The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care--and How to Fix It

by Marty Makary

gee, I thought, there is a natural way to cure heartburn that I learned in medical school and then stored deep in the attic of my brain. Let me see if I can remember what it involves: (1) No eating before bedtime, (2) No eating between meals, and (3) No processed foods. The thought of monitoring and changing my eating habits was already making me tired. I felt betrayed by those who taught me Nexium was perfectly safe. I reluctantly agreed to try the lifestyle modification protocol. I stopped eating a bowl of cereal before going to bed. I removed the jar of peppermint patties I had been dipping into at my front office desk. And I stopped buying processed foods altogether in favor of whole foods. It worked perfectly. My heartburn was cured, this time without medication. With little effort, I had successfully avoided the risks of a drug, cut out the daily routine of popping a pill, and saved a lot of money for me and all the people paying premiums to my health insurance plan. In total, I saved myself $480 a year, and I saved my insurance plan $1,440. Sure, the nonprocessed foods cost more, but net-net I came out on top. And I felt great. My own experience was a powerful lesson—getting off lifestyle medications can improve health and lower medical costs.