My parents eat more prescriptions than they do food. They do not think their food choices ultimately affect their health. They bought a Wii for exercise, and only play Jeopardy on it. They BOTH work in the medical field.

Frustrated? Sickened? Lost all faith? You bet.

But, through these open online venues I think there is real hope for those of us who wish to take personal responsibility for our health (and who want to teach the next generation how to do so as well).

I started taking charge of my healthcare decisions many years ago. Paleo had nothing to do with it.

I got frustrated because doctors rarely were able to help me, so I started researching whatever my ailment was long before I would to any doctors so I knew what tests to request, what questions to ask, and know whether or not they were asking me the right questions. It's about research and self-empowerment, which is more likely what gave me an interest in paleo, not the other way around.

Most people don't want to research and take charge of their own health. It takes time, energy and a lot of background education most people want nothing to do with. They want some one else to be in charge, hand them something and make everything all better. Doing a paleo diet also requires a level of research and education, which also means a high level of interest.

My thinking is that most people who are interested in and stick with paleo principles are the type of people who are interested in learning and being very self-aware. That type of person is probably more likely to take charge of their health and other areas of their lives.

I don't have any healthcare. I can't afford it. :(

So yeah...pretty helpless.

Folks have all but surrendered to the health care professionals as being the last word in the fixing field. As Uggla says the fix kills people.

Yes, people are frustrated but as long as we are married to employer and/or government paid insurance for our healthcare, the doctor always knows best. Why, because we don't want to pay out of pocket for any treatment that is not authorized.

The doctor is always right. The person in the white coat is always right because that's the way it is for 99% of the folks. That leaves 1% or 3.2 million of us who take the initiative with our healthcare. Can it really be that many? I doubt it.

And of those 1% how many are paleo?

I watched my mother's doctors "fix" her the unnatural way and she died at the young age of 52. She took over 40 doctor prescribed pills to "fix" her mental and health issues which only grew worse and worse and their "help" eventually killed her. So I am no fan of modern medicine. And being Paleo just confirms what I knew all along about conventional wisdom.

Now herbalism in the natural simple form I am all for! That together with healthy eating and activity doctors can be mostly avoided.

I agree, but not everyone can have the same level of Nutritional and scientific understanding that the rest of us can.....

So I say, learn what you can....or what you have time to learn....to take control of your own health. And then rely upon Paleo physicians to help you with the rest. Conventional doctors are for the birds. I refuse to visit a doctor who knows less about health and nutrition than I do!

I learned I cant trust doctors because they can trick you into thinking they really care when really thye want to get you out the door. Paleo has saved me by teaching me to think outside the box.

i feel sorry for my doctor. he's a good man, but he is surrounded by sick people who read XYZ on the net and insist on having the new wonder drug to fix the ailment the internet expert says they have no control over. he has no time for patients who are healthy by comparison.

i decided long ago that i was not going to allow living to kill me as both my parents had. gaining an understanding of paleo diet principles was another step in my evolution. change is good.

I know that eating well and exercising will keep me out of the doctors office as much as possible. When I do need to go to the doctor there is usually something better for me healthwise that I can do as an alternative.

I stopped trusting doctors long before I had heard of paleo. I have something called vaginismus (google it if you have no idea what it is) which started around 18 when I started being sexually active. I went to my gyno and told her how much pain I was in when I tried to have sex, and she told me that I wasn't using enough lubricant. Three years and three boyfriend's later, I was in a committed, loving relationship and still having the same problem. I told her again. She told me to "have some wine before hand to help me relax."
Needless to say, I went to another doctor. That doctor looked at me and her suggestion involved minor surgery. I walked out of that doctor's office with 8 stitches in a VERY sensitive area. She didn't bother to tell me before hand that it would take 2 weeks to heal, that walking, sitting, and bending would be extremely painful. I couldn't go to class for a week and couldn't hardly do something as simple as go grocery shopping. Thankfully my boyfriend did everything for me during that time. After it healed, the scar tissue only made everything worse. Finally, after spending YEARS researching on the internet, I found a name for my condition. Vaginismus. I went back to that same practice and told that doctor, "I think I have vaginismus". And you know what she said? "Oh, that would make sense. We actually have a doctor here who specializes in that." excuse me? she cut on me rather than send me to someone else in her own practice?? I realized then that most of us can find out most of what doctors know. Its not as secret as they want us to believe. I know more about my condition than 85% of gynecologists in the US.

With some elbow grease you can know enough to make wise decisions about your own health. I save doctors for if I need something cut out, stitched up or put back in place. But in another 10 years I'll start having to go more often for mammograms and things because my mom had breast cancer.