Twenty years ago, Barb and I developed a guiding principle for The Healing Center: Put Your Health in Your Own Hands. I later expanded on this idea in a book of the same name, published twelve years ago and now somewhat dated.

Recently, a physician friend remarked that he no longer identifies himself as a doctor while traveling. What was once a respected title now often prompts criticism of the American healthcare system. His observation reflects a broader shift. When I entered healthcare fifty years ago, physicians were viewed as unquestioned authorities. Over time, that trust has steadily declined.

Today’s healthcare system is shaped largely by standardized medical education and protocols established by the American Medical Association, alongside significant influence from the pharmaceutical industry. While these entities pursue solutions to complex health challenges, their priorities can be driven more by corporate interests than by comprehensive patient well-being.

Over the past twenty-five years, I have witnessed a gradual movement away from this traditional model toward greater individual responsibility for health. This shift aligns with our original motto. Put Your Health in Your Own Hands.

The body has an inherent capacity for perfect health, yet modern medicine often attempts to manage it through isolated treatments rather than holistic care. Earlier generations of family physicians understood their patients in full context, often over a lifetime. In contrast, today’s emphasis on specialization can lead to compartmentalized treatment that overlooks how interconnected bodily systems truly are.

We must become our own old family doctor. We must take responsibility for our own healthcare. That is not necessarily easy. We must educate ourselves. That is easier today with things like Google and ChatGPT, but we must be careful because the things we read there can be easily taken out of context if we do not fully understand the big picture. That can create fear, which adds stress to an already confusing situation.

One of my mentors taught, “We should die at the age of 96 in perfect health.” He did that. At age 94 he called his children and grandchildren together one evening. He told them, “I am going to die tonight.” He gave them instructions and blessings. During the night he passed. His purpose for his life was completed. He had a few minor health issues but generally was in great health. He had been actively promoting physical, mental, and emotional health since he was 15 years old.

I believe we must have a purpose in our lives. Self-preservation is genetically imprinted in us. We intuitively know when things need to change. Many of us are retired from our employment. What do we do now, we ask? We still need a purpose. Our lives need to be fun and interesting, otherwise our physical body just begins to deteriorate. Your purpose is whatever you say it is. Only you can find the reason to learn to feel great.

Are you part of the Exodus? Are you finding solutions to your own health issues?

Put Your Health in Your Own Hands.