The Forgotten Keys to Natural Health Care!

Simple talk about a confusing subject! An easy reading, down to earth book which de-mystifies, simplifies and explains this confusing, yet vitally important aspect of your life. If you are at all interested in your health and have heard about “Natural” or Alternative” health care, THEN YOU NEED THIS BOOK. (PDF Document-Your Health and the Natural System)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pure Health Systems Wholistic health and Wellness Web E-Book!

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1 First things first

Chapter 2.The beginning of the story.

• Natural Law
• Natural Law and human physiology
• Limitations of matter.
• The Great Factory.
• Natural Law, Genetics and Disease.
• The “Natural” Magic Bullet Game.

Chapter 3.Basic Anatomy and Physiology.

Chapter 4.The Food Trap.

• What is food?
• I’m getting away with it.

Chapter 5.Modern Medicine

• Medical Misunderstanding.
• Drugs to the rescue.
• Natural VS medical.
• Natural VS chemical medicines.
• Factors of biological activity.
• Are you breeding disease?

Chapter 6. Environment.

• Water
• Air
• Light
• Sound
• “Artificial” power sources
• The agricultural connection

Chapter 7. Health and our children.

• Children, diet and genetics.
• Go Children and Immunizations.
• Go Children and exercise.
• Go Potential problems.

Chapter 8.The Six greatest health threats, and more.

• Threat One: Enzyme Depletion.
• Threat Two: Vitamin/mineral Deficiencies.
• Threat Three: Fat/sugar Consumption.
• Threat Four: Free Radical Damage.
• Threat Five: Intestinal Flora Derangement.
• Threat Six: Stress.
• Threat Seven: Subclinical Infections.
• Genetics.
• Go Colloidal minerals.

Chapter 9. Exercise.

• What is exercise?
• Personal Exercise program Tips
• For you serious muscle builders & Athletes

Chapter 10. Health disciplines defined.

• Health Professional List

Chapter 11. Chiropractic explained.

• Spinal vertebra.
• The Intervertebral Disc.
• The Nervous System.
• The “Bone out of place” myth.
• Degeneration and Human physiology.
• What does Chiropractic do?

Chapter 12. Stretching.

• Warm up.
• Massage.
• The stretch technique.

Chapter 13. Turnaround begins.

• Health food stores: To be or not to be.
• Reading labels.
• At home with the goods.

Chapter 14. Self-help techniques.

• The sprained ankle.
• Muscle pulls.
• Cuts/scrapes.
• Bloody Nose.
• Fever.
• Headaches.
• Cold/Flu.
• Hiatal hernia/stomach problems.
• Fasting.

Chapter 15. Everything I’ve always wanted to say.

Chapter 16. The Process

• What should I do First?
• I want to do more!
• Where to look!
• Go “Well, I’ll think About all this and try it, when I’m ready!”

Chapter 17. Conclusion

Chapter 18. Health Questionnaire

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Everyone’s life consists in large part of the accumulation of lessons learned from many other people. My case is no different. For the past 41 years, I have had the opportunity to read many book and publications in the area of natural health and wellness, and meet many people who have worked in these areas for many years. In one respect or another, I would like to give credit to all those who have had a love for the truth, and been willing to voice their beliefs and convictions regarding natural health care. Their efforts are beginning to pave the way for the understanding that is now growing within our country. From authors, to alternative health care providers who have been working with a system that is real, has foundation and who have persisted, despite continued persecution, Thank you. It has added to my understanding, and I now want to pass on what I have so others can understand.

I would like to thank Steve Bergstrom and his wife Patty, for all their encouragement and support along the way.

Most importantly, I am forever grateful for the relationship I have with the great designer, creator, eternal God. Though He exists in another dimension, He has revealed himself in this magnificent, complex, diverse physical realm, and has lead many to understand the simplicity of His natural system and our relationship to it.

INTRODUCTION

“Of making books there is no end.” As we all know, that is very true. To face that fact by itself can be somewhat intimidating and could easily prevent anyone from attempting to do what I am attempting with THIS book. Health and health care have been, perhaps, one of the most confusing, mysterious, frustrating, expensive and emotional issues in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, it has also been one of the most misunderstood and seemingly “hopeless” subjects to date. When one considers all the information, and MISINFORMATION, available on the subject, you might wonder what could possibly be said that hasn’t already been said a thousand times already. The truth is, in one respect, nothing. So I suppose I could end things right here and save you the trouble of reading just another pile of redundant information, and save me the trouble of piling it.

But I can’t do that. You see, There is another aspect to consider. I’ve been planning this book for over 12 years and in my 21+ years of being involved in health, I’ve come to see that it is NOT a lack of knowledge, per se, that is our problem. There is a huge gulf between the knowledge we DO have, and UNDERSTANDING what that knowledge means, how it fits together and how it is, in fact, an intimate part of our daily lives, whether we are aware of it or not.

The health care system in this country is in crisis, as most of us are already painfully aware of. The procedures most of us follow and take for granted as normal behavior in health care is fundamentally flawed. That, of course, sounds a bit drastic, but consider. IF health care practices were on the right track, wouldn’t it become an obvious fact of life? Wouldn’t we be reaping the benefits of doing the right thing and following the right procedures? Wouldn’t health care be in a better condition?

We have been following the same standard of health care for a long time and yet, as you well know, we are in worse shape than ever before. That’s not to say medicine hasn’t certainly done wonderful things over the years. But, as I mentioned and will go into at greater length throughout this book, there is a fundamental flaw in our approach toward health care. We, in this country, need to go through our own sort of “RESTRUCTURING” in order to come to terms with what is a major problem, now, and most certainly will be disaster in the near future unless we takes steps immediately.

This book is simply my attempt to reduce the mountain of health material available, down to a manageable size in order to help the reader UNDERSTAND what it all means. I think it would be safe to say that the majority of us know more about our cars, computers and sports teams than we do about the machine we live with every day. Knowledge is wonderful, but if it isn’t understood, it is useless. Then add to it, the maze of conflicting, often hostile arguments and counter arguments about what is right or wrong, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, scientific or quackery, and you have a mutating life form which continues to feed on itself until…you guessed it, we have the present day picture of health care in this country.

This book isn’t going to be another scholastic, scientific or confusing collection of so called facts. What I am going to do is to talk plainly, simply, using simple analogies, stories and concepts to dismantle the cloak of invisibility that seems to surround many of the health books and “experts” wise sayings. I am NOT here to attack anyone, condemn actions, or promote anything except what I believe to be simple, basic, provable and scientific “natural” facts, and to present possibilities and concepts as food for thought.

But, I have to qualify things right here. This could well be classified as a health philosophy book because, in essence, it IS. But, then again, what area of life do we deal in that DOESN’T contain elements of foundational philosophy? It isn’t MY philosophy, nor any mans for that matter. It is simply a statement of the obvious. It is philosophy until the health knowledge we DO have, combines with the health understanding which we are struggling with. Then the obvious passes from simple philosophy to obvious fact. Through all this it is hoped that you will be motivated to break out of the mold of traditional health practices and to look, read, study, and investigate the mountain of research and literature available on areas outside the control of traditional medical thinking and influence.

Please realize, also, that you won’t find a lot of “Research Source Proof” in this book. If you read this and get the big idea, you will realize that you won’t NEED such proof because common sense and logic will be all the proof you need. Don’t let the LACK of sources of scientific support in this book trick you into presuming what is said isn’t true. Once you understand the Natural System, you won’t need such proof, but it IS available should you want it.

One last point. You will find that I have deliberately left out any Index for this book. Indexes tend to lead a person to read what they are interested in, but then miss some of the most important points the author was trying to present. The Chapter titles help enough with content and it is hoped that the reader will take the time to read the entire book in order to grasp the whole concept of health. Without that, achieving lasting health will be much more difficult.

CHAPTER 1: FIRST THINGS FIRST

One of the best teaching tools I know of are analogies, repetition and simplicity. Throughout this book you will encounter repeated concepts or analogies where I am making a point. Using the same analogy keeps the concept simple, and continually ties the pieces of the puzzle together until a clear and easy to understand foundation emerges. Please be patient with analogies that seem overly simple or even areas which illicit an emotional response from you which could compel you to trash this book. I realize that not everyone is going to agree with all that is said. My intention is not to convince everyone to believe everything that is written.
My greatest desire with this book is to present 20 years of observation and experience to stimulate your thinking, and present concepts which could radically alter your perspective on health, nutrition, nature and perhaps, your future. This book is NOT a science book, nor is it a book about basic health knowledge. There are thousands of books with that information that you may reference. (1)

What IS desperately needed is a simple key to follow when reading health information that can help you decipher it and make a solid health decision. Other health professionals will disagree with me, even from my own profession. I’m not claiming to be the “be all and end all” in health care. I am simply sharing with you the sincere beliefs and understandings I have on the subject. This won’t be a complete work on health. It is an “oasis” in my travels to understand and research the subject of health. Some of the ideas and “theories” may prove to be valid. Others may be overshadowed by new data and research.

In many respects, this country, and for that matter, the whole world is experiencing change like never before. It seems as though many people are reaching a saturation point when it comes to the extent of problems the world is facing. When we look back over the course of the past several years, we can see some very obvious examples of the direction we are headed. There is a sort of RENAISSANCE, if you will, in which people are becoming aware of the need for society to stop what it’s doing, take a good hard look at world conditions and begin to take whatever little steps are possible to arrest, in many cases, LIFE THREATENING momentum.

At this very moment, the interest in natural food, organic produce, environment and alternative health care is at an unprecedented rate of growth. WHY? The rate of virtually every degenerative disease is continuing to increase, including cancer, heart disease and childhood diseases. Our environment is being threatened by various artificially introduced factors. That is why people are beginning to wake out of a seeming blindness to the natural world and the course of nature.

We have technology that is almost beyond comprehension these days yet the health of multiple millions of people is proof that there is a missing dimension we are failing to address. The environmental movement has struggled for years for their very existence and suddenly, there is occurring a grass roots awareness of the very things many of them were saying. Their awareness stemmed, in large part, from observation, scientific concerns and the health crisis. People began to look around at their environment and could see the affect humans were having on their planet.

As this became more rooted in the national consciousness, and with a little application of the same principles and powers of observation on a personal level, many people are beginning to question and investigate how such general behavior of society towards the earth, translates into a personal threat and personal responsibility. Therein lies the vital ingredient for any change to take place. It is not enough for warnings to be issued. That’s obvious from the past. What has to occur is for there to be an INTERNALIZATION of what we hear to the point that we UNDERSTAND. Knowledge is useless unless it is acted upon. And action must be preceded by a change inside us which will motivate and sustain us. Without motivation, we simply listen, nod our heads in agreement, and promptly forget or cast aside the issue.

There are numerous warnings being given these days. Warnings about the environment, warnings about the health care system, warnings about being dependent in so many major areas of life. For too long we have cast aside restraint in virtually every area of life and are now beginning to reap what we have sown. Yet, it isn’t too late to begin fundamental changes in our way of thinking.

Alternative health care is a subject which has recently been receiving considerable publicity. Because of the growing interest in nature and environment, people are logically looking to the natural world for possible clues and answers to their health problems. There are admittedly unscrupulous persons who take advantage of people having health problems. As I have mentioned before, the medical profession has been the dominating health care provider for many years. In spite of that, there has always been other “alternative” methods which have existed all along, yet suppressed. These methods are beginning to take a front row seat. Technology is available which is proving that much of what has been regarded as “quackery,” (because it didn’t comply with the established procedures and beliefs of standard medical procedures) is actually effective and valid.

If we honestly look back over the years, we will see that in most cases what was put down as unscientific and quackery by the medical profession has been vindicated. An example of this is nutrition. For years, various groups boldly stated that nutrition was vital to good health. That was just as boldly discredited for years. Today, all we hear is research findings which indicate how diet is vital to heart disease prevention, cancer prevention and a host of other disease processes. Another example is in the area of homeopathic medicine. Once strongly resisted, homeopathic health support is now being seriously looked into even by the medical profession. A third example is Chiropractic. Today, many studies are establishing what has been believed and practiced for almost a hundred years. Chiropractic works. Nutrition works. Homeopathic medicine works. There are more examples we could give.

As with any health care profession, not all health care providers are ethical or moral in their practices. There is too much fraud and abuse in any given profession, but especially where it comes to health. People want so badly to be healthy and are often victims of the leeches of our society who have no remorse in taking peoples money and providing little or no service. I am presently working with a company(2) which is developing an entire health lifestyle series of programs geared to providing the best health care at the best price, and, in accordance with the latest research, the optimum amount of time, that is, not too little time as to allow permanent injury or residual symptoms, nor too much treatment which wastes money and time. These programs are being provided by doctors across the US and Canada who are willingly a part of the wholistic approach toward health. It will only be through this kind of health care that our $800 billion a year bill will be significantly reduced with a corresponding improvement in most peoples health. It is hoped that this book will help to convey some basic concepts and ideas about the world we live in and how we can very successfully achieve a harmonious relationship with the very forces which shape our existence.

At the first sound of the word “change,” many of us cringe. Change can be extremely uncomfortable for most people, especially if it involves our comfort zones. When we say lifestyle, we mean exactly that. The usual, routine, day in and day out activities which affect our health and life. This includes work, home life, play, socializing activities, sports activities, etc. Every one of these areas need to be included in any kind of lifestyle change in order for you to really benefit. To simply change one aspect of your job isn’t going to impact your health or life nearly as much as if you make the changes across the board. Changing your diet needs to be something you do at home AND at work. It becomes a way of living. Like anything else, including the bad health habits you might now have that are slowly killing you, habits can be learned that will support your life within the confines of natural law. If you can learn bad habits, you can also learn good habits.

Please take the time to read and reread this book or portions of this book. As you do, you will begin to see the thread which ties it all together. Like any study of something new, you will get out of it exactly what you put into it. And remember, what you read will seem familiar in ways and seem “natural,” forgive the pun, to your logical and rational mind. It WON’T fit the “you” that has been affected by, and become comfortable with, the present day paradigm, or model which has molded all of us in some respects. When we are comfortable, we don’t want to change unless we can SEE that change is GOOD and necessary. That is why I write this book.

So, with that said, I wish to invite the reader to continue reading with an open mind and go over this material with the common sense and logic all of us have, and to be cautious of the emotional element that often propels us into making a decision based on feelings rather that facts.

1 Suggested reading material is listed on the Articles Page! In all your researching, it doesn’t take long to discover which groups have similar things to say about health and the natural system. 2 Whole Food is a company based on the premise that lifestyle change is absolutely necessary for lasting changes in the health care system. They work with health professionals in developing programs involving education, fitness and nutrition, based on the latest research in the area of Immunoenzymology. Professional sports teams and many others interested in lasting health are also working to improve their own health.

CHAPTER 2:THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY!

In order to understand where we are, and where we are going, we need to understand where we came from and HOW we arrived at the present conditions we are experiencing. It can’t be emphasized enough that what we are taking stock of now, as a nation, and world, in personal health and environmental threats are the results of years of wrong choices. It was a series of small steps which, when added together, brought us to a quite different condition.
The problems we face now are directly related to our past attitude toward the world. Humankind has always viewed the our world as being somehow separated and distinct from the world of “nature.” We have viewed the world, its processes and therefore, ourselves as simply a collection of parts which could be readily manipulated, rearranged or discarded at our will with nothing but good or at worst, neutral results.

It wasn’t until mankind reached a level of knowledge and technology where he could actually interact with the world around him that the slow, subtle yet pernicious changes began to accumulate, as a sort of Frankenstein monster. The excitement, thrill and remarkable strides which followed and continue to date have been a kind of addiction which has lulled us ever onward toward more exciting discoveries and greater ability to CONTROL the world around us.

Yet we have been grossly overlooking some basic, fundamental principle which is the infrastructure upon which all life resides. That foundation is this. That all life, elements and processes have been, are, and always will be influenced and directed by forces of nature. These forces are a law unto themselves and maintain the harmony and balance which the entire universe runs.

This isn’t a book about religion, nor is it a book about evolution. Whatever you choose to believe, this premise is absolute and inescapable under either belief. In order for evolution to occur, there had to be laws and forces at work before matter came into existence. There had to be something to direct and administer a pattern for which the suddenly existing matter to reflect.

That pattern or foundation for existence as we know it can be summed up in two words, “NATURAL LAW.” Obviously, from a religious standpoint, that same NATURAL LAW was simply designed and implemented by an incredibly powerful and knowledgeable unseen life force for specific purposes. Again, the pattern which governs a created universe is still NATURAL LAW.(3)

Index

NATURAL LAW!

The concept of “nature” or “natural law” has had some bad publicity over the years, either by some over-zealous, good intentioned people, or by some unfortunate jealousies and anger due to misunderstanding and ignorance in some within the health care arena.

When we look around, we see a world of incredible complexity, beauty and precision. We see a world that works, and as far as scientific evidence has shown us, has been working for billions of years. And like it or not, mankind is directly influenced and controlled by the same forces. It would be the height of arrogance and pride for us to imagine that we are somehow distinct and separate from the very forces which hold the universe together. Yet that is the way in which we have been acting.

What is a law? Simplified, it is a uniform “code of conduct.” Whether it is natural or manmade law, it supplies the boundaries which are intended to support and protect that for which it was made. All matter is subject to NATURAL LAW in such a way as to provide for harmonious and precise functioning. Without it, the world would be nothing but chaos and confusion.

