For some people who visit this website, following a natural treatment protocol sounds appealing, but they are unable to afford this type of healthcare. Even though I personally try to make my consultations affordable, when one factors in any additional testing (Adrenal Stress Index, hair mineral analysis, etc.), along with the necessary nutritional supplements and herbs they need to take, there is no question that it can be costly to follow a natural treatment protocol.
When someone is truly interested in following a natural treatment protocol, but tells me they are unable to afford natural treatment methods, they typically fall into one of the following three categories:
1. A true financial hardship. This category of people really has a difficult time affording natural treatment methods, as they have a hard enough time paying their other bills (rent, electric, etc). For someone who falls under this category, they simply might not be able to afford the tests and/or supplements to restore their health back to normal. For people who fall under this category, I recommend the following:
a. Focus on modifying the lifestyle factors. As I’ve mentioned in other articles and posts, modifying the lifestyle factors (eating well, getting sufficient sleep, managing stress, etc.) is extremely important. While doing this alone probably won’t completely restore your health back to normal, it no doubt will make a huge difference in your overall health.
b. When it comes to purchasing supplements and herbs, choose quality over quantity. Although you might not be able to afford all of the supplements and herbs recommended to you, hopefully you will at least be able to afford some of them. Assuming this is the case, I would focus on taking the higher quality supplements, rather than go to Wal-Mart, Target, or another retail store and purchase the cheapest supplements available. If you take low quality supplements and herbs, your body won’t absorb them well, and so you essentially will be wasting your money.
2. Those who expect their health insurance to pay for everything. Some people can afford natural treatment methods, but don’t want to pay for it out of pocket, and want their health insurance to cover this. Of course it would be great if health insurance provided full coverage for holistic healthcare, but unfortunately, most services aren’t covered. But for those who choose not to follow a natural treatment protocol not because they are unable to afford the care, but mainly because their insurance won’t pay for it, this in my opinion is ridiculous.
After all, one doesn’t expect their health insurance to pay for the groceries they buy, the gas they put into their car, etc. But you of course pay for this because you view these as necessities, which they are. Of course these days there are other expenses which didn’t exist years ago that are now perceived as priorities by many people, such as having a cell phone, high speed internet, cable or satellite television, etc. In any case, your health should also be a priority, regardless of whether your health insurance provides coverage or not. Once again, I realize that some people can’t afford this type of care, even with health insurance. But even in this tough economy, many people are spending money on luxury items, and are not prioritizing their health.
That’s not to suggest you shouldn’t try to take advantage of your health insurance. For example, we don’t process health insurance, as we did so for 7 1/2 years and found it wasn’t worth the hassle, and just caused us more aggravation and stress, as well as increased our overhead by requiring another staff person just to deal with the insurance. But of course people don’t have to choose us, as there are some holistic doctors who do accept health insurance. As you probably know, nutritional supplements most likely won’t be covered under any health insurance, but some of the recommended tests very well might be, which is why I tell people who do choose us that if they have a good relationship with their medical doctor then they might want to see if they will order certain testing which may be covered by their health insurance (i.e. Adrenal Stress Index test).
3. Those people who value luxury items over their health. As I briefly stated before, many people can afford natural treatment methods, but would rather spend the money on other things. This happened many times while I had my chiropractic practice, as I would have a patient say they couldn’t afford care, but drove a really nice car, had nice clothes, etc. While buying a new car, LCD television, or going on a nice vacation is great, your health of course should come first. One of the problems is that many people really don’t understand the true benefits of following a natural treatment protocol. In other words, some would like to follow a natural treatment protocol to restore their health back to normal, but also don’t mind taking thyroid medication on a prolonged basis, or even receiving RAI if it means not paying out of pocket for natural healthcare (assuming their health insurance covers the conventional medical treatment).
In summary, while there are people who truly can’t afford holistic care, for many people their health is simply not a priority. This of course isn’t meant to criticize anyone, as I consult with many people who are willing to put their health as a priority. And those people who expect their health insurance to pay for everything or would rather buy a new lcd television or spend their money on another luxury item are of course free to make these decisions. I’m not trying to tell anyone how to spend their money, as all I’m saying is that many people who would prefer following a natural treatment protocol could afford to follow a such a protocol if they put their health as a priority.