Generation DIY: Let's Take Control of Our Own Health

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The term "Do It Yourself," or DIY, is building, modifying, or repairing something without the help or aid of experts or professionals. People now are increasingly publishing their own books, knitting their own socks, or building their own computers from scratch.

The young adult generation, in particular, has taken charge in so many ways. DIY is one of the most searched-for terms online—and has more videos on YouTube than any other category. The DIYer has become the norm, taking charge and making things happen rather than relying on others. Except for the most important project: one's own health.

In a generation where everyone around us is DIYing the heck out of everything, why are we leaving our own well-being to chance? In a typical DIY project, you identify a problem, then scour the Internet and its myriad of social media channels to see what everyone else is doing. Armed with your "newfound expertise," you can tackle the problem with buckets of enthusiasm and have something to show for it at the end of the day.

Still, we ignore the pain in our lower back that hasn't gone away in six weeks or the mole that now has its own personality. By contrast, when we're confronted with a car that makes that mysterious grinding noise or the torture of a leaky faucet, the failure to address a problem results in serious consequences. We're lackadaisical when it comes to our most important vehicle—our temple—our own body.

What if, as a generation of DIYers, we made wellness our most important project?

If you are like most young adult know-it-alls, you have ignored warning signs—so where do you start? It's overwhelming, and you're freaked out. Start with the basics in this DIY project: eat something—anything—healthy, get moderately physical or even ask for someone you trust for help. Making a doctor’s appointment can be the first step in taking control of your own wellness project. You are probably thinking this is an expensive undertaking, with or without insurance, but in the long-run, this could actually save you a lot of money, time and stress. And then you can go crazy, research best practices, vote for stronger healthcare policies, and choose stronger local and federal leadership.

This is not a step-by-step manual to a long and healthy life, but rather a call to action. It is time for we as the DIY generation to work on ourselves. By all means create those photo montages, start your own companies, record and distribute your own music, sell your handmade products to people around the globe. But with the same fervor, plug in to your own well-being. Do it yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.

Start taking ownership of your health with our DIY Health Check-up.\n