Take, for example, the law of gravity. Most people know of the affects of jumping off a hundred story building, a plane crash or dropping a plate on the floor. There is an affect which is produced when we inadvertently interact in a wrong way with the law of gravity. The results are usually immediate. So we usually do a very good job of following the bounds which gravity places on us. That is an easy “cause and affect” relationship.

Another example of natural law at work is in respect to motion of objects. Every time we use the brakes of our car, alter our bowling form, swing a golf club or send the space shuttle into orbit, we are interacting with the laws which govern the motion which each respective examples will take. In the case of bowling or golf, a miscalculation on our part may mean a frustrating result, whereas in the case of the space shuttle, a miscalculation could result in disaster. Science is well aware of the laws which dictate to them what is and isn’t possible. They have to follow those laws very carefully in order to successfully maneuver in the physical realm of science.

Law then is the foundation which we work from in order to properly function in the natural realm. So how does law affect the more personal areas of our life like what we eat or how we function in relation to our environment? Keeping in mind that, unless there were a law or foundational process which governed ALL aspects of existence, even the mundane and seemingly irrelevant areas like sleep, nutrition, digestion, proper bowel habits and the like would not occur with any degree of regularity. In fact we couldn’t exist without such factors constantly on duty throughout the universe.

NATURAL LAW AND HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

From birth to death, the human body is undergoing physiological change. All living things have a predetermined physiological rate of degeneration, that is, if left to itself without OUTSIDE intervention, will, in a SHORTER amount of time, reach a degenerative climax called disease or death. The incredible aspect of this process is that it CAN be worked with, (although NOT stopped) to MAXIMIZE the physiological potential that exists within each person and MINIMIZE the degenerative rate of change.

An example of this is a fruit tree. Two trees, one left to itself with no outside intervention or care, the other tree watered, fertilized, pruned, etc. Which tree will produce a better crop and live longer? It is well known that the second tree would fair much better. The same analogy applies to crops. Without intervention, the plants will be smaller, produce less, and live shorter lives.

In affect, nature functions best WITH intervention by man, but it has to be BY NATURE’S RULES. There is no other way. As an example, we discuss food additives and chemicals being added to food in another area of the book. A major consideration which is now being backed up by significant research(32) is involving the bodies detoxification process and the interference of introduced chemicals.

The body has a very efficient detoxification system which is necessary for effectively dealing with chemical substances which are NORMAL AND NATURAL byproducts of food digestion and cellular activity. Any toxins released by natural foods we eat are chemically “tied”, by our physiology, to other substances for elimination from the body. The interaction between this normal physiological process and introduced chemicals creates interference, and in many cases, promotes abnormal cellular physiology, quite often leading to cancer.

The major problem occurs when this detoxification system becomes overloaded by the continued introduction of chemicals beyond the breakdown chemicals of normal physiology. The system literally becomes overworked and therefore, the additional chemicals NOT tied up for elimination are free to do their damage to the surround tissues. As you are learning, it isn’t a day or week of this process which gives us cancer and degenerative disease. It is a lifestyle which creates the conditions ripe for cancers and even our own predisposition to family inherited diseases.

Remember, this is just one aspect of the whole health picture, but it is one of the biggest.

32 Dr. Jeffrey Bland, Applied Clinical Detoxification: HealthComm, Inc. Gig Harbor, WA 206-851-3943; Evidence reveals that the body has a detoxification process which combines the toxins with other substances and eliminates them from the body. The problem stems from the overwhelming amount of detoxification the body is having to do. The system is becoming overloaded and many of the essential nutrients needed for the chemical combining process are not available in the diet. This leads to a buildup of toxins in body tissues and they begin to interfere with normal physiology, thus leading to various disease conditions.

LIMITATIONS OF MATTER

As we go about our daily living, we are constantly reminded that there are certain limitations which physical things are confined by. Our bodies striking a Mac truck traveling at 60mph would definitely exceed our bodies limitations of matter with negative results. You are generally aware of many examples of limitations there are on our interaction in the world.

Natural law sets up some of those limitations, as does the very nature of physical elements. Too much electricity traveling through too small a wire will melt the wire or blow the fuse and end the transmission. If you look around you will see countless areas we are limited in and yet we take it all for granted. We’ve accepted it. That is life in the natural world.

A step closer to “home” will help us to see that some of those same limitations of matter are potential problems within our own bodies. We discussed the idea of the adaptation our bodies can do in response to various circumstances we encounter. But there is a limit to what matter can experience and still remain asymptomatic, or in its sphere of activity or function.

This limit is the point at which I call “subclinical adaptation,” (that is adaptation which has taken place without symptoms). The body has reached the limit of its ability to continue to function without affecting one or more other systems of the body, such as our “symptomatic” sense. Once the subclinical adaptation phase has ended, the final phase of adaptation where symptoms begin, proceeds, sometimes for years, either to the point of death or eventually back to the subclinical phase. Most people are currently, in one respect or another in a subclinical phase of health degeneration.

Subclinical adaptation is simply the bodies way of working around the changes going on, adapting to the changes in an effort to continue to function as designed. The whole premise of medicine works to suppress or manipulate symptoms or affects back into the subclinical phase so we are not aware of them. We have subsequently been made ignorant of natural law and processes, and have, as I’ve mentioned before, equated the lack of symptoms as being “healed” and being in good health.

As you can now see, that is very far from the actual truth of the situation. Now, remember, it isn’t medicines fault, per se, that we are in this situation. They have simply been following the same path everyone else is. It is simply a lack of understanding of how closely we are tied with the world around us. There has been the perfect health plan for us all along. It is nature’s health plan. It is real and it works.

Today, there is very little emphasis placed on subclinical testing. With the concerns for health care costs and unnecessary testing procedures, there is unlikely to be an increase UNLESS there is an emphasis on the specific concerns one might have about such things as an inherited weakness. Subclinical health problems do not have to be an area of over concern. If we embark on the right “Health Plan” we can have a significant impact on any potential health problem. We would be working with the bodies own health plan by providing the right criteria for making corrections.

In making a decision as to what kind of a specialist you might want to see, it would be good for you to be aware of just what is available and what exactly they do. I will list below the types of doctors or health care specialists available. Unless you are well versed in the principles outlined in this book, and even if you are, it would be good to maintain contact at intervals for several reasons.

First, it never hurts to do a systems check once in a while. There are enough manmade environmental influences around us which are largely without research which could be having a negative influence on us. Secondly, if you are one who practices good health habits and principles, don’t be a recluse and hide the results of your efforts and beliefs. And don’t think you are immune to any health problems. A part of good health practices is to routinely do an exam or test. By this your influence and convictions will be noticed. Let it shine as an example to others, especially those who may be skeptical.

THE GREAT FACTORY

The body is not something which has to be forced into some sort of action in fighting disease. It simply needs to be left alone and given the proper raw materials with which to do its job. Again, I don’t think it needs to be repeated beyond this, but there is a place for crisis intervention, but not as a way of life. Drugs, surgery and other helps are useful tools. My focus is on the WELLNESS concept of working with the bodies natural processes as a way of life, not just as a means of removing symptoms.

The human body is a remarkable machine which is capable of endless feats of dazzling complexity. The processes sometimes use a millionth of a gram of, say thyroxin, produced by our thyroid gland. This substance is essential for life to continue. So are thousands of other substances which the body depends on to properly carry out its physiology. Imagine such small amounts of a natural body chemical having to circulate throughout the body and interact with other chemicals normally in the body, and avoid creating problems with the other chemical processes taking place.

Now imagine adding an outside source of foreign chemicals to this system of chemical reactions. Remember the 10,000 chemical substances in use today? Remember the 1000+ chemicals added each day? Remember the 50,000 chemical reactions going on in the body regularly? What are the odds that NO interference takes place when you combine even a fraction of the numbers of foreign chemicals? Almost astronomical.

Let’s go a step further. Add the factors of air and water pollution, the affects of stress from various sources, lack of exercise or some component of spinal and nervous system (system control board–more will be said on these two subjects in another chapter) degenerative changes. What are the odds NOW? Is it beginning to hit home? Can you see the implications or are you still comfortably resting, feeling no pain or symptoms and confident that this really could only happen to other people?

You are as much a part of this natural system as anyone else. There is no place to hide from the affects of natural law. We have only one confident way to be sure that we are doing all we can to work WITH the system. That is to understand the system and then to act on what you know in order to apply the right forces so the internal system can work. Are you aware that fever is a FRIEND? Did you know that the body raises the temperature for two basic reasons. The first, at higher temperatures, invading organisms are severely limited or unable to reproduce. For obvious reasons this is good for us. The second reason is, our body goes into high gear with antibody production. These antibodies fight the invading organisms. You’ve heard about swollen glands? Those are swollen due to antibodies being produced. Tonsils are swollen in response to an invasion. Better known as tonsillitis. Chronic tonsillitis means a weak immune system. Cutting the tonsils out isn’t going to strengthen the immune system. It can only be further weakened by such a practice. To this day, I have a weakness in my immune system in the area of the throat, sinuses and lungs because my tonsils were removed as a child. Removing the tonsils certainly takes care of the symptoms of swollen tonsils, doesn’t it?

