The Scope of the Revolution

So lets get back to the Health and Wellness Revolution. The scope of H& W Revolution is huge. So much that my whole blog will look very disorganized and confusing if I don’t take the trouble to lay it down now. Throughout the next couple of months I will be discussing products and innovations that are arising as part of the H & W Revolution in the field of:

• medical technology
• consumer health products
• basic consumer and household products
• alternative holistic treatments (natural cures)
• nutraceuticals and naturopath physicians ( N.D.)
• direct selling/ word of mouth marketing
• multilevel marketing
• and even an alternative Health Insurance Plan

The list sounds like a bunch of keywords. Yes they are! These are just some of the hot keywords for capitalizing on the H & W revolution. I missed out on a whole new aspect, the suppliers of organic farming methods and organic groceries. This is a whole new market in itself as consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and looking for healthier options. Imagine the amount of revenue for organic farmers and organic farming method suppliers if giants like Wal-Mart switch to organic.

But why discuss the various problems of the current healthcare system, food industry and our lifestyle? From an economic perspective since I am an economics major, identifying more problems allows us to look for solutions. To be honest the bigger the problem, the greater the potential to monetize if you are able to offer a viable solution. But in this case the word ‘viable’ appeals to my humanistic sentiments since it is people’s health we are talking about here. In my opinion the solutions have to be effective. Here also lies a greater opportunity for monetizability by separating yourself from the crowd of ‘disloyal entrepreneurs’ who only wants to make ‘quick bucks’ by selling their vitamins. The one who actually focus on doing a lot of good will touch the bigger chunk of the revenue and that could be you. Basically, that’s how the greatest economic revolutions have taken place in the past. In the IT Revolution, Bill Gates have offered the solution to store massive amount of data in computers through his software and the Silicon Valley have managed to put the processing power of a large supercomputer in the laptops we use today. Therefore I will not only be talking about the various solutions but also the problems that persist so we can understand the scope and magnitude of the potential that lies in the H & W Revolution. In doing so, I will be exploring the various income earning opportunities that are emerging from this economic revolution.

The concept of the H & W Revolution has not appeared out of the blue. The phenomena has been identified by the world renowned economist Paul Zane Pilzer in his famous book ‘The Wellness Revolution’. At http://thewellnessrevolution.paulzanepilzer.com/index.php he talks about how he identified a greater economic movement taking place in 2002. Initially it was a 200 billion dollar industry that has exceeded expectations and surpassed 500 billion dollar today. With the current rate of growth it is inevitable that the wellness industry will be the next trillion dollar industry and even overtake its predecessor, the IT Revolution. This creates greater entrepreneurial opportunities for all of us. What is so unique about this industry is that anyone who can operate a computer or adept at direct selling can be a part of it. He identifies that the chunk of the revenue lies in the distribution of products instead of producing it. Thanks to the formation of numerous multi level and direct selling industries, this has become possible more than ever. More on this profitable industry and how you can be a part of it next. Che’s out for now.

Recent Comment to Herbal's Post

Dear Herbals,

Please forgive me for taking such a long time to get back you. I have a lot to say about your topic and the ‘common grounds’ we share. I can go on and on since this post would not cover it all. But that’s not a bad thing at all since we can discuss more in the future. It is indeed comforting to know that there are others like me who are passionate enough to write a blog on the issue.

I don’t think I would have been pro green two years back. Back then the term ‘green’ movement just sounded like a stereotypical movement ushered by tree hugging kids who longed for a sense of belonging in society. But as I observed more, I realized that the green movement is emerging as one of the driving force of our economy that is leading to products catering to this growing market. From my perspective of the Health and Wellness Revolution you are covering what type of products and choices consumers are making. But excuse me I am over generalizing your topic. I am sure you topic has far more depth and complexity which the audience will realize as time passes by with more posts. What is so great about your topic is that you point out the benefits of going green. There is the whole issue of how non green choices lead us to lead a more toxic lifestyle other than harming our environment which I am guessing you might be aware of. Obviously I will expand on this issue in my blog.

What fascinates me even more is the phenomena you described as ‘green washing’. I was aware of this issue but never concerned till I read your blog. Greedy investors will always capitalize on the latest consumer trend. But in this case, there is the risk of being fooled by companies that bear ‘organic’ or ‘eco friendly labels’ on our products. Right now the ‘green’ and ‘organic’ market is relatively new. Despite the high price of groceries and products we are confident what we are paying for won’t harm our environment and our bodies. This reassurance is threatened by ‘green washing’ which you bring to the forefront. It is something we should all look out for as consumers and not be fooled. Another advantage of organic farming has always been supporting local and national farmers. With ‘green washing’ the livelihood of local farmers are threatened. A classic example is how ‘Silk’ soy milk was bought over by a large multinational firm Dean Foods who cancelled all their soy contracts with local farmers shifting to soy from China instead. Take a look at http://www.alternet.org/environment/141134/why_silk_soy_milk's_parent_company_is_throwing_american_farmers_and_consumers_under_the_bus/ . Your example of how the Tom’s of Maine was bought over by Colgate is similar to this situation. To be honest I am worried right now about the future of eco-friendly products falling in the hands of the very tyrants who have polluted our body and the environment for years.

Wait a minute! Does this mean all Doctors are bad?

This really sucks! About time I hit the hammer on the nail and discuss what the Health and Wellness revolution is really about. But before I proceed, my complaint about the current sad state of health and what’s wrong with the current medical system has led my colleagues wondering about stuff like how the heck you can fix a broken leg with natural and holistic methods like sleep and rest. And what about treatments like chemo and antibiotics. That is confusing indeed. Let me make the distinction here. There are two sides to modern medicine. It has made great strides in the field of surgery, operation and emergency care. When a person is involved in an accident and has suffered from critical wounds, no amount of sleep, rest and nutrition will heal the individual. Even though these actions will try to restore the individual to a healthy state the loss of nutrients and blood are occurring at too fast a rate. This is where all the innovations in medical technology such as CT Scan, MRI, ultrasound, operation theatre techniques are at the cutting edge of medical science and it is fair to say that all the investments made into this field have come to serve us for the greater good. But on the other hand we have drugs and pharmaceuticals which in my opinion have failed miserably due to the reason I mentioned earlier. For chronic and degenerative conditions there are better ways to treat patients which I will definitely discuss later. (Damn it! This blog is limited to 500 words!)

Despite my past ranting about the sad state of the medical system I will have to clarify my stance on this issue. The doctors that we come across in our everyday lives despite being part of the very system I speak against are not completely at fault. Many of them have just followed the system going through the cutthroat medical school in the hope of practicing medicine and helping people get better. There are many doctors who have the best intentions at heart. Their work should not be discredited. One of the prime examples is Dr. Deepak Chopra who is a M.D. with a medical degree. But seeing the need for a better way of healing he has branched out to alternative healing methods exploring the connection between the mind and the body. His background in the medical field through his M.D. indeed helps to understand his work better in his current field. To learn more about his work check it out at http://www.chopra.com/. He also clarifies why our healthcare problems persist and how we are looking for a change in the wrong place in the following article: http://deepakchopra.com/default/san-francisco-chronicle-why-health-care-reform-wont-reform-health-care/. This helps to shed some light on my previous post where I explain that our current healthcare industry is actually ‘the sickness industry’ and why ‘we have got it all wrong’ when it comes to healthcare. Hope this article answers some of the questions that arise from my last post. Che’s out.

Trifecta

The Sickness Industry

We have all heard about the healthcare agenda. Obesity is rising among the American population. Cancer is widespread than ever with 1 in 3 people. Cardiovascular diseases are going up. Lets not leave out all the political healthcare debate. The rising costs of healthcare. Medicare and Medicaid. The healthcare expanding our budget deficit. And finally the president’s plans to cut costs of healthcare by ensuring less frequent patient admissions. The list goes on and on with all the healthcare agenda and issues. So what happened to all the fuss about ‘Hope’ and ‘Change’? Right now the future looks grim for healthcare with an elderly population that outweighs the middle age income groups. My friends! We have got it all wrong! What we call the healthcare industry is the exact opposite. ‘Hope’ and ‘Change’ are the two most crucial elements we need right now. And I can be honest with you, you will see plenty of it as you keep on following my blog. Let me show you how the rapidly emerging ‘Wellness Revolution’ plans on paving the way. The trick is to look for it in the right place.

