I have lost 22 pounds since September and there's a lesson in it

[rpannier]

Background.
I live in Korea.
In January 2010 I had surgery for a hernia which the doctor told me was severe.
It took the better part of five months to recover to where I could do strenuous activities. By the end of August I had ballooned to 219 pounds and it was then I started a running 4-6 days a week.

The process:
I have a job that pays me about 60k a year. (Buying power equivalent to making 60k a year in the US during the 60's/70's).
Korea has National Health Care (not the best in the world, but it's still good). For the surgery, a semi-private room, the medicine and hospital room I paid 1,000 dollars. (My monthly premiums are 54.00)
The medicine I got when I left the hospital (2 weeks worth) cost me about $53.00.
My follow up visits to the surgeon (2 visits) cost me 30.00 the first time and 20.00 the second time.
MY follow ups with my doctor cost 4 dollars a visit and the medicine he prescribed me cost me about 8 dollars (2 separate occassions for pain)
In September, I joined a gym (120.00 every 3 months). I went to see my doctor on a few occassions at the beginning to monitor my progress 4 dollars a visit.
When I strained muscles in my shoulder they injected dye in my shoulder to x-ray 60.00.

What's the lesson:
When you have a job that doesn't require you to get a 2nd job and you have affordable access to quality medical coverage that encourages you to use it to be healthy good things, like good health are much easier to attain.
But, when you're forced to work two or three crappy part time jobs that pay very little and force you to eat on the fly (as you run from one job to another). At the same time you can't afford to see a doctor when you're sick or injured because it could destroy you financially or result in you losing that coverage then you get a society that is disfunctional at best.