One of the Largest Obstacles to Chronic Disease Mitigation

It’s crazy how much chronic disease is out there. According to Google AI, about 3/4 of American adults suffer from one or more chronic conditions:

It’s really sad that Americans suffer so much. Those chronic diseases also account for about 90% of healthcare costs.

Yet many of these chronic diseases can be greatly mitigated, or even put into remission, with some lifestyle changes.

So you’d think it would be easy to greatly reduce the problem.

Not so fast, bucko.

I talk to many families. The children REALLY want their parent to make those lifestyle changes. They want to give the parent whatever support they need to make the change.

The trouble is…

The parent DOESN’T really want to make the change. Sure the parent wants to ease their pain and reduce the symptoms of the chronic condition.

But they don’t want to change their lifestyle.

“You mean I have to give up beer?”

“You’re taking away from me the one thing that gives me joy.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“My doctor said it was ok.”

They will give you a myriad of reasons why they can’t change. They become master manipulators.

The problem is that they are addicted.

Addicted to certain foods.

Addicted to comfort.

Addicted to mainstream medical advice.

Many people believe they can just live with the pain and the chronic disease. They’ll get used to it.

With that attitude, the chances of putting the chronic conditions into remission are pretty low.

How do you overcome that obstacle? It’s not easy.

I talked in a previous newsletter about how people want to be appreciated. This may be a time to use that on your parents. Remind them about how they were a gymnast when they were younger and how gracefully they moved, right before you suggest they exercise.

Or how you need help in the yard. Their eye for landscaping was amazing. You need that skillset to help you. Then suggest how we need to get them better to be able to help with the landscaping. Nobody could do it like them.

Will one suggestion convince them to cut out sugar entirely? Definitely not. You chip away at it a little at a time.

Make it inconvenient for them to cheat. Quietly clean the junk out of the pantry. Put walking shoes in their closet instead of slippers. Gym shorts instead of pajamas. Create an environment where it’s easier to do the right thing than the wrong thing.

Find doctors and other authority figures that are on your side. Enlist their friends to encourage them.

And by all means set the example yourself. You don’t need to brag about it. Let them notice the change in you.