Introduction
Did you know that 70% of health determinants depend on our lifestyle choices? This figure is particularly worrying in a society that tends to delegate its health to professionals. So who really holds the keys to our well-being? Ourselves, our carers, or the healthcare system?
Shared Responsibility
Health is a shared responsibility between several players:
The Healthcare System
It provides an essential framework, but its effectiveness and accessibility vary from region to region. Although it provides preventive measures such as vaccination, certain emerging diseases or diseases linked to personal history are not covered. It would be imprudent to place blind trust in them: ‘Trust them, but always check’.
Healthcare Professional
They diagnose, treat, and advise. They are invaluable partners, but they remain human, with limits and constraints. Are we always completely transparent with our doctor, during what are often short consultations? Everyone feels their own body. While doctors can detect symptoms, we are in the best position to express our feelings.
You
You are the first person to take responsibility for your own health, whether through preventive action (diet, physical activity, stress management, screening) or curative action (treatment follow-up). Being informed about your health, understanding your body, and taking an active part in medical decisions is crucial. Mastering the pathologies that affect us improves collaboration with carers and optimises treatment.
External Influences
External factors also influence our health such as the food and pharmaceutical industries, through their products and marketing; the media and social networks, which influence our behaviour, particularly our eating habits; and, the environment including pollution, air and water quality, and climate change.
Taking Back Control
How can we take concrete action?
Education and Information
Deciphering food labels (Nutri-Score, composition), understanding medicine leaflets and the causes of our illnesses, questioning health professionals, etc.
Active Prevention
Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and manage stress.
Conclusion
Who is in control of our health? The answer lies in joint responsibility, with the patient as the main player. Every choice we make every day contributes to our well-being. Our health is in our own hands, but it flourishes in a supportive ecosystem. Let’s be actors, not spectators.