the year. This tax money either provides the individual with a little Christmas bonus money or it provides the funds for their medical bills.  


WIthin this new policy there would be two other new policies. The fast food industry would be regulated better and forced to provide better quality food. Ok so you are thinking you can not regulate the fast food industry like that. Why not congress regulated the tobacco industry once it got feed up with their lying. Congress should be feed up with the fast food industry's role in our sick country. 

The second part to this policy would be a requirement for all schools K-12 to implement a PE program and a health and wellness education program. The goal hear is to graduate from high school having been involved in exercise everyday of school from K to 12, and they have taken health and wellness classes the entire time also. We want to graduate kids from high school that know about fitness, health and wellness and they become healthy productive citizens, with the emphases on healthy. 

How the iPhone makes life easier

It was with extreme reluctance that I made the shift from Sprint to AT&T. I had been a loyal Sprint customer for more than 20 years. But after testing Sprints Palm Pre and the iPhone there was no way I could disregard the iPhone's overwhelming and superior number of programs that could make your life easy; and after all isn't life better when it's easier. 

This post will give you a short preview of one day in my life with the iPhone. You may not run out and buy one today, and I’m not selling them. But if simplicity in life is what you seek here is how I do it. 

32 iPhone apps that make your life easier.  

1. Computer, just put it in your pocket and go.
2. Send and receive email wherever you are. 
3. Manage social networking profiles.
4. Read the New Papers with one button.  
5. Listen to the radio anywhere there is phone signal. 
6. Listening to music is one button away
7. Alarm clock is one button away.  
8. Watch is one button away.
9. Calendar and to-do list one button away.
10. Check movie listing right on the iPhone.
11. Meditation programs one button away. 
12. Read or listen to books with one button.  
13. GPS, never get lost, one button away. 
14. Check bank accounts with one button. 
15. Book flights, rental cars and hotels with a few clicks.
16. Makes and take note with a few clicks. 
17. Create a shopping list with a few buttons,
18. Flashlight, one button turns phone into flashlight.
19. Locate the best restaurant with one button.
20. Carry your bible on the iPhone in your pocket
21. Listen to college lectures on the iPhone. 
22. Play games.
23. Strengthen you brain power. 
24. Track your fitness goals.
25. Track your period. 
26. Track and manage your weight.
27. Track airline flight status.
28. Track your baby cam.
29. Track your kids or partner. 
30. Track your eating habits.
31. Take photos. 
32. Make phone calls, I almost forgot. 

Is your self talk hurting or helping you?

It never seems to amaze me how people can talk themselves into a problem, or exacerbate the one they have just by the way they talk to them-self. Most sane people would never just sit around all day and listen to someone berate, criticize, condemn, and belittle them but they easily do it to themselves. Some of the things one might say to them self are:

• I don't know how I'm going to pass this class.
• I'm just not good at writing.
• Everything is just so hard on me.
• I can not do this.
• I'm going to fail. 
• I just can't remember anything. 
• I'm so stupid. 
• I think I got into more than I can handle.

“Your Self-Talk is the new blueprint of you, that you are giving to yourself.” -- Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D., Author, and Self Talk Expert

These type of thoughts drain you of physical energy and mental power. But that's not the worst thing negative self talk does. When we make these self defeating comments about our self, it degrades our self image and self-esteem but even worst it signals your brain to stop trying to help you.  All this does is depress or repress your power to succeed.

Empowering language that give you strength and mental power sounds more like this: 

• I can finish this class problem with a little effort. 
• Actually I'm going to finish this thing no matter what. 
• I guess I need to study a little more. 
• I can do this with a little effort.
• Now let me think were did I put those keys. 

To begin to change yourself talk start with the answer you give to the single most asked question on the planet; How are you doing? Answer it as you want it to be and over time that's exactly how it will become. The best answer you can give is to say I'm doing:

• Fantastic
• Outstanding
• Wonderful 
• Great
• Superb
• or event your own self empowering answer. 

Try it and watch how your day get better.


If you hear a voice within you saying, ''You are not a painter,'' then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. 
Vincent Van Gogh 
1853-1890 
Dutch Painter

Stress Management Techniques

People often, ask me why am I always so positive, upbeat and enthusiastic. People that actually know me never just ask how am I doing; they always ask “How fantastic are you today Clint.” And then there are some who say you can’t possibly be that positive and happy all the time. My response is simply. “Yes I can watch me.” There is one story I always tell and several techniques I use that can help you never have another bad day in your life.  

First, the story I always tell for why I’m so positive and happy all the time starts with something I learned many years ago from an old Japanese WWII soldier called “The Secret to everlasting happiness.” This Japanese soldier had been stationed on the island of Okinawa Japan during the U.S. invasion but was not captured nor rescued or told when the war ended. As far as he was concerned the war was still going on. He would sneak down into the city of Naha and steal food and cloths and go back to his hideout.

More than 40 years later, he was still hiding in the mountains. And in 1985 when I was stationed their while in the Marines I ran into him by accident during a training exercise when he started shooting at my unit. We only had blanks, so when we realized someone had real bullets we left, called the MP’s and they finally captured him. During the interrogation everyone wondered why he was so happy, positive enthusiastic and of course hungry. When he was asked why he was so happy, after being left and forgotten up in these mountains for more than 40 years he smiled and said “I happy because I know secret to ever lasting happiness”.  

Now being a Marine and having served around Sailor for many years my first thought was “B_ _ _ S_ _ _.” I would have been mad as hell if the Marines had left and forgot about me for only 40 minutes. We then asked him what was this secret? He again smiled and said, “I can only share secret if you first take a solemn vow to apply and use the secret for the rest of your life.”  At this point I’m standing in the back thinking “Give me a break”. So you can tell I had a bad attitude before learning the secret. We all took this vow and he told us the secret. And ever since then I have used this secret every day and now I’m positive and happy all the time. 

Keep reading if you want the secret. 

Along with the secret I use these stress management techniques on a regular basis. In fact some time two or three times a day. Some of these can be used for immediate stress management and some are for long term management of stress.  

The first technique I used every morning right after applying the secret to everlasting happiness is Mediation. Meditation is used to train the mind to be relaxed and free of all the chatter that goes on throughout the day. But this morning mediation is not just any kind of meditation I do what is called “Transcendental mediation. To learn more about Transcendental Mediation watch this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfIqvZLIZz8

The second technique I used though out the day anytime I feel the need to relax is call diaphragmatic breathing. This technique can be used to almost immediately reduce the stress of the moment. It is base on the scientific research conducted by Herbert Benson, MD and described in his national best seller “The Relaxation Response” To learn more about this technique watch the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSgZqxAaYQU

Oh before I forget send me an email saying you vow to apply and use the “Secret to Everlasting Happiness” every day for the rest of your life and I’ll send you the secret he gave us.