Today most of us consider a fever as an enemy and we try to attack our own system response with various fever reducing drugs or methods. We are simply interfering with normal physiology. Trying to reduce fever with alcohol baths or cold showers is another mistake except for the extreme emergency. The internal temperature regulating “thermometer” simply counters the cooling by turning up the heat. Any intervention to curb the fever should be with aspirin or similar drug and only when extreme temperatures–perhaps 104-105 in adults and 103-104 in children–have been reached and sustained for a number of hours to days.

NATURAL LAW, GENETICS AND DISEASE

In this section, I would like to present some food for thought on the subject of disease and HOW disease-causing organisms develop. Yes, I say develop because I am not convinced that every disease causing organism which exists today, has always existed. Let me explain.

Keeping in mind all we have discussed so far, let view the natural system from the perspective of a disease causing organism. After all, they are a part of the system as much as anything else. They are subject to the same laws, causes and affects the rest of the environment is subject to. Microscopic organisms abound in the natural world and as long as the natural system is in balance, things will work as the natural system is designed to work. Enter humans into the natural system equation and you have the potential for major problems. Mankind has the ability to choose. We can manipulate our environment, exert force against the natural system to make it do what WE choose. In making these choices, especially without long term vision, we set up a series of events which can only come back to haunt us. This is the case with the presence of disease. It is impossible to know exactly where the first actual disease organism came from but you can be sure it happened because of mankind’s lack of understanding of the natural system, some basic health principle. However it occurred, the pattern is the same today, and will continue until we come to grips with the reality of our own existence.

If we view the natural world as a combination of causes and affects. A delicate balance, in many cases, exists which must be maintained to stabilize the system. Once destabilizing forces are present, their force will affect other aspects of the system. In the world of microscopic organisms, these destabilizing forces create an artificial stimulus which can act upon the very genetic makeup of any particular organism. If the normal “pressures” of the natural world, pressures which the organism is genetically structured for, are tampered with, there is a “natural” response by the organism. This “natural” response involves the specific, well realized fact of genetic mutations.

In order for any organism to flourish, it has to have a WAY to flourish. That is, there has to be some kind of support system which enables the organism to continue to reproduce itself. Without such a support system, there can be no reproduction. Enter, a large population of “organisms” which play right into the “hands” of these microscopic organism’s need for a “host.” In other words, WE have unwittingly served as a reservoir through which disease causing organisms could reproduce, mutate, adapt and CONTINUE to exist. When you combine a disrespect for the natural world, poor decisions and choices along with continued avoidance of the problem, you have the perfect medium in which disease organisms can exist.

Combine this with the natural degeneration of the human immune system, and you have the scenario which is all too common in our world. Poor sanitation, little food or poor quality food, and environmental degeneration all result in the persistence of disease degeneration in the world. As with anything in the natural world, this didn’t occur immediately. It is the result of time and circumstances. Time we can’t do anything about, but circumstances are well within our control. It has taken a persistent “pressure” in the wrong way to bring us to where we are today. It will take a persistent restructuring of the way we view our world and ourselves to restore the natural system to one which is largely devoid of disease and degeneration.

THE “NATURAL” MAGIC BULLET GAME

Is There a Natural “Magic Bullet?”

Discussion of this topic has been long overdue. It might seem odd, but many of us can take our previous “magic bullet’ concept we inherited from the medical profession and transfer it to our “natural” approach to health. How does this work? Let me explain.

We have all heard about such things as homeopathic medicine, herbs, and other natural-system “medicine,” but are we making the same mistake with natural “medicine” as we have in the past with conventional medicine? Definitely, YES.

You see, when you really think about it, you will have to agree that to counter colds, sicknesses, etc., with even natural remedies is STILL treating the symptoms. This may irritate some people but the truth is that many of us have been making the same mistake of believing that our sickness or problem will be corrected by applying some magic “natural” potent or taking a magic “natural” elixir.

Herbal preparations, like their counterparts, drugs, do similar kinds of things to the body. That is, they cause a reaction of some kind in the body that is hopefully related to helping the body deal with the health problem. This type of natural support can be very good, AS LONG AS YOU ADDRESS THE CAUSE AS BEST AS YOU CAN.

The same basic physiology is occurring in the body whether you use a drug or use natural remedies. The body responds to the substances it receives, reacting in a particular way depending on the substance used. For instance, you can take aspirin for your headache, or you can take willow bark, or valerian root. Your headache is NOT the result of a deficiency of any of these three substances. However, all three can “make the headache go away.”

The same goes for virtually any other health problem out there. Regardless of whether you use a “natural” remedy or a simple drug, you are STILL TREATING SYMPTOMS. This brings us to the main point of this article. Unless you are addressing the actual CAUSE of the health problem, you aren’t fooling the body. In fact, you could be doing long-term damage by playing the same “make the symptoms go away” game we have been playing all our lives.

Except in the event of an actual, direct genetic cause, (which is STILL connected to diet), Nutrition is the #1 cause for health problems. You won’t correct heart disease with an herb or homeopathic preparation. You can certainly facilitate the body’s healing process with natural supports, but you have to focus on WHY the health problem is there in the first place, or you miss the whole point of the natural system.

I realize this won’t be popular with some people but it is true nonetheless. We have to get away from the idea that we can simply apply a few basic preparations and correct a lifetimes worth of wrong living. Natural substances are definitely the best, secondary health care strategy, but the primary focus must be on direct bodily nutrition. That is where the system begins to break down and that is where we have to begin to build properly in order to get to the real cause of health degeneration.

Remember, your health is NOT nearly as complicated as it may seem. The knowledge of the use of herbs and homeopathic and other natural health care procedures is great, but you don’t HAVE to be a health professional to understand your own personal health care requirements. Professionals are great for support and advice as to how you can facilitate your progress, but unless they help you focus on the best nutrition you can find, and help you to learn more to help yourself, you are really on your own.

Understandably, many health professionals might disagree with me on this, but then again, they make their living “practicing” on YOU. In my opinion, ANY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER THAT DOES NOT ADDRESS YOUR NUTRITIONAL STATE IS NEGLECTING HIS DUTY, PERIOD. If they have no knowledge of nutrition or the research behind it, then they should REFER you to someone who does this kind of work, or tell you how to obtain this kind of information for yourself.

The whole point of being healthy is to NOT be dependent on a lot of outside helps. Of course, there are aspects of human physiology that requires “maintenance” such as how the body continually benefits from what massage can do, but to be treating symptoms that should be eliminated by removing the cause is not healthy.

Remember the bottom line. Get to the root cause of your health problems. In 95% of the cases, nutritional support with the basic elements your body needs will make dramatic improvements in your health over time. This is something YOU can do without the need for complicated details. Give yourself some credit. Eating is second nature, and applying natural principles which the natural system outlines doesn’t have to intimidate you. Just get the basic facts and the rest will follow!

3 You will hear me speak about natural law and the natural system many times throughout this book simply because I hope to impress upon you how fundamentally important that concept is in understanding the ideas and facts presented to you. All of these concepts are relatively easy to understand when put together, but, like a jigsaw puzzle, unless you SEE the whole picture, it may seem like a confusing collection of words and facts. The reality of the world around us is the basic foundation which we need to understand before we can reap the benefits from it.

CHAPTER 3: BASIC ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

This book wouldn’t be adequate if it didn’t begin with a short, simple lesson in anatomy. This, of course, will be a simple explanation of how the body generally functions. This will help you to understand the information in the following chapters and put the health puzzle together.
Essentially, we are a machine, which needs raw materials to continue to perform. Fortunately for us there is a “preprogrammed” set of instructions included which govern all the processes our bodies go through each and every day. However we take in materials, our body must process them and utilize them or discard them, depending on the need.

Food eaten passes through to the stomach where it is either broken down by stomach acids, or passed through to the small intestine where other substances such as enzymes are added. Here further digestion occurs. As the food is broken down into smaller building blocks, the intestines are able to absorb the substances into the blood stream and they are transferred throughout the body via the circulatory system.

Here the nutrients are available for cellular activity–life–and the cell’s “waste” products are exchanged back into the blood stream for further utilization elsewhere, such as with hormones and enzymes, or delivered to the kidneys or colon for elimination. Anywhere along this path, there can be factors which can interfere with the normal processes in any one of the areas. It should be understood that there is a “balance” within the body called Homeostasis. There isn’t a process occurring within the body which is outside this oftentimes delicate balance. Certain nutrient combinations, micro-minerals, enzymes, and even substances so minute that a pinheads worth can supply dozens of people, are all in a delicate balance.

