ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Health freedom: Your choice

It’s finally July, with all the joys of summer! This time of year, many people take at least a cursory look at our freedoms and rights, and, hopefully, they are grateful for them: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, freedom of petition, freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom from discrimination, freedom from cruel or unusual punishment. Also: the right to marry, the right to work, the right to bear arms, the right to a fair trial, the right to due process, the right to equal protection under law, the right to vote, the right to property, the right to education, the right to privacy, the right to access information — I’ve likely missed some. While all of these deserve special attention, it is the later ones that I would like to expound on.

Health Freedom means you have certain rights and choices. With them also comes responsibility, and it is our job to ensure them. About 200 years ago, we were just starting to understand what today is the basics of hygiene and sanitation, especially in health care, so our choices were fewer. As we have progressed in our understanding of our bodies and how they function, and many marvels of modern medicine have come to be, we have developed to a point where our choices are many, but we are oftentimes left feeling pigeon-holed into one ideology, feeling we have no choice. But we do.

Starting with the right to education and the right to access information, we need to develop communication skills with our practitioner of choice, so that these rights are fulfilled. Any diagnostic test, medication, procedure, or surgery that is done, you have the right to ask about the risks, what they are looking for, are there other ways of acquiring that same or similar information, and what are the personal risks to you if you do or don’t do it. Many doctors today bully patients into compliance using fear, intimidation or the “if you were my mother” phrases.  

You should be able to trust your practitioners, whether they are primary care or specialists. They are there to help you, but they must also honor your personal choices, even if they don’t align with what they think is in your best interest. After all, it is your body, you are the only one who can decide the degree you choose to suffer. Whether that suffering is increased pain, toxicity from the prescribed medication or procedure input, during the procedure or due to the disease. 

But you have to be educated. Ask to be educated. If they don’t, there are many ways to ensure you get educated about all of your choices, as well as the disease or procedure itself. 

Be your own advocate. Today, we have so many more choices for health care than in any time since the world began. There is more than one path to get you well. Explore the many options and educate yourself about them.

Want to hear more from Holly Carling? Check out our podcast. Search for VitalHealth4You on your favorite podcast listening app or go to vitalhealthcda.com/podcasts/.

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Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over four decades of experience. Carling is a “Health Detective.” She looks beyond your symptom picture and investigates WHY you are experiencing your symptoms in the first place.

Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’Alene clinic. Visit Carling’s website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles.

Carling can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.