Before we move on lets take a look with whats wrong with the current healthcare system? The purpose of a well functioning healthcare system is to make sure that the population of the country is healthy as a whole. So far our system has failed to do that. In fact it has done the exact opposite: set up a system that ensures frequent doctor visits and drug prescriptions. This is one of the highest in the United States.

The biggest reason for our healthcare problem lies in our mindset. What we call the ‘healthcare industry’ is actually the ‘sickness industry’ but we have failed to notice this because we have been conditioned by the media and society to fail to notice the obvious. No one wants to be a part of this industry. No one wants to visit doctors and hospitals unless we are sick. Yet we go to these institutions looking for a healthier life. It is ironic that we have placed the longevity and vitality of our lives in the medical community. It is about time we start looking elsewhere.

Few of us have been told that drugs just mask the symptoms of our disease and does nothing to treat our condition as a whole. Doctors just expect our body to recover. Our body heals through nutrition, rest and sleep. These are the natural processes by which we get back to shape. Surprisingly none of the doctors are trained in nutrition and completely fail to advice the patients on recovery. No wonder we have so many repeat visits to the doctor. The current trend has been a shift of patients to alternative medicine visiting Naturopathic Doctors who prescribe natural, herbal and homeopathic remedies. These treatments don’t compromise our overall health and speeds up the process of healing. Naturopathic treatments will be one of the growing fields of the ‘Wellness Revolution’. As a matter of fact a new health insurance system has been established that favors individuals who prefer holistic healing and a healthier lifestyle. Check it out at http://www.herbanwisdom.com/?p=76 . My first appointment with a naturopath took two hours to go over everything about my health. I mean everything! Just to show you how comprehensive and holistic the naturopathic approach is.

Voice Critique: What is Real Wellness and Why Bother With It?

article link: http://trusted.md/blog/donald_b_ardell/2009/08/31/what_is_real_wellness_and_why_bother_with_it

The title of the article is engaging and already makes the reader reflect about Health and Wellness. It raises such questions as: What is the difference between wellness and ‘real’ wellness? And Why not bother with our health? It is our health! Shouldn’t we all bother with it? It seems that the author asks a rhetorical question. But every reader of the title would wonder ‘does he really ask a rhetorical question?’ and read on to find out more. Afterall, what is all the fuss about health and wellness anyway. There is so much stuff on it these days on the internet and magazines. The author sets the tone for the article with the title and we get a vague impression of his character already.

Since we are all wondering what real wellness is according to the author he defines it as:

A conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential in a multi-dimensional, positive and affirming manner that encompasses lifestyle and mental well-being, as well as a concern for the environment.

The definition was acquired from the National Wellness Institute. In reaction to such an extended definition, the author’s voice is comical and reacts in affirmation with what we are thinking:

Wow - that's a mouthful and a bit much for many regular, down-to-earth folks to digest.

His sentiments reverberate with the reader and this establishes a strong connection with the readers from early on.

Considering the wellness topic is a serious issue since many people read such blogs to improve their quality of life and look for suggestions to diets, exercise and supplements, the voice of the author is almost whimsical and comical in the first five paragraphs that talks about our predetermined concept of wellness. The reason for having such tone is well explained by the author:

I do NOT waste time writing about wellness. I have given up on wellness. It is beyond repair. It's boring, medical in nature and focused on issues that others already address quite well enough (e.g., exercise and eating wisely).

The author considers the current wellness industry a mockery that is filled with

exploitation by product promoters, spa foo foo entrepreneurs, medical quacks or corporate worksite risk reduction managers.

