health
August 2008 
Online Health and Health Gadgets
Posted on Mar 16th, 2008
by 
Zet White
Zet White
Just a comment to the news about the Microsoft-Google interest in health, etc.
First off, health is not just behaviour change, it's infrastructural change, too. And the trend I keep seeing in the medical profession is all about behaviour change, and "assisting" (forcing?) behaviour change. It would be much better health-wise to stop advertising junk food and alcohol, for example, but no, it is, as they say, up to >us< to resist the temptation, to watch our pulse and pressure every day and end up anorexic or overweight, stressed and even depressed.
Second, do you trust your government? Or internet security? Maybe it's better for our health to keep our health info not piled up somewhere online...
Finally, maybe it's a better use of funds to go out and help the homeless, unemployed and third-world-poor more rather than thinking up fancy gadgets for the rich, who statistically (in comparison) have very little health-wise to worry about?
Access: Public
personally, I think it's high time every individual took responsability for their own health. You can't just pay a large proportion of your income into health funds and carry on doing whatever, and expect a body “repair” when things go wrong. The active maintenance of the body is paramount. Health is in YOUR HANDS. It's not out there.
here's a thoght. Let's imagine we shut down all hospitals overnight. A disaster scenario? or would people say, umm, not copouts now, I've got to get myself into shape, start eating well, cut out the junk foods that lead to diabetes and obesity.
Health care is disempowreing.
ok, rant mode off. Just had to get that our somewhere. Sorry you were the one to cop it :-)
Oh but you’re so right, Wanderer! I really agree with you here - healthcare IS disempowering in a way. I think the main problem is not so much “healthcare” but the consumerist culture where “healthcare” and even “health” is like a good we can go out and buy (through cash or taxes). It can be summarised thus: “It hurts? Drink a pill!”. That is the first thing not only on doctors’ minds but on people’s minds, too. Quick-fix. Consumption. Health-CARE(i.e. from outside), not health-self-care.
But your point about everyone taking responsibility for their own health… This is a tough issue and exactly the one I “criticise” because it’s a step away from the problem. It may sound right to say it on a street in New York, but in Uganda or Bangladesh it just sounds different. It is a bit different to take responsibility for your own health if there are crazy people with guns ranpaging your country… Or severe droughts (or floods) devastating your country because of the polluting lifestyle of someone on another continent. You see what I’m getting at? I think >ultimately< it is right to say it's person's own responsibility in terms of physical and spiritual health (I know about the spiritual healing potential), but at THIS point it is a dangerous argument to make which glosses over some major health factors wich are outside the person's control.