The bodies detoxification system requires specific minute substances, as well as, no interference, in order to keep the body’s tissues clean and toxin free.

In the same way, oxygen which enters the lungs is absorbed by the blood–red blood cells–and transported to every cell in the body. Oxygen is a vital “nutrient” which must be supplied constantly or disastrous consequences will result. At the same time, carbon dioxide, a product of cellular “respiration” is released into the blood and circulated back to the lungs for discharge. In essence it is this system which maintains the life we now have. And it is this system which, through our neglect, is being adversely affected resulting in health problems. Lack of activity, even simple activity greatly affects the bodies steady supply of oxygen, thereby leading to a systemic affect.

In our day of progress and technology, we are being exposed to a host of substances which neither our bodies nor nature itself have ever encountered in the natural process of things. This exposure is conducted into the body through various channels. Food is an obvious source of contamination, being a carrier of known and unknown substances. Another source is absorption through the lungs. Materials inhaled are readily absorbed into the blood stream, such as vapors from paint and gas, and become an invader which can affect normal physiology in various ways, most of which are unknown.

Another source of contamination, largely unrecognized by most authorities, is through the skin. Did you know that the skin is considered the largest organ of the body? If you think for a moment of all the substances we handle daily, from work chemicals, everyday household chemicals and personal hygiene products, you will realize how often such chemicals come into contact with our skin. The skin is an excellent absorber of many of these substances.*i For instance, did you realize that a source of aluminum in the population is from antiperspirants? It is readily absorbed into the blood stream through the skin under the arm. Another little known source of contamination is from hair care products and procedures such as a hair “permanent.”. The caustic chemicals used to perm hair are absorbed through the skin of the head and have been linked to health problems such as miscarriages.

The skin is also an excellent way for the body to rid itself of many harmful substances we have ingested. This can be the cause of such things as acne, rashes and body odor. The more we take in, in the way of chemicals and foreign substances, the more our body will attempt to rid itself of them. This is affective up to a point, then the body merely stores these toxins wherever it can. One such place is in fat stores. I will discuss this later in the subject on fasting. Other place for toxin storage are joints, sinuses and the lungs. Often what is believed to be a “cold” is in fact the body purging various toxins the best way it can. This works, if you don’t mind “colds” all the time. However, it should be a warning to you that your body is having problems.

Environmental contamination is rapidly becoming a major concern for many people, especially those with children. We are all subject to countless chemicals throughout the food chain, and the water supply is well known to have varying amounts of toxic substances.

All this is brought up in an effort to make you realize that there is an obvious cause for the health problems many people are having. We are allowing the intrusion of thousands of chemicals into nature and our own physiology which are simply not part of the normal processes.

There is a substance known as the “universal solvent.” That is, a substance which can dissolve every kind of substance in the universe, IF given enough time. That substance is water. Water, as harmless as it is, can do great things over the course of time. Natures works on an intimate basis with time. It takes time to destroy good health, and it takes time to build it back up again. We are living beings with a limited time span. Nature can adapt and function under extreme conditions, for a time. There also comes a time when there is a looser in the sustained and deliberate attack on natural processes. WE are that looser. Nature has the time to wait for the forces that thwart natural progression to die out. It will continue long after you or I have gone.

CHAPTER 4: THE FOOD TRAP!

As society grew and populations expanded, along with it went the continuing need to provide food and support systems for those populations. Originally, food was about as simple and basic as could be. It was simple taken from the garden or local market. As we “progressed,” we became more and more dependent upon outside support for areas such as food, clothing, etc. Specifically in the area of food which this book is concerned with, we began to do our now famous tinkering and “lets try this, it seems harmless enough” approach.
Unfortunately, there was another element to the consciousness of humankind which, when allowed to run free of any restraints or regard for such things as NATURAL LAW and its protective bounds, began to very effectively cloud whatever may have been left of wisdom or reason. Since we were all in the same boat, we naturally went along. That element was and still is, the “PROFIT MOTIVE.” Business and money began to be the PRIMARY driving force behind changes. Step by step, we were slowly being conditioned by the changes taking place all around us.

Canning and packaging began to be a big time market. Simple things such as sugar and salt were being added to foods to enhance flavor and increase sales. Because of shelf life and market areas, salt and sugar were also added to help preserve the food. Increasingly more and more “additions” were made to the food products at the factory, usually in the guise of “public safety,” or “health,” which in many cases is true. However, such things as food coloring, artificial flavoring and the like were, over the years, added and became an integral support system for the same reasons of, 1. Business; it creates jobs and provides a source of revenue if such things as additives and preservatives are lobbied for and included as legal in food stuffs. 2. By experimenting with different additives, manufacturers were able to literally CREATE new flavors or combine flavors in such a way as to entice purchases on the merits of “taste and looks.” WE were now hooked.

Over the course of years and generations, we have actually become accustom to the artificial elements of the food we eat. The very centers for taste have been artificially altered over time to the manufacturers whims and, believe it or not, often times when we come into contact with food in its natural, raw or minimally processed states, we feel there is something wrong with it. Virtually everyone has heard the jokes about the taste of “health food.” People actually have a hard time even tasting at all. Think about it. Does it seem logical and reasonable to believe that our manipulating of food could possibly improve on nature?

Remember our beginning discussion on NATURAL LAW? In the whole above process, natural law was not even a consideration. Human ideas were, you might note. As these changes became the primary driving force behind food production, growing populations and business, we became conditioned to a “new” kind of food. And as a natural progression, food growing began to be enticed into the arena of profit, and in the same glamorous area of controlling nature, bending it to OUR will and service, the huge agricultural industry developed. Planting, fertilizing, pest control and seed genetics were soon incorporated in an aggressive program of the “Green Revolution.”

Consider, for a moment, the deluge of advertisements on TV. Where is the emphasis? On looks, taste and being “in.” Recently there has been some lip service to health and nutrition, but for the most part, this is simply a salve for the conscience and their way of hooking you into believing that their product is actually good for you. For instance, some cereals constantly boast of supplying “100% of the minimum daily requirements” of certain nutrients. They make the claim that their cereal is better than “4 bowls” of several other, more natural cereals in supplying the same nutrients.

This is a slick advertising scheme which essentially plays on the ignorance of the public, and of course, displays the companies ignorance of nutrition and health. Their nutrients are synthetic additives, not natural substances. They manufacture such “nutrients” in the lab and boast that there is no difference between what is manmade and what nature provides. They focus on one piece of the entire health picture and make it the whole picture. They also intend to make the public feel ignorant and behind the times if they choose other, more natural cereals. They have to do this in order to sell the product they have. The manufacturers of such cereals are certainly not the only ones doing this. If you look and listen carefully, you will see many others claiming their product is made with “Whole grains,” “Buttermilk,” “Honey and Nut…,” “Blueberry,” or some other catchword which advertisers use to hook people into buying their product. In many, if not most cases, there is anywhere from one to 1/60th of a teaspoon of the advertised substance in their product. The key word they use is WITH. It turns out to be garbage nonetheless.

Some cereals are actually some of the worst things a child could place in their mouth. Read the ingredients and then ask yourself if what you just read is likely to promote good health in your child. In some cases it is fine to focus on one element of the diet picture as long as it supports the natural health system. A cereal focusing on fiber and whole grains–natural state cereals. Low calorie natural state soups. Minimally processed, natural state, frozen entrees or packaged foods. When you begin to seriously look, you begin to see through the advertising jargon and gimmicks.

It is often argued that food can’t be prepared without such additives and chemicals. Excuses such as “public safety” and “product improvement” are packaged to appear proper and reasonable, or they are simply cashing in on the public’s taste habits and fear changing anything despite the health risks. Yet, “health food,” (a term I hate because it categorizes real food as the abnormal, altered and suspicious substances,) has been and is being produced without such “necessary” additives. There are literally dozens of major manufacturers in this country and more across the world in many other countries which focus on natural state foods. It can be done simpler and less costly through natural means. Processing costs money. Adding various chemicals costs money. Producing the chemicals costs money and often generates more pollution in our environment.

The cost of natural food, which is often another area of attack, is simply due to supply and demand. As demand goes up, more is provided and the costs go down. The reason some natural food is more expensive is simply because there is much less being produced, in comparison to traditional production methods. Another reason is that producing natural food is labor intensive…that is it takes a little more effort to accomplish the desired goal. But isn’t it worth it to have good health and a clean environment?

There is a trend developing, however, which is moving toward organic and natural foods. At the time of the writing of this book, the demand for organically grown foods is far outstripping supply. More and more farmers are turning from their chemical arsenal to using natural predators, fertilizers and planting techniques. It not only improves the quality of the food, in many cases it actually exceeds traditional farming yields. Why? Because they are working with the natural system.

