Feeling healthy?

Marrisa made a point on her blog about an encounter with the NZ Health Service and this week I thought I would mention our experience of it. I am pleased to say that I have only visited the doctor once in the last 20 years of my life (and that was a waste of time), Joyce however has used the Health Service here on two occasions. Both times the service was efficient and hospital appointments were made and the waiting times did not seem too long (about 3 months). There were a couple of Americans who used to come into the cafe for a chat, and they had need of health care and felt that the NZ Health Service was appalling and soon returned to the USA to get the kind of help they wanted. So I guess it is really a case of what you are used to, as to how you rate the service here. What I can say is that the cost of going to the dentist here is something that I find hard to get my head round (think a weeks wages for a filling). At a bit of a tangent here, Georgia has been doing a bit about family history at school. My Dad looked into our family tree as a hobby and traced direct descendants back to 1702. The interesting thing I noticed was the age when they died, apart from two, they all lived to about 73/74. So, David Thomas Corby lived to 74 in the 1700's, my Dad died at 73 in 2003. So what price modern medicine? no one has lived any longer despite the so called "advances " in modern medicine (which did nothing to help or save my Dad). When you read the history of the pharmaceutical industry and medical colleges (financed by Oil tycoons) you realise that money talks and talks very loudly, a cure for diseases just aren't looked for (there is no money if you cure an illness) only "treatments". (If you have cancer or know someone who does, GOOGLE vitamin B17, and make up your own mind). To get back to some NZ relevance, there is a strong awareness here about traditional and alternative medicine, and we have the Maori and Chinese influence to thank for that, Joyce has put together an ointment from a Pacific Island remedy, and it cures all sorts of skin ailments (just ask if you want the "recipe").
What I can say is that living in NZ, you do find yourself less exposed to the Propaganda and brainwashing put out by the mainstream media, that science will save us so don't worry about personal responsibility, just keep eating the same old "crap". Your mind seems to wake up here and you become more aware, you find yourself researching information, to ask questions and to find the answers. I never seemed to have the time to do this in the UK and was one of the masses that believed the next wonder drug was just round the corner. My eyes are now open, just avoid any food that has been processed, drink plenty of water, do a bit of exercise, then you can leave the drugs in the chemist. (of course Sods law says I will now drop dead of some nasty disease).