I remember after being checked out for some issue or other, the doctor gave me some vaguely positive reassurance that I was “within the normal range” and “it’s not a concern now.” I asked “Could it develop into a problem with age?” and he said, with a big grin, “Everything will develop into a problem with age.”

It seems obvious, but it reminded me that a) everything in your body is going to heck in time, and b) you can always find something concerning if you look for it. But more importantly, we don’t exist in a binary state of health or sickness. No matter how we feel, we’re somewhere in between, with the quirks in our bodies progressing towards symptoms and syndromes, and at least one life-changing medical situation somewhere on the horizon. You don’t need to worry about getting sick, because it’s a guarantee that, should you live a decently long time, you will get sick. Really sick!

Hope that doesn’t sound too negative, but it helped cure some of my hypochondria! And it lets me tune out our society’s relentless and single-minded pursuit of Health and Wellness, which I often think is just repackaged death anxiety.