Today, those same natural laws are in affect, still controlling, affecting and influencing all life. We need to understand that we, in a sense, ARE nature, just as much as a son IS a part of his parents, a product OF his parents. We have ignorantly decided to go our own way contrary to the very laws and principles through which we live. The human system, being governed by natural law, could only function properly through application OF those laws in our day to day health. Food which comes from the same source WE have come from, and is influenced BY the same laws and processes, logically HAS to be what we should have to stay within the parameters of natural law.

Food, packaged by nature, and as close to its natural state as possible is the best for our own health.(4) Science is now proving that. Even the natural process of GROWING food has to stay within the parameters of natural law in order to perform optimally. There are more and more ramifications being discovered, albeit the hard way, from approaching our land and food supply the same way we approach our own bodies. Here’s a side thought. Have you ever thought about the correlation between the processing of food and a rather common health problem involving our teeth? Food in its natural state has substance to it. It requires diligent chewing. The teeth are suspended in the socket by ligament tissue, called the periodontal ligament, and not locked in bone as most people think. It is this ligament tissue which dentists work with in order to be able to move a person’s teeth with braces. As we discuss elsewhere in this book, the only way ligaments can be strengthened and properly maintained is through physical exertion. The act of chewing could be stressing the ligaments which in turn maintains their strength and holding power, stimulating the gums, even helping to clean the teeth due to the fiber and coarseness of the food.

Now imagine the affect of processing food. It in most cases softens and breaks down the natural state. Between cooking, processing, adding to and taking from the food, we end up with a soft, easily chewed, and sometimes readily dissolving substance. Over the course of time there is less and less regular “exercise” placed upon the ligaments. Could there be a relationship between tooth and gum disease and the loosening and weakening of these tissues, not to mention the nutritional factors? The less sound or stable tissue and organs are, the more susceptible they

.

The idea that it is sugar, or other substances which create the cavities is erroneous. Tooth decay comes from bacteria acting on food particles on the tooth surface releasing acids and chemicals which etch the enamel. These same bacteria can also affect the gums and tooth roots if they are allowed to remain. They are also one reason for bad breath. The key to minimizing cavities, therefor is to minimize the bacteria in the mouth. Mouth washes which kill bacteria are helpful. Anything short of that is a waste of money because you are simply trying to hide the odors instead of removing the cause. Mouth wash with technical grade hydrogen peroxide (5) are excellent for all the above problems.

Back to our original train of thought. Vast amounts of evidence are accumulating concerning the interaction between manmade chemicals, additives, preservatives, etc., and the natural cellular processes in nature.(6) How can we assume that by SUDDENLY-in relation to the history of the natural world-adding chemicals and rearranging “end products of nature,” that we are somehow improving on nature? We are subjecting nature and natural processes to relative instant situations, and in many cases, to things which DO NOT occur in similar independent form ANYWHERE in the natural world. Over time, this places a strain on the natural system, and the results are becoming more and more evident.

How can we presume that we understand the complex interactions between the smallest of chemicals and the over 50,000 known chemical processes in the human body, let alone such interaction on the whole natural world? How can we expect good health when we deviate from the standard set by natural law? Our environmental and personal health problems are proving that we have opened a Pandora’s box by disregarding the protective restraints built into nature.

It is argued that the many chemicals which are introduced into our food supply are simple compounds which are “harmless.” There is often vigorous testing, and sometimes not so vigorous, on the chemicals used. To give such “authorities” the benefit of the doubt, lets say such individual substances ARE harmless. But think about it. Do you really believe they can say there is no reactive element between one “harmless” chemical and another “harmless” chemical? You can take simple, harmless and useful substances such as sulfur, salt peter and charcoal and you get gun powder. I know, I made some when I was a child. Not very “harmless” now is it?

Sure, we can do some remarkable things to the body or the land by applying this chemical or that chemical. We can have a dramatic influence on cells, tissues and organs. But, in the process, we are following the same path and therefore, trying to find solutions to the subsequent problems using the same faulty reasoning. This isn’t to say there aren’t some very GOOD aspects to the research, progress, practices and fund of knowledge we presently work with. The important, NO, the ABSOLUTELY VITAL consideration here is that we understand the foundational principles upon which health is based. Unless we can grasp this concept, we will continue to grope along seeking answers in the wrong place, through the wrong means. Natural law brought us this far without our help or influence. Why do we resist or fight with a system which affects every aspect of the world around us?

Do you see the thread that runs throughout these areas? As we can now look back on all this, we can see that we have come a far cry from what natural law would have shielded us from HAD we been wise enough to heed its system. There are now well over 10,000 chemicals in use within the food system. There are over 1000 new chemicals created and added every year. This Frankenstein monster has life of its own. The multi-million dollar chemical industry, the multi-million dollar food industry, the multi-million dollar farming industry, the multi-million dollar medical industry, all “special interest groups,” along with large regulating government agencies, among others, are not about to lay down and die.

This isn’t an attack on any one involved in any of those areas because we are ALL to blame. We, the public, have to be willing to support such groups in order for them to survive. Now, we have to be willing to take stock of the situation and make the changes necessary to avert disaster.

As we progress through the book, you will see that there is only one way for us to regain control of our lives. We can’t instantly change the world but we CAN change ourselves and our habits. It is absolutely mandatory for these changes to occur and continue on a personal level. As our individual attitudes change, so too will the attitudes of our society as a whole change.

4 There needs to be some degree of preparation and processing of our food in order for us to be able to eat it. There will always be some loss of nutrients no matter how minimal the processing or preparation is. The key is remembering that the more we alter the natural state of the food we eat, the more we lose in nutritional value. 5 Obtain Technical grade hydrogen peroxide and view our usage chart!
6 The Physicians source book for Applied Clinical Detoxification; Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D.

WHAT IS FOOD?

By what definition do we describe food? In a broad sense, food to most people is anything edible which we place in our mouth. That definition covers an incredible array of items. But is it a proper definition? Our concepts of just what food is or isn’t have also been shaped over time and slow change. If we were to use the natural law concept as the basis for defining what food is, how then would you describe “food?” Webster defines food as; “Any substance taken into and assimilated by a plant or animal to keep it alive and enable it to grow; anything that SUSTAINS, NOURISHES AND AUGMENTS.”(7) (emphasis mine.)

If you had to view that definition as an attorney would view a legal document, what kind of substance could LEGALLY be included as FOOD? Anything that sustains, nourishes and augments. Under legal definition, anything presented as food or included IN food would have to fit under the requirements of that which is sustaining, nourishing and which augments LIFE. If you had to judge the merits of the food you eat by this “hypothetical” legal definition, what would your intelligence dictate? Would food which is over processed and contaminated with many unnecessary and unnaturally foreign chemical substances be accepted in a court of law as fitting even Webster’s definition? How much more demanding and exact do you think our bodies are?

The laws and penalties built into the natural system are as real, absolute and inescapable as trying to stop a speeding freight train by steeping in front of it. Any addition to or deletion from that which begins as food LEGALLY defined, you might say, by NATURAL LAW, for properly sustaining, nourishing and augmenting our bodies, will, in the course of TIME, bring with it a penalty.

“I’M GETTING AWAY WITH IT.”

There is a very important element to understand and relate to in believing the above explanation. In describing the cause and affect mechanism built within natural law, it must be remembered that the human body is a dynamic, living, changing, adapting, yet extremely flexible machine. There are changes constantly going on in the body. The body is always trying to adapt to and stay in a relatively homeostatic state of existence. If this were not so, we would essentially be in pain and discomfort every minute of our lives, and could be on the knife edge of death at any given moment.

Thankfully, the body is able to adapt to a wide range of internal and external environmental changes. As the body comes into contact with aspects of the environment which disrupt any physiological process, it can only respond within the bounds of physiological law-that is, it can only respond as its own functions allow it to. Any change in the structure or function of the body occurs OVER TIME. Because the changes which DO take place are so minute and gradual, we, consciously and symptomatically are unaware of what is going on.

Remember the example of cancer or arthritis. The disease has progressed quite far, and destructive changes have occurred symptom free. The body has a “prime directive” to maximize efficiency in performing. If it were to respond to such changes instantly, as I mentioned, we would simply be incapable of functioning. I have seen incredibly degenerated spines in people who had little or no pain associated with it. Degeneration is a relatively asymptomatic–without symptoms–process IN THE BEGINNING. When pain and symptoms BEGIN, the degeneration is usually well established.

In other words, the body has reached the limitations of matter. There can only be a certain amount of adaptation that can take place with human physiology. After a certain point, the body can no longer function in an asymptomatic state. The demand placed on the body corresponds to the time between the start of the problem and when the symptoms begin. That’s why it can be so important to listen to your body, but even more so, be aware of the underlying “rules” which are in affect and which daily dictate whether you are moving in the right health direction.

The presence of pain or symptoms makes it fairly easy to realize that something is wrong and drives us to do something about it. However, the ABSENCE of pain or symptoms does not mean we are doing the right thing to promote good health. Taking medication to get rid of the pain or symptoms isn’t the main answer to most health conditions. It is vital to find the cause of the problems, address those, in addition to, seeking symptomatic relief. That is the only way your health will improve.

That is why I emphasize understanding the NATURAL LAW behind physiology. We can’t depend on how we FEEL as the indicator of whether we are healthy or not. As I have indicated, that is a very dangerous way to diagnose our state of health. When you think about it, we have almost a superstitious belief in our concept of health. We are lulled into a false sense of confidence by our bodies ability to mask degenerative changes.

That is another major reason we have so nonchalantly and fearlessly proceeded down the road to where we stand today. Rather than using our heads, we allow our tastes and feelings to be our guide.

Look around again. Not only are WE beginning to experience more of a crisis level of health problems, but so is our environment. The natural processes of our environment is reaching ITS own “limitations of matter,” and simply reflecting our personal attitude toward nature. Our environment was able to adapt to a degree, as our bodies do, but the infection it has, called human mismanagement, is threatening not only the planet, but as with all disease organisms, the infectious agent itself, that being US.

CHAPTER 5: MODERN MEDICINE

To begin with, it could be argued that I have a bone to pick with medically trained professionals. I don’t. Over the past 6 years I have been working directly with all aspects of the medical profession. They have a valuable service to provide and I actually PREFER to work with them in a team approach to serving my patients. They have a valuable service to provide and we NEED their expertise to bridge the gap between crisis health conditions and stabilized, normal health conditions. It would be very foolish to avoid the specific help they can provide. Again I will say I am not interested in attacking any specific person or group of people.
In our quest for progress and prosperity, the area of “medical” attention is a logical extension of our attitude toward our world. Obviously it is a wonderful thing to have access to the vast array of products that we do. It is impossible for everyone to have a totally self sufficient lifestyle and remain a part of society. We ALL need things from others. But as we began to delegate areas of our lives, such as food production and health care, to other people or groups, we gradually lost some important control over areas of very personal responsibility in our lives.

We have essentially relegated to other people how we are going to interact with the natural laws which govern our lives. When you think about it, there is only one person that will end up paying any penalty for being out of sync with those laws, regardless of who did the leading or guiding. That person is YOU and that person is ME. Food manufacturers, medical personnel or our own government will not be the one suffering from the disregard WE may, albeit unknowingly, have toward natural laws. It behooves us, therefore, to begin to take stock of just where we really are in the scheme of things and to take the steps necessary to adequately safeguard our own potential for physical existence.

Medical practice can be a wonderful thing. Accidents, injuries, and deformities are areas where the medical profession excels. They are experts in the study of disease and crisis treatment. Our standard approach toward health and nutrition has generated the NEED for crisis management because we have been overlooking the important preventive and maintenance elements of health care.

If we are honest with ourselves and each other, we have to admit that the very crisis we are in with health care is proof that we are depending on the wrong system for providing the health we all desire. If we go back to the “legal” analogy, the evidence is overwhelmingly against our traditional medical system’s focus on treating symptoms. We have available to us the best source of health care knowledge possible. Nature is the example for us to follow.

What will it take for us to finally see that?

MEDICAL MISUNDERSTANDING

We live in a world which has as many ideas as it has people. We find many philosophy’s and beliefs about health expounded in an infinite number of books and journals. As one might expect, it is at the very least, mind boggling to wade through all the material trying to find what is right. In order to really understand health, we have to have a grasp on the basic health principles that nature has set as LAW.

We live in a society which wants INSTANT results. Instant relief from pain, instant health when sick or diseased. We have come to expect it because of the misunderstanding of what health is and isn’t. It is assumed by most of us that as long as we feel well, we ARE well. This concept comes, in part, from the way our bodies respond to disease or sickness. Take the common cold for instance. We believe that when we begin to sneeze, cough, run a fever and feel fatigue, this is the time when we “catch” the cold. The truth is, the virus or bacteria which may be affecting us took hold some days BEFORE the symptoms began.

A common accepted theory about disease is called the “germ theory of disease”. It is based on the premise that it is a “germ” (bacteria, virus, etc.) which CAUSES our ill health. One minute we are in good health and the next minute, one of the little “critters” comes into contact with us and we get sick, or come down with a disease. We tend to believe the following equation: No pain = no problem; pain = problem. We look at sickness and disease as something that instantly happens. By believing this concept we are placing the blame for sickness and disease totally on an outside source such as bacteria and virus. Such things have always been here. They were designed to work within a system which followed the same natural laws. When we break those laws, the penalty is allowed to take effect because the protective bounds of the law were overstepped. The penalty is inherent within the system. It won’t necessarily occur immediately, but it will occur. If “germs” were the CAUSE of sickness, then why do only a few, and not all, of those who come into contact with others having colds get sick? Why didn’t everyone get sick even though all were exposed to the same “germs”?

We can take virtually any disease process, from arthritis and heart disease, to cancer and AIDS. They ALL begin years before any outward symptoms are FELT. Cancer can take up to 20 years to develop to the point of producing symptoms the patient can notice. Just because the symptoms were not evident was absolutely NO indication of good health. So regardless of HOW we may be feeling, that is no basis for which to declare our good health. What then are the facts behind sickness and disease? The body’s ability to fight disease is known as RESISTANCE. Everyone has resistance. Some more, some less. Right now the room you are in has enough “germs” to kill you many times over. But you aren’t dead. Why? If you brought a dead rabbit into the room and left it on the counter, what would happen to it after a few days? Would it simply stay there intact and in good shape? No, obviously you know it would begin to decay and decompose. Why? Because the rabbit, being dead has NO resistance to decomposition by the bacteria in the room. The naturally occurring organisms all around us have a prime breeding ground in the dead rabbit. There is a degree of truth to the “germ theory of disease” in that it depends on what organisms are present to multiply which determines what disease occurs.

Remember the story about “the Boy in the Glass Bubble”? He was born with a disease which provided him with NO resistance. If he were outside his protective bubble he would die very quickly. A persons resistance determines his state of health, and is related to the degree of being in sync with the health laws. NOW to qualify that last statement. Since we are physical beings and our make up is passed on through the genetic pool, we can inherit weakness from our parents who in turn inherited weakness from their parents, etc. More will be said later about the role genetics plays in our health.

Taking what we have already covered concerning the idea of natural law, we can now plug in the idea of resistance and its ability to function. Resistance is the natural ability of the body to maintain a state of health. Resistance is governed by how well we work within the bounds of natural law. Our bodies were meant to receive and utilize food in its most natural state, which supplies the countless vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, micro-minerals and whatever else we are not yet aware of which our bodies MUST have in order to continue the process of life and maintain resistance.

The body must have specific substances provided only by elements form the natural world in order to be able to repair damage, replace cells and tissues and defend against foreign substances. Anywhere along the line, if one or more of these substances is in short supply, or nonexistent, then it is impossible for the body to continue performing anymore than your car can perform without gas.

DRUGS TO THE RESCUE

As a result of our wrong concepts toward health and disease, there naturally evolved a similar “solution” which we have been depending on in an attempt to free us from the consequence of disregarding many basic health principles. The development of chemical substances which could affect the body in remarkable ways was, at the time, regarded as the “ultimate” in health care. Penicillin, for example, was touted as the miracle drug, and indeed it appeared to be. It, unquestioningly, has saved countless thousands of lives since its development, but as has been proven over the years, the indiscriminate use of this “miracle drug” has introduced a pressure on the bacterial “family,” leaving only the strongest survivors to continue the bacterial species. These stronger bacteria become resistant to the antibiotic, and today there are strains of bacteria which are unaffected by penicillin.

The obvious implications of this are that should a specific disease occur in an individual, the bacteria in question would not be killed, therefore stronger drugs are necessary. This has already happened with such diseases as syphilis and gonorrhea. Therefore, stronger antibiotics are developed. and the cycle continues. If you’ve ever heard about the super-germs in hospitals, this explains why such a thing can occur, ESPECIALLY in hospitals.

If we had simply held things in check then, and used it in serious conditions only, the many side affects we now know of from penicillin, and for that matter, other antibiotics, would have been prevented. A number of less serious side affects are as follows. 1. Immune system weakening. Antibiotics selectively inhibit cell wall production in bacteria, thus preventing them from duplicating. Unfortunately, the good bacteria in our intestinal tracks are also affected. The friendly bacteria actually help to digest our food and produce B vitamins as well as vitamin K which we need for clotting. 3. More recent evidence indicates chronic use of antibiotics can predispose certain people to Candida Albicans, a systemic yeast infection associated with a myriad of symptoms including fatigue, depression, rashes, infections, etc. Literally hundreds of “miracle drugs” have come and gone, some with devastating results. Medical literature is full of statistics regarding adverse drug reactions, including deformities and deaths. A simple look at any information on a particular drug will tell you that there are side affects.