His choice of adjectives such as ‘spa foo foo’ and ‘medical quacks’ derides and ridicules the fancy entrepreneurial efforts of individuals who stand to profit in the name of wellness. He prefers the type of wellness where such deception is absent.

Real wellness is

about mindsets and lifestyles that reflect a reasoned existence of exuberant life quality founded on personal freedom and social liberty.

The contrast in the voice becomes apparent from this point onward as the author talks about his concept of ‘real wellness’. The tone is engaging, courteous and professional. He justifies why he believes in his definition of wellness:

Who would not be interested in that? Compared with the blah blah generalities of the wellness definition summarized above, my REAL wellness definition seems rather straightforward, specific and consequential.

The author frankly compares his definition to the general definition of wellness that we all believe in. In doing so he challenges our society’s concept of wellness. Is it all about exercising, maintaining a healthy diet and consuming supplements? Maybe we should all consider about including psychological and moral principles in our own definition of wellness.

Blog Profile: Wellness Revolution

Dr. Dennis Da Ponte is the editor to an insightful blog posted on the Harrisonburg summits. The summit was a platform for exchange of ideas. Interestingly it was set up by the mayor of Harrisonburg Kai Degner. The blog touches a range of of issues related to the overall wellbeing of the citizens of the community. This posting was engaging and an eye opener since Dr. Dennis calls for a change or a ‘revolution’ in the current US healthcare system. He refers to one of our founding fathers: “It was our beloved native Virginian, Thomas Jefferson who once said,

Every generation needs a new revolution.” Indeed, a revolution in our Health Care paradigm may just be the calling of our generation. Bugle horns have been sounding off all across America that something just isn’t right.

As a Doctor himself it is apparent that he is radical from his peers who just refuse to comment on the sad state of healthcare and just pass their days practicing in their chambers and prescribing pills. Although the blog is detailed and informative it is a one time post and maintains a low profile with insignificant technorati ranking.

Regardless, the blog is higly relevant to my topic of the emerging Wellness Revolution. Since I plan on talking about the new technologies and healthcare solutions to our current healthcare problems, the blog addresses what is actually wrong with our current system. It justifies why a revolution must take place and this makes my blog highly relevant and meaningful. Although the author does not describe the Wellness Revolution or its nature he does a good job of addressing the current problems. He describes the grim state of health in our society:

63% of Americans are now overweight, 1 in 8 women will fight breast cancer in their life, and The American Heart Association suggests 80,000,000 Americans are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. To make it even worse, the World Health Organization has ranked our Health Care System 37th in the world, behind Costa Rica and Columbia, and it is the most expensive of all countries, almost doubling second place.

He admits that the current system is not working and a revolution is in order.

Furthermore he does a great job of pointing out where the problem lies. We have relied too much on medicine and our doctors for our own health and Dr. Da Ponte is apparent in his comment,

For too long, patients have seen healthcare as a passive process in which their health was completely in the hands of their doctor, and his/her ability to prescribe the right medications. In general, having the mindset of just managing symptoms, Doctors would effectively deal with whatever complaint that walked into their office, and pay less attention to the general well-being of the patient.

Our healthcare system is missing the holistic approach to healthcare that is treating the patient as a whole instead of just masking the symptoms with medicine. If we only treat the surface of the problem instead of the whole body then there is bound to me more health problems and frequent visits to the doctor. One of the main topics of my blog will be whether this is what the doctors and the medical community actually want. Afterall, more visits translate into more income through drug prescriptions and visits both for the doctors and the pharmaceutical firms.

Dr. Da Pointe’s voice echoes and reverberates the sentiments of a revolutionary. His blog appeals to other like minded people who believe there is a better way to treat people and patients don’t have to suffer from the greed of large pharmaceutical corporations who refuse to treat patients with holistic and natural methods. The shifting of our mindset to the holistic approach of healing and wellness is already apparent in our population in small numbers. These people represent the ‘seed’ of the Wellness Revolution that will eclipse many other industries as the numbers keep on growing.