A Powerful Wellness Lesson from the Past

I recently had a spectacular conversation with a friend that went roughly like this.

Jason: What’s up, Hip-Hop? How are things in the Old Port?

Hip-Hop: Great, man. I love it here. I love the ocean breeze, the people, the energy of the city. It reminds me of the time I spent in Greece. What’s new with you?

Jason: Well, I have a lot of exciting stuff going on. But first, I really want to ask you about the scientific paper recently published in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. The one about drugs. Have you seen it?

Hip-Hop: Oh, the trends in heroin use?

Jason: No, pharmaceutical drugs.

Hip-Hop: No, I haven’t seen that one yet. Do tell.

Jason: This is big, Hip-Hop. The researchers studied medication use here in the United States. In 2000, 51 percent of adults were on at least one medication. In 2012, 59 percent of adults were on at least one medication. That’s an eight percent increase in only 12 years. (1)

Hip-Hop: Yikes! Something isn’t right. You people aren’t very well.

Jason: What do you mean “you people”? You’re one of us now.

Hip-Hop: You know I’m just visiting, bro. I want to stay in the spirit world a little longer.

Jason: But you’re still planning to come back, right? You can’t remain a ghost forever.

Hip-Hop: Yeah, as I mentioned last week, I’m in the process of filling out my reincarnation application. Hopefully, I’ll get accepted.

Jason: We need people like you, Hip-Hop. I’m sure you’re going to get in.

Hip-Hop: Thanks for your vote of confidence, J. I appreciate it.

Jason: We could use you, and you know I’d love to spend some time with you in your flesh, so to speak.

Hip-Hop: I know. I appreciate our friendship too.

[Hip-Hop offered me a fist bump, and we fist-bumped.]

Jason: So what do you make of the dramatic rise in drug use here? Use of antihypertensives increased from 20 to 27 percent, use of antidyslipidemics increased from seven to 17 percent (more than double), and use of antidepressants increased from seven to 13 percent (almost double) between 2000 and 2012. (1)

Hip-Hop: What do I make of it? Your hearts are broken. The numbers don’t lie. It’s obvious: You need to take better care of yourselves and each other.

Jason: Yeah, for sure. That’s what I’m working on, you know. It’s my life’s work.

Hip-Hop: Stick with it, bro. Keep helping people thrive. Of course, those drugs have their place. It’s how heavily people are relying on them that’s scary. It’s a canary in a coal mine. People aren’t meeting their needs.

Jason: It gets worse. There was also an increase in polypharmacy.

Hip-Hop: What’s that?

Jason: A person is considered polypharmic if they’re on five or more pharmaceutical drugs. Polypharmacy increased from eight to 15 percent (almost double) between 2000 and 2012. (1)

Hip-Hop: Well, I guess the poly lifestyle isn’t for me. There’s nothing sexy about being on five medications.

Jason: No, I wouldn’t say so, Hip-Hop, you smart a**.

Hip-Hop: A lot can be done to prevent sickness. It’s all about how people are living. I see it every day. Even the people here on vacation look stressed. People need to get back to basics.

Jason: You’re preaching to the choir, Hip-Hop. I’m working on it with everything I have. I’ll be back at it tomorrow.

Hip-Hop: I know you will, my friend. I know you will. Hey, speaking of living well, we’re getting together for oysters on Friday, right?

Jason: Yeah, we’re on. I can’t wait. Catch you later.

Hip-Hop: Catch you later, bro.

[Hip-Hop and I hugged and headed off in separate directions.]

Hip-Hop: Wait, I forgot, I’ve got a gift for you, Goot.

Jason: I like gifts.

Hip-Hop: I made some t-shirts, and I’ve got one for you. Here.

Jason: Oh, I love it. Thanks, Hip-Hop.

[I put my new t-shirt on right away and felt encouraged by two of my friend’s favorite sayings.]

The front of my new t-shirt says:

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” (circa 300 Before the Common Era)
—Hippocrates of Kos (“Father of Modern Medicine”)

The back of my new t-shirt says:

“Walking is man’s best medicine.” (circa 300 Before the Common Era)
—Hippocrates of Kos (“Father of Modern Medicine”)

(1) Trends in Prescription Drug Use Among Adults in the United States from 1999-2012. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2015, 10.1001/jama.2015.13766.

About Jason Gootman
Jason Gootman is a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach as well as a certified nutritionist and certified exercise physiologist. Jason helps people reverse and prevent type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other ailments with evidence-based approaches to nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, holistic wellness, and, most importantly, lasting behavior improvement and positive habit formation. As part of this work, Jason often helps people lose weight and keep it off, in part by helping them overcome the common challenges of yo-yo dieting and emotional eating. Jason helps people go from knowing what to do and having good intentions to consistently taking great care of themselves in ways that help them add years to their lives and life to their years.