Health Freedom
Independence Day is just two days away as I write this, and I am considering what freedom and independence truly mean. What do they mean in a broad cultural sense, what do they mean on a personal level, and what do they mean in relation to health and well-being?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, freedom is defined as the quality or state of being free, such as:
The absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.
The quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous, such as want or fear.
I think both aspects of freedom are important for the ability to pursue and maintain health and well-being. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say, “I’d like to try that, but insurance won’t pay for it.” I hear folks complain all the time about not getting the care they need and desire, and it’s almost always because their insurance only covers standard allopathic medical care.
On one hand, it just makes me sad that so many people are missing out on care that could actually help them feel better and heal. On the other hand, I just want to shake people up and tell them to wake up to the fact that they don’t have to be coerced or constrained in their health choices!
If you believe that working with a specific practitioner or pursuing a particular modality is the best choice for you, then step out in faith, trusting that the necessary resources can and will be provided. Stop accepting “NO” as an answer and declare your independence from the whims, constraints, and coercion of the current medical/insurance industry! Do what you believe is right for YOU, not what someone sitting in an office crunching numbers has determined is right for the masses.
In the Gospel of Matthew, there is a simple but powerful principle that we would do well to apply: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The second aspect of freedom defined above was the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous, such as want or fear.
Fear is a huge part of the current medical industry, and sadly, it’s often a huge part of the health industry and “alternative” medicine. We are constantly bombarded with news and information about the latest pathogens and diseases. We are continually told that we need to have procedures done to screen for cancer or other scary diseases. We are told to get the latest shot or take the latest prescription medication, so we won’t get sick.
In the “alternative” or “natural” health space, we are told about toxins in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we eat… The list goes on and on, and for some people, it begins to feel like NOTHING is safe. They begin to feel like they can’t eat, drink, or breathe without suffering a reaction or causing their body harm.
While I would agree that our planet is more toxic now than it has probably ever been, I also believe that we have been given the tools and resources we need to overcome it. We need to remember that our bodies are designed to detoxify and heal themselves, and nature is overflowing with the minerals, plants, and nutrients our bodies need.
I also believe that fear is the biggest toxin of all. People living in the energy and vibration of fear are far more susceptible to disease. Living in fear literally dysregulates the nervous, immune, digestive, and endocrine systems… In other words, fear affects people not just mentally and emotionally. It throws the entire body into a pattern of chaos that then manifests as physical symptoms.
If there was only one thing I could say to people who want to restore their health, it would be this: Health is freedom. Freedom from chronic pain and dis-ease. Freedom from masking and suppressing symptoms with drugs, caffeine, alcohol, food, etc. Freedom from believing or getting sucked into everything you see or hear about the latest health scare. Freedom to choose what is best for YOU.
Ultimately, health flows out of freedom from FEAR in all its forms. The healthiest people on the planet are those who have learned to live in a state of inner peace and calm. They are connected to and rooted in Divine Love, deeply connected to the natural world and the people around them. They are so focused on giving and receiving love that there is simply no room for fear. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)
Happy Independence Day! Here’s to freedom from fear and the freedom to become the person you are created and called to be!
Interested in creating health freedom for yourself? Contact Sage Wellness Center today to learn how to get started with your next step!