Community Living: Healthcare

Edited Nov 8, 2014.

This post is a suggestion of ideas and ways that we could create a society that's based on bestowal, where we all seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. The goal is to increase the connection between us, foster cooperation, collaboration and unity, increase efficiencies and decrease costs, while focusing on our basic needs - food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education etc. I'm sure you have your own ideas.

Here are some notes about HEALTHCARE:

1.  Human Beings:
• A benevolent system of healthcare could be set up to ensure that everyone on earth has ready access to medical attention.
2. Animals:
• A benevolent system of healthcare could be set up to ensure that all pets and animals on earth have ready access to medical attention.
• Also, a benevolent system could be set up to ensure that all pets and animals on earth have the best nutritious food, shelter and other basic requirements that they need.
3. Nature:
• A benevolent system of health and well-being could be set up to ensure that all of Nature is healthy, including the air, the land, the waters (seas, oceans, lakes, rivers etc.) For example, eliminating pollution, establishing sophisticated recycling programs etc.

What ideas do you have for building a new society that's based on cooperation, collaboration and bestowal? In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Mental Health Of Jesus, Muhammad And Others

Mental health should be taken and treated seriously. If you're hurting in any way shape or form, reach out to your family, friends, doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, faith leader and/or local community support groups. There are many people who can help. If you know someone who's hurting, reach out to them. We're all in this together.

I'd like to make a few notes without disrespecting people who are suffering from mental health, and without suggesting that people have free license to do whatever they want - not at all. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Here are my notes:

1. Noah And The Ark:
• God told Noah to build an ark, which he did. (Genesis 6:9-22, NIV)
• Today, he'd be taken to see a psychiatrist who may think he was psychotic.
2. Abraham And Isaac:
• God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, which he was going to do, but at the last minute he found a ram instead. (Genesis 22:1-19, NIV)
• Today, he'd be arrested for child abuse and endangerment.
• A psychiatrist may find him delusional and psychotic, with an intention to harm others.
3. Isaiah:
• God told Isaiah to walk around naked for 3 years (Isaiah 20, NIV)
• Today, he'd be arrested for public indecency.
• A psychiatrist may find him delusional and psychotic, with a reckless attitude about his safety and well-being.
4. Jesus:
• They accused Jesus of being demon possessed. (Matthew 12:24, NIV)
• Jesus also said things that upset the local authorities, the Pharisees. They eventually had him arrested and killed. (Matthew 12:14, NIV)
• Today, Jesus would say things that would upset people with power, authority and money. They would likely plot to discredit him in any way, and would potentially seek to have him killed.
• A psychiatrist may find Jesus delusional, psychotic, with multiple personality disorder, illusions of grandeur, and an intention to put himself in harm's way.
5. Muhammad:
• They accused Muhammad of being mad (Quran 15:6, Sahih)
• Today, a psychiatrist may find him psychotic.
6. My Experiences:
• I started to get sick in 2008 and by 2009 I was so sick I had to move home. I went through every test imaginable: blood work, echo cardiogram, cat scan etc. While I present symptoms (chronic pain and chronic fatigue), medically, there's nothing wrong with me.
• In 2011, as part of the medical investigation, I was sent to see a psychiatrist. Mentally/psychologically, there's nothing with me, though he did give me medication to help me sleep and to help with the pain. I'm not a pill person and I couldn't wait to get off the medication.
• In 2013, after I'd moved out of my mother's home, and with the weight of all creations on my shoulders, I had difficulty coping with everyday tasks, such as doing chores, grocery shopping, laundry, managing bills etc. I was sent to see a counsellor who calmed me down and helped me cope, which was very helpful.
• In Sept 2014, I saw a psychiatrist at the request of 'the powers that be' on account of the Judgements section of this blog, which are perceived to be a threat.

The point I'm trying to make is that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and that God's ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)

Today, we're so far removed from God, and so reliant on science, that we wouldn't recognize something that came from God. It would seem foreign and out of place in our world today.

It is finished. Change is upon us. We have to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal. In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

We're all in this together and God uses us to help each other. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it or seek it out. There are many people who can help.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Doctors From God

Today, we're immersed in selfishness, we're disconnected from one another. As such, doctors rely on instruments and education to determine what's wrong with their patients.

When traditional medicines and treatments fail, some patients go to extraordinary lengths to get well, engaging in a wide variety of nontraditional treatments and remedies.

We need to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal. We need to 'feel', sense and connect with each other.

As such, healing won't be based on instruments, it will be based on a doctor's ability to 'feel' their patients, and to use The Light to correct them. Such a doctor will be a natural doctor from God.