The use of over-the-counter medications is another example. All of us are familiar with the countless “remedies” sold throughout the world for everything from a runny nose to hemorrhoids. Some of these items ARE helpful for symptomatic treatment of some health problems. However, in the case of the cold and flu remedies, there is an inherent problem. When we are in the midst of such miserable symptoms of the flu, it is evident that our immune system is deficient and not able to prevent the flu from going through its entire course. When we turn to substances to stop the runny nose or whatever, we are simply bypassing the bodies defense system. In affect, we override the natural immune processes. Doing this prevents our immune system from becoming stronger and better able to do its job. The body begins to be dependent on such remedies, much to the pleasure of the sellers.

Think about this. How often has your own doctor been sick? Can you remember a time when he has been out of the office sick? That has been a mystery to most people. It shouldn’t be. A doctor, in the course of his or her work, comes into contact with hundreds of people a week. The doctor’s immune system comes into steady contact with a vast variety of possible viral and bacterial infection from exposure to people who are themselves sick or almost sick. This acts as a continuous prod on their immune system, “exercising” it if you will. The point I want to make is this. The more we depend on outside help to bypass our own deficient immune systems, the more dependent we become and the weaker we become to further and worse sickness. In my opinion, the manifold increase in allergies is merely a worsening of immune system function. Many diseases are implicated in immune system dysfunction, the worst of which are cancer and AIDS.

Now, some might bring up the issue of “natural” remedies. The difference is that natural substances do not deactivate the immune system. On the contrary, they stimulate it and enhance it. They work with the body’s natural immune function and don’t interfere with natural processes. An important point to make here is this. The more our we use substances which interfere with our bodies system, the less affective natural remedies will be. That is most often the reason people fail to initially respond to such things as herbs and homeopathic medicines. Unless the system is functioning as it should, natural substances wont be very affective. It takes some time to regulate the system and to build it back up to the point where subtle helps are very affective. As I’ve mentioned before, the body needs time to heal itself and any change in lifestyle needs time to affect the body’s internal systems.

I mention these things in order to emphasize again, our nearsighted perspective of health. When we view the world and all it contains as simply independent processes which are unrelated to each other, we will again “naturally” take a very focused approach in dealing with what is assumed to be the problem. The use of drugs to control, manipulate or change the function of our physiological processes does not take into consideration the complete interdependency of all the body’s systems. There are affects upon affects, as chain reactions within the human body, which science can’t begin to determine. As was mentioned before, I am not against the use of medications where necessary. What I am concerned with is the use of medication as an end in itself. Virtually all medication is used as THE answer to any given disease or sickness. Symptomatic treatment of a disease process rather than using the drug as a tool, where necessary, and when the body simply can’t do its job. At the same time, we should be looking to the CAUSE of the symptom and making necessary changes.

Merely treating the symptoms of flu, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc., is only part of the necessary process. Disease is a NATURAL part of life on this planet, but only when it is given the chance to be that part. This country is experiencing a frightening amount of degenerative disease. Something is seriously wrong with our approach toward health. As long as we continue to ignore obvious natural facts around us, we will continue to battle in the wrong direction. The concept is simple and basic. Perhaps that is why we continue to ignore it. We’ve come to believe that the serious situations we face in health and environment must surely need very complicated and detailed intellectual answers to save us, all the while being oblivious to the simplicity which nature provides within its protective natural laws.

NATURAL VS MEDICAL

With the foundation we have previously laid, let’s understand the issue. We’ve learned that nature designed the body to function under specific laws. That means certain causes will bring specific results. The body is designed to digest food, heal wounds, clean itself, fight disease, etc. all according to a specific set pattern. It works by itself without any aid from us. But because man has cut himself off from nature, it is inevitable that problems would result. Remember that the farther we drift away from proper health practices, and the longer we continue that way, the worse the problems become.

Today, we have more medical compounds than some species of animals. And, daily, more are being manufactured. Is there really any difference between using more “natural” means of health care and the more “chemical” means? Yes and no. There is no question that many lives have been saved through drugs and surgery. So is there really anything wrong with that approach? After all, aren’t all the chemicals and drugs we have “natural”, since they come from the earth in some way? Yes they did come from the earth. That is true, BUT where we have slipped the track is in believing that we can simply do what we want when it comes to rearranging what nature has created. What man is doing is taking natural substances and arranging them, or in some way altering them into a form NOT found in nature.

We’re not talking about digitalis, or the many other truly NATURALLY OCCURRING elements which man has taken and concentrated, although even doing that can be just as dangerous as using a synthesized compound. We mean the “creation” of NEW substances which nature did not make in the beginning or nature could never combine by itself. Taking something already provided by nature and using it as a tool for our healing is one thing. But creating and using countless unnatural drugs and compounds simply overlooks the basics.

So does that mean medical means of health care is ALL wrong? No, obviously not. It is just important to understand WHY we need such means in the first place. Man has gone so far off track in his health habits, and hurt this planet so much with pollution and filth, that nature itself has been affected to the point that in many cases it literally takes drastic, “unnatural” steps to be able to save some lives. We have gone so far outside nature’s protective health laws that sometimes even doing all that you possibly can to practice good health principles, the body has already gone beyond the limitations of matter and can only be saved by emergency procedures.

The problem is that we have come to accept this whole state of affairs as the normal way to deal with much less serious health problems. Yes there are some apparent benefits from drugs, and from some surgery performed. But ask yourself seriously, do you really believe that it is the lack of drugs or surgery which caused you to become sick in the first place? Are headaches an aspirin deficiency? Is sickness and disease a drug deficiency? Is treating the affect you feel and see really the answer to why you are sick in the first place?

Antibiotics revolutionized medicine and have saved many lives. Yet they are used on a casual, indiscriminate basis for many conditions. Sometimes the body needs the added help but it is usually when there are underlying factors contributing to the bodies inability to fight off the infection on its own. They weaken the bodies already weak resistance thereby making a future infection more likely. It’s like a dog chasing his tail. The faster he chases his tail the faster the tail goes. The more we surrender to outside intervention, the more circles we go in. We are missing the point in treating symptoms only. It’s a recipe for disaster.

When you work with natural elements in nature, you are treating the affect, yes, but ALSO THE CAUSE, at the same time. By working within nature’s designed natural laws, you are simply providing the often times missing ingredient the body needs to repair, replace, and defend itself, or providing necessary care that all falls within nature’s designed system. Chemicals produce definite affects on the human body and have done remarkable things. They ARE necessary in various aspects of health care but, in most cases, only because we have gotten so far off track. We can’t try to be “all natural” and ignore the medical help that is available. What is emphasized is using “medicine” as a stepping stone, IF NEEDED, and begin putting to practice nature’s health principles. Then and only then will you be on the road to real health recovery.

If we accepted the natural order to things, then we will begin to better understand health and sickness. Because we do live in an unnatural environment of pollution, noise, stress, poor food quality, deficient exercise opportunities, unhealthy work environments, and more, we of necessity have to apply nature’s health principles and provisions in an “unnatural” way. Because the affects we are experiencing from our environment are what they are, we HAVE to be not only diligent in following proper health principles, but we need to take more drastic steps in order to combat the unnatural forces that will sooner or later hurt our health.

For example, living in a city vs. living in the country. The more assaults the body must deal with, the more nutrients it needs to maintain things as they should be. The stress of noise, the affects of pollution on the immune system and other aspects of city living generate a greater need for such basic substances as vitamin A and C, zinc, etc. Living under those conditions warrants additional supplements to offset the greater losses.

In a natural environment, simple natural health principles are sufficient. But in an unnatural environment, it logically takes MORE of the same to maintain a specific degree of health. Even what some may consider a good health plan will in many cases be insufficient to remain healthy. When you add up all the abuses we receive by way of the air, water, food, soil, noise and stress, it is easy to see how the need for a wise and balanced health plan is essential. If you drive a car at 80 mph, it uses more gas than at 50 mph. With our bodies it is the same. If we give ourselves a “50 mph” food supply, and we naturally travel at “80 mph”, you can see that there will be a problem sooner or later.

In all that you may read and hear regarding health principles, remember to check them against the foundation provided by natural law. Using drugs and surgery if absolutely necessary, as tools is one thing. They can be great HELPS when you use them in conjunction with a continuing natural health plan. Even those who are dependent upon certain drugs to live such as insulin, or dilation can still apply the natural health principles. But to depend upon an artificial system other than where it is a life and death issue will bring problems. We can’t be affecting the human body with every manner of food, drug or medication and not be paying a price somewhere. Treating symptoms is the same as turning off a buzzing smoke detector. It’s great to get rid of the noise, but it doesn’t do anything to put out the fire. Cause and affect. We are making payments toward our future health account every day. Are you willing to live with your “health savings plan?”

A topic which is always hotly debated is whether there is any difference between synthesized vitamins or natural source vitamins. By now you are probably way ahead of me. Most synthetic vitamins are