I really hate going to the doctor’s office.

But it’s a good hate, if that makes sense. I know my doctor is there to help me, and I know that he puts a lot of effort into making sure I feel better…and cashing in the co-pay.

In all seriousness though, health has always been important to me because of my family. My mother was a nurse before she met my father. My father had a heart attack before my twin brother and I were born. My brother started his college career on track to become a registered nurse practitioner. And I hate going to the doctor’s office.

But what all of this comes down to is that I know how important all of the ins and outs of health care are. I have learned tips and tricks all through my life from the people closest to me, and I genuinely take it all to heart — no pun intended.

Don’t take me for an example when it comes to the embodiment of health since I just try and shake off any little sickness without getting professional help. But I will say that I know a good idea when I see one, and I’ve seen a lot of good ideas in recent years.

I don’t want this issue to turn into a political conversation, so I’ll keep some of the more controversial advancements out of this editor’s note. It may be the coolest thing I’ve ever seen when another human being walks into the grocery store with a 3-D printed artificial limb.

Bio-engineered body parts like heart valves and even eyes are becoming more prevalent, earlier detection of genetic diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, medication to help target the weaknesses in blood-based cancers and laparoscopic surgeries to be as minimally invasive as possible are all things people could’ve only dreamed of 20 years ago.

When you read through this Health Issue, try and keep your personal beliefs in the back of your mind and try and look at the articles with an open point of view. Don’t think of what you’re reading as arguments for or against something you may not agree with, but as an analysis and presentation of how far we as a society have come.

This isn’t about you, it’s about us.

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“Editor’s note: welcome to the Health issue” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar