January 14, 2010
Alright folks…you asked for the final four wellness predictions for 2010 from Dr. Carolyn Dean…so here they are!
Dr. Carolyn's Deans Wellness Predictions for 2010 – the Final Four
Here’s what science fiction writer Ray Bradbury had to say about the future of mankind…
People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it. Better yet, build it. Predicting the future is much too easy, anyway. You look at the people around you, the street you stand on, the visible air you breathe, and predict more of the same. To hell with more. I want better. — Beyond 1984: The People Machines (cited at spaceagecity.com)
Along those lines, here are four more wellness predictions for 2010 (If you missed the first eight, just click here)
Prediction #9: More Natural Self-Care
It looks like Americans will be forced to pay into a system of health care that only delays death through drugs and surgery. Great for the emergency room, bad for daily life (see my two-part article Am I Too Hard On Mainstream Medicine?).
Combine that with a failing economy and the average person will not have as much money for the professional services that actually return people to a state of health (e.g. naturopaths, chiropractors, etc.)
Instead they’ll start looking after themselves. Getting to the root causes of their ailments by changing the way they live. Exercising more. Eating better. Getting rid of toxic chemicals in their home.
They’ll be turning in droves to Google.com searching the most advanced network of computers the world has ever seen (the World Wide Web) to learn how to get back in synch with nature. (Here’s hoping they find Future Health Now!)
Prediction #10: Decreased Income Equals Increased Life Expectancy
During the Great Depression the average life expectancy for an American citizen increased by 6.2 years according to a University of Michigan study (cited in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Researchers also found overall health decreases during economic expansion.
Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Well when the economy is booming so is stress. People work longer, sleep less and spend more (usually more than they have). When they have money in their pockets they’ll waste it on smoking, drinking and overeating. Pollution of all kinds also goes up during “good times.”
So let’s hope approaching economic struggles means everybody will kick back, relax and enjoy the simpler things in life.
Prediction #11: The Beginning of the End of Mainstream News
Growing distrust of corporate mainstream news will lead millions to alternative internet sources (like rense.com and infowars.com) for news that will finally wake them out of their slumber of apathy. And more and more people will turn to sites like NaturalNews.com and Mercola.com for health news. An informed population is the first step to massive and permanent change.
Prediction #12: You Tell Me
In the comment box below let me know your predictions for 2010 – whether it be about health or other issues. All in the spirit of preventing a dark future and shaping a positive one.
Leave your final prediction below!
I think more people are going to start taking personal responsibility for their own health. Exercise, diet- especially more natural food sources that are closer to home, and alternative health care like massage therapy- which can help A LOT of things that ail you, acupuncture, yoga, etc. Get out and start leading a more natural life.
Interesting. I agree somewhat. I just don’t see people taking the time to take care of themselves. We’ve become such a fast paced and quick fix society and I don’t see that changing. We might become a more health informed society, but we will still be looking for a quick solution
My 2010 prediction: Something not addressed here is KIDS. I still see the obesity rates of kids increasing and I wish/hope that it becomes a larger target area we choose to focus on. Kids today will one day be future business men/women, presidents, ceo’s, etc and we want them to know what it means to be healthy beginning at a young age
There is a growing rumble from the middle and lower classes who are taking a big hit and who are fed up with big corporations and organizations making a profit at the expense of their health. As we go from a recession into a possible depression, this rumbling will increase and push people to take action as they hit rock bottom and finally are awoken to the new reality & are forced to re-prioritize. As Prediction #11 comes true and people have access to better sources of news & information, they will realize they’ve been fooled and the cost to their health & well being has been too high. I see people saying no to the brainwashing they’ve been fed to “consume more, consume bigger, consume more often”. I see a shift in the circulation of money and a new redistribution of wealth as people just say no to corporate control of their lives. I see people shifting their money from big banks that charge outrageous interest rates and fees to locally owned banks and credit unions. I see people moving from large health insurance monopolies to health co-ops or to local private doctors who are not restricted by their HMO employer and can practice low-overhead, patient-centered medicine. I see people buying locally and domestically produced products instead of supporting monopolistic multinationals. I see production becoming more important than just profit and bonuses. I see people becoming more connected with smaller locally owned businesses in their own communities. Money will be earned and spent in a way that reflects the true value of labor in a more equitable way. People will put more value on their health and wellness than on achieving the “American Dream” that they see on the TV. In the end, people will feel more connected to & supported by their local communities, will support local production and labor and in turn experience a positive effect on their well being & health.
I absolutely agree with all of these but especially Natural, Self care. All we are doing when we take medications and prescription drugs is disallowing our body’s biology/ immune system to work. Anyways, my prediction for 2010 is similar to #12. It is alternative remedies for EVERY disease. There are many Antioxidants, Vitamins and Homeopathic medicines out there that can keep our bodies at EASE and prevent us from DISEASE. Thanks for the awesome advice Doc! God bless. :)