The Value of Health

It’s Dr Lucy here.

This week, I had the experience of being a patient. It wasn’t that much fun. 

I had pain…

I felt vulnerable

I needed an operation…

Don’t get me wrong, I was well-cared for. The procedure was successful and I am on the mend. I am grateful to live in Australia where I have access to wonderful healthcare. 

But ill-health is expensive.

I thought it would be an interesting exercise to see just how expensive my foray into sickness actually was. 

So the story goes like this. I had right-sided back pain. 

Three days later I had some scans $150

Private hospital excess $500

Discharge medications $44

Repeat procedure private excess $500 

Total $1144 

The real cost would have been higher because I didn’t have any doctor’s fees. As part of professional courtesy, most doctors don’t bill other doctors. 

So I could have added in 

GP visit $85

Surgeon Fee $500

Anesthetist fees $300

Bringing the whole experience closer to $2000

On top of this, there was time off work for the procedure and recovery. 

Running my own business, I have no access to sick leave. No work-no money!

Yes I could have gone to a public hospital and it would have been cheaper, but I received my care immediately. I minimised my time off work by having quicker access than I would have received in the public system. 

Now, this wasn’t a chronic disease. I had a kidney stone that had blocked my ureter and caused swelling around my kidney. Ouch!

It’s been dealt with now and is unlikely to return. Yay! 

But the vast majority of our health budget is spent on chronic diseases, many of which are treatable, even reversible by changing what we eat. 

I see many people in my clinic who are on 4, 5 or 6 medications; sometimes more. 

Medications for 

Cholesterol, 

Hypertension, 

Diabetes, 

Reflux, 

Arthritis. 

Many patients pay over $100... Every. Single. Month. For Years and Years...

I see people who need procedures, endoscopies, arthroscopies, angiograms. 

Hundred and hundreds of dollars worth of investigations and treatment. 

I see time taken off work, holidays postponed, activities cancelled due to ill- health and the need to access health care.

So I ask you this. 

Imagine if you could change your path in life, your journey, your current health trajectory simply by changing what you eat.

You could save thousands of dollars in medical expenses, investigations, medications.

You could save yourself years of pain and suffering.

You could save your own life.

All that it requires is for you to invest in yourself. 

Invest in your health.

Can you afford not to invest?

And as Loreal so aptly coined

Why?

Because you’re worth it! 

If you’re ready to invest in yourself, reclaim your health and save yourself thousands of dollars then get in touch. 

Helping women on the road to “Healthy Life Nirvana” is what we do best. 

Head over to our website here, 

Read about how we can help you...

and then schedule a call.

I look forward to chatting! 

See you soon lovelies

Dr Lucy Burns