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As a chiropractor and self-described ‘wellbeing advocate’, Marie-Christine Dix thinks health is one of life’s biggest priorities.
Now the Managing Director of local health agency Align, Marie-Christine says she was inspired to pursue this career path after receiving chiropractic care as a teenager.
Outside work, avid sea swimmer Marie-Christine enjoys looking after her two sausage dogs, Lexie and Dexter, with whom she enjoys the island's beauty on beach walks - something that may have influenced one of her five ideas.
From ditching States Deputies to dog-friendly beaches all-year round, she has some big ideas about how Jersey should change…
We should be at the cutting edge in changing how wellbeing and healthcare are approached. We are a tiny island with our own government and own purse, so are perfectly set up to be able to revolutionise how we approach healthcare (rather than follow the failing NHS model as we are currently doing).
Pictured: "We should be at the cutting edge in changing how wellbeing and healthcare are approached."
We should be looking at countries that are doing it well, (like Scandinavia) and consider how we can adopt a similar, more beneficial system for the island. This would not only improve clinical outcome measures but also increase confidence and gratitude for the services we offer to our local population. With a more aligned approach to wellness, between the private and public sectors, the health service needs to stop talking about working closer with the private sector and actually start in all areas of health and wellbeing.
Our younger generations need to be educated now on the importance of posture and optimal spinal health, nutrition that supports growth and repair and the importance of daily exercise and stretching.
Kids today move less, the foods they eat contain less nutrients than years gone by and lifestyles mean they often do not get the adequate nutrition bodies need to grow and repair. Pair the above with chronic postural issues due to the normality of smart phones, tablets and devices and sedentary lifestyles and we have a prescription for illness.
Pictured: The health professional warns against the impact of smartphones and tablets on children's posture and spinal health.
We need only look a three-year-old’s neck posture holding a smart phone to know repetitive postures like these in a not fully developed spine are only going to lead to damage in year to come with devastating effects for our economy and society.
We have to change how this island is run and we need a complete overhaul of how and who makes the decisions. There are far too many cooks in the kitchen - some don't even know how to make beans on toast; others are trying to cook cordon bleu meals whilst speaking a different language; others are like celebrity chefs searching for the limelight and not actually doing any cooking themselves!
Pictured: The States could do with a shake-up, Marie-Christine thinks.
We have a population that has grown disinterested, apathetic and lost confidence in our current system as nothing changes! We need to shake things up massively if we are going to drive the change needed to make Jersey thrive again. Reduce States Members down to an absolute minimum (5-10), removing deputies, constables and anyone else that doesn't need to be there.
Increase the salary package for these 5-10 positions to make it attractive to come forward and apply as you would for any other job in the private sector. Create specific job descriptions with outlined expectation and look to recruit the individuals responsible for running our island as you would do for any other business on the basis of knowledge, expertise, experience, and ability.
Jersey has a large number of dog lovers who are restricted from exercising their four-legged friends on beaches off-lead during summer months between certain hours. We have plenty of beautiful beaches for islanders and visitors to enjoy during summer months some of which even during the height of the summer are empty from sunbathers/beachgoers.
Pictured: The chiropractor thinks Jersey should make some beaches "off lead dog friendly" all year round.
Please look at following Guernsey's example and making specific beaches "off lead dog friendly" all year round. Not only will this mean improved wellbeing for both dogs and their owners as they will be free to exercise off-lead during daytime hours but it may also mean islander who would prefer to avoid dogs know which beaches or section of beaches to avoid.
It may well also encourage those that choose to ignore the current on-lead walking rules to choose the designated areas - everyone's a winner!
Introduce carrier bag banks at all super markets, as we all have literally hundreds of the five-pence bag for life ones.
Pictured: Marie-Christine thinks supermarkets should create carrier bag banks to save on waste.
If they had a "communal" bag place where when you've forgotten yours you can grab a donated one it would help the environment, then all the ones we all end up with can also be dropped off and used again!
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Bailiwick Express.
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