May The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us, may He lead us and may He show us the way. God is with us and to Him we shall all return.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Our Basic Needs - A Snapshot Of The World

The world's population is estimated to be about 7 billion people. [1] Here's a snapshot of the world today, based on our basic needs:

1. FOOD:
• About 1 billion people are undernourished. [2]
• About 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost or wasted each year. [3]
• About 1.4 billion people are overweight, of whom 500 million are obese. [4]
2. WATER:
• About 700 million people still use unsafe drinking water sources [5]
• About 2.5 billion people lack improved sanitation facilities. [6]
• About 1.1 billion people still defecate in the open. [7]
3. SHELTER:
• About 1 billion people live in slums. [8]
• About 1.3 billion people don't have electricity. [9]
4. HEALTHCARE:
• About 1/3 of the world's population (about 2 billion people) don't have access to essential medicines. [10]
5. EDUCATION:
• About 700 million adults are illiterate. [11]

We need to simplify our lives and focus only on meeting our basic needs. We need to ensure that the basic needs of all people on earth are met.

Round tables [12] need to be established with experts from the relevant fields, in order to resolve these issues, dealing with the most desperate (emergency) situations first.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

____________________

References:

1. World Population. www.wikipedia.org. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
2. Global hunger declining, but still unacceptably high. www.fao.org. Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Economic and Social Development Department. Sept 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
3. Cutting food waste to feed the world. www.fao.org. Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. May 11, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
4. Obesity and overweight. www.who.int. World Health Organization (WHO). Media centre. Fact sheet No. 311. Reviewed May 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
5. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). www.unicef.org. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
6. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). www.unicef.org. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
7. Deputy UN chief calls for urgent action to tackle global sanitation crisis. www.un.org. UN News Centre. Mar 21, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
8. The Challenge of Slums - Global Report on Human Settlements 2003. www.unhabitat.org. PDF Report, Foreword. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
9. World Energy Outlook 2012. www.iea.org. International Energy Agency (IEA). Nov 12, 2012. PDF Report, page 7. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
10. The World's Medicines Situation 2011: Access To Essential Medicines As Part of The Right To Health. World Health Organization. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
11. Teaching and Learning: Achieving Quality For All. www.unesco.org. Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report 2013/4. PDF Report, page 5. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
12. Round Tables Are Required. www.carterkagume.blogspot.ca. Aug 29, 2013. Retrieved Aug 28, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Obesity and Being Overweight

Worldwide, about 1.4 billion adults are overweight, of whom 500 million are obese. [1] Compare that to the nearly 1 billion people around the world who are undernourished. [2]

People want to be accepted for being overweight/obese and rightfully so. Nobody should be ostracized for their weight, but being overweight/obese is not a healthy state to be in.

There are many health risks associated with being overweight/obese: high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, joint and muscle problems, increased wear and tear on the body, psychological problems such as low self-esteem, low self-worth, feeling unattractive, depression etc.

What has led to the overweight/obesity epidemic?

1. Social Environment:  We're influenced by our social environment and we tend to get fat in groups [3]. If our social environment is overweight/obese, it influences us to become overweight/obese because we pick up the eating habits of the people around us and our social environment defines the body standard.
2. Bad Habits:  We pick up bad eating habits, which then become a part of our everyday routine. We're creatures of habit - and habit becomes second nature.
3. Sedentary Lifestyle:  Many people live a sedentary lifestyle, with very little physical activity.
4. More Money: Many people have more money, so they use that money to buy more food.
5. More Food:  With improvements in agriculture and food production, there's more food available in various parts of the world.
6. Cheap Food:  Due to aggressive competition in the food industry, food is relatively cheap and affordable.
7. Fast Food: Fast food makes food readily available in a society that's seeking instant gratification.
8. Aggressive Marketing:  We're subjected to constant aggressive marketing tactics, that influence us in a negative way, to buy and eat food that we don't need.
9. Empty Calories:  A lot of food tastes delicious because it's engineered with chemicals to taste that way, but it's simply empty calories. Meaning it's high in taste and high in calories but low in nutritional value.
10. Food Shows:  Food shows and food competitions are popular on television. It's hard not be influence by them. They make us hungry and they influence us to eat more food.
11. Comfort Foods:  Some people eat food to comfort themselves when they're mad, glad, sad, lonely, upset, angry, bored, depressed, happy etc. Today a lot of people feel empty and unfulfilled, and they use food to try and comfort themselves.
12. Food Addiction: Some people are addicted to food in the same way some people are addicted to drugs.
13. Medication:  Some medications make people gain weight, it's one of their side effects.
14. Other:  This list is not exhaustive, I'm sure there are many other reasons.

