Social Security in 2007, in revenue (all basic schemes), amounted to 394.8 billion euros. Expenditures, however, reached 400.2 billion euros1, resulting in a deficit of 5.4 billion euros. The sole deficit of the general Social Security scheme for 2009 could range between 20 and 21.3 billion euros in 2009, with 47% attributed to the health insurance branch. According to the Budget Ministry, it could reach 30 billion euros in 2010 …
Of course, successive ministers have tried to address this deficit. At least, they have attempted to limit the health insurance branch… Generic medications were promoted along with the non-reimbursement of so-called “comfort” remedies, those whose effectiveness has never been formally proven. Only thermal treatments were saved! Yet their therapeutic values have never been demonstrated. At most, they are acknowledged for some “well-being” benefits, like thalassotherapy or hot water treatments in town. It’s true that these latter do not yet have sufficiently powerful lobbies!
In the face of an increasingly abyssal health insurance deficit, scapegoats are always welcome. Doctors too lavish with acts and medications, or hospital care, were thrown to public condemnation. In 2004, Douste-Blazy, the minister at the time, proposed a deal to hospitals. Eliminate their debt in exchange for implementing management reforms foreseen in a plan called “hospital 2007”.
The latest scapegoat is sick leave. According to a comprehensive CNAM report published in June 2009, it appears that 11% of long-term leaves (more than 60 days) and 13% of shorter leaves would be unjustified or excessive. As soon as such a report is released, it makes media headlines. Does this mean that journalists are “pure” in this kind of practice! There’s just one hiccup; the cost of these abuses would be 132 million euros annually, relative to the billions of deficit; that’s 0.66% of the “pit”! And the cost of checks appears nowhere, yet it had to cover over 3 million checks!
The 3B Prescription
Is the situation now desperate? Can the pit only get bigger year after year? Certainly, if we continue to rely on these false “good measures”… Yet other common-sense paths exist… They have never been promoted; could there be hidden economic reasons? These measures merely require stepping out of habits. They involve an education of the body… First, learning not to consume the doctor and medication continuously! At the slightest pain, and this is encouraged by the media, the usual reflex is… the doctor… “Just in case it’s serious…”, as if the general practitioner were always the most relevant in the matter. From then, medication becomes the magic potion! What is a therapist who doesn’t provide a well-filled prescription to consume! Yet in 95% of cases, the body regulates and repairs itself. We are still not very aware of our body’s astonishing self-healing abilities.
We could even learn to enhance this high potential. 90% of our ailments are linked to just 4 main parameters: healthier nutrition, a certain level of activity, less stress, and the absence of addictions (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, medications…), according to one of the WHO’s recommendations (2002). And this could be easily resolved with the “3B’s”. 3B’s not a super-vitamin necessary for metabolism! But simply the 3B’s that depend directly on us: “Eating, Moving, (Sex)…”.
First, eat well; to be efficient, including against illnesses, the body needs to be fed delicately. At breakfast, “slow” sugars – cereals, biscuits – provide fuel. At dinner, pasta, rice, or split peas, lentils, or dry beans can come to the rescue for extra sugars. Then, 80g of proteins, vegetable or animal, is still desirable, as they are difficult to store. Fish, eggs, beef, dry beans, lentils, and dairy products – especially hard cheeses – are to be prioritized2. While the abuse of so-called “saturated” fats is harmful, that does not mean: no fat at all. The intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, the famous “omega-6” and “omega-3”, are recommended. They limit blood pressure and thus better nutrient-rich blood supply. Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables should always be part of the diet. It’s recommended to consume at least 500 to 800 grams a day, depending on gender and size! Their richness in vitamins, mineral salts, or other varied micro-components promotes good cellular organization and provides water.
Secondly, move without imposing a spartan gym routine or planning the next New York Marathon. Everything is about gentleness, progressiveness, and opportunity. Move means taking the stairs, running in the street or in the forest, cycling, playing pilou3, shopping at the market, going to work on foot, or stopping two bus stops earlier. The important thing is the duration: 5 minutes is just for the conscience! Consider rather 30 to 45 minutes per day. Pleasure is a key asset to enjoying physical activity and flourishing in it. It is important to choose activities based on the well-being they provide.
But to stay healthy, one must also be eager for other activities… theatrical, musical, artistic, or gardening (according to one’s tastes or choices)… Addictions are often linked to boredom, constraints, and the inability to express oneself in life. Today’s society is brutal; it generates a lot of stress that must be addressed with relaxation and restorative sleep.
Above all, let’s not forget, in addition to sex, the third B(). Because sexual practices, when not “overthinking”, are all good… It is sexual dissatisfaction or abstinence that favor pathologies. While a fulfilling, at least satisfactory and regularly practiced, sex life is beneficial to our health both physically and mentally.
Let’s take care of our bodies…
Let’s not wait for illness to take care of our bodies. Let’s not stay with the idea that medicine, medications in any case, will always be there to relieve us. However, let’s not just focus on appearances, as most women’s magazines propose. Learn to take time for yourself, to feel the tensions in your body, to understand its needs and limits in order to eliminate bad habits and strengthen our immune defenses. At the same time, learning to breathe, sharing massages, doing acupression, bathing, expressing energy in all its forms, even laughing and of course having plans… provide well-being and reduce pathologies.
We bet that thus the Social Security deficit will quickly deflate… (To be continued…)
- For comparison, the French state budget amounted to 268 billion euros in expenditures in 2007.
- Fish in particular and seafood, in general, are signs of a long life. They delay senility. Favor mackerel, sole, sardines, preferably cooked en papillote or steamed.
Pilou is a very convivial sport practiced in many countries, especially in the South of France. It develops dexterity and encourages all movements without being violent. More playful than skipping rope!
About André Giordan
LDES Website: https://www.ldes.unige.ch
Personal Site: https://www.andregiordan.com/
