***Future Health Resources

I love the Statue of Liberty. I know she will get some wear and tear. It’s comforting to know that in a few decades when she needs major maintenance again, the technology for helping her be her best will be even better than we have today. The trick is keeping her in reasonably good shape until the next major maintenance.

We too can have faith that if we take reasonably good care of ourselves, technology will give us some incredible help. Have faith that the future will bring awesome medical resources to help you meet health challenges and enhance your health. Consider a few examples: n~In 1991 I had a groin hernia repair. It was several days before I could walk normally. Today the surgery is far les invasive. Last year my then 83-year-old father had a similar hernia repair. After the surgery he drove himself home and even stopped on the way for breakfast at a restaurant. n~Different people metabolize medications differently resulting in only an estimated 25-60% of medications are not being dosed effectively. In June, an FDA approved matchbox sized computer chip will be marketed for analyzing your blood sample and determining how you would metabolize a wide variety of hypertensive, antidepressant, seizure, cancer, and heartbu
medications. n~Physicians have attached a miniature video camera on glasses. The camera relays the signal to an implant in the retina, which passes the input to the optic nerve. This enables people with conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration to see again. (The current version is crude until the number of pixels increases.) The technology is expected to be commercially available in 2-3 years. n~Stem cells are being implanted to heart muscles to grow new heart muscle. Research is showing progress in using stem cells to even replace brain cells.

Will your body show wear and tear over the years? Of course. Will the resources for enhancing your health be greatly improved by then? You bet!