People do many things to try and lose weight: exercise, diets, specialized weight-loss programs, weight-loss surgery etc. Many people want to lose weight, but it's a constant struggle.

It's difficult to lose weight in a society that doesn't fully support a healthy lifestyle.

Our social environment is driven by people who are immersed in selfishness, seeking to benefit themselves with no regard for others. As such, people are driven to make money even at the expense of other people's health, welfare and well-being.

This has to change. Our internal qualities have to change from selfishness to bestowal and we have to seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

To see real and permanent changes to our body weight, positive changes (that seek to benefit others) have to be made in agriculture, food production, food processing, food distribution, food marketing, health, transportation, urban planning, environment, education, etc. Round tables should be established to address these issues.

Our focus should be on producing food that is high in nutritional value and on creating social environments that fully support healthy living standards.

Being overweight/obese is a problem today, but we should seek to create a social environment that influences us in a positive way, to have and maintain a healthy body weight.

____________
1. World Health Organization, Obesity And Overweight, Fact sheet N°311, updated March 2013. This site was accessed November 15, 2013
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html

2. http://carterkagume.blogspot.ca/2013/09/we-have-to-eliminate-starvation-and.html

3. YouTube Video: Social Networks: An Analysis | CrossroadsFilm.com. This site was accessed November 15, 2013.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU74lL_3eQA

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved

We All Have Cavities

Did you know that worldwide, 60–90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults have dental cavities? [1]

I was shocked when I read this. How can nearly all adults on the face of the planet have cavities? I have fillings (due to cavities), but I never stopped to think that nearly everyone has cavities.

Is it because of all the sugar we eat? Our diet? Our poor oral hygiene?

Teeth problems can be painful and expensive. You'll spend $1 on candy or soda pop, then (if you can afford it) $200 for cavities, at worst $1,000 for a root canal.

Can we eliminate cavities by not eating sugar, changing our diet, improving our oral hygiene? What can we do to eliminate cavities and improve our oral health? What can we do to make oral health available to those who can't afford it?

____________
[1] World Health Organization, Oral Health, Fact sheet N°318, April 2012. This site was accessed October 26, 2013
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs318/en/index.html

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

We Have To Provide Healthcare To The Entire World

Our internal qualities have to change from selfishness to bestowal and we have to seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

The entire world is one family and we have to start treating each other as one family. As such, we have to start solving our critical problems by working together, collaborating and cooperating with each other.

In the spirit of mutual concern and responsibility and in the quality of bestowal/love of others/altruism, we have to provide the highest quality healthcare and health care to the entire world.

According to a 2011 report from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one-third of the world's population, around two billion people (2 Billion or 2,000,000,000) do not have access to essential medicines [1].

As such, people die of curable diseases because they don't have access to medicine or they can't afford it. We have to stop seeking profits over peoples' health, welfare and well-being.

Round tables need to be established to address this issue. We have to deal with this problem immediately and we have to solve it permanently.

Participants of the round tables could include representatives from all over the world, experts, professionals and/or leaders from: governments, not-for-profit organizations, the medical industry, the healthcare and health care industries, logistics, technology and other relevant fields.

Once the round tables have been established, all the problem-solving discussions and deliberations should be transparent and broadcast live on television and/or the internet, giving everyone around the world a chance to comment and/or vote on relevant issues. Once the course of action has been decided, the solution can be implemented.

May The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us, may He lead us and may He show us the way. God is with us and to Him we shall all return.

______________

1.  "The World's Medicines Situations 2011: Access To Essential Medicines As Part Of The Right To Health," World Health Organization (WHO) (2011), http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/m/abstract/Js18772en/
PDF Report:  http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/documents/s18772en/s18772en.pdf

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

The Health Care System Has to Change

The health care system has to change from selfishness to love of others. Health care professionals have to seek to benefit others instead of themselves.

The entire health care industry has to:
1. Seek to benefit patients instead of seeking personal profit and gain
2. Provide healing solutions that are permanent instead of temporary solutions that ensure repeat customers
3. Base success on patient recovery instead of monetary gains
4. Focus on compassionate care and humane treatment of all patients
5. Stop all animal testing and animal genetic mutations
6. Provide medicine and health care assistance to the entire world

All people are created equal and as such all people have the right to equal quality health care.

The health care system has to change from selfishness to love of others, it has to be based on the principles of mutual guarantee, where everyone seeks to benefit others instead of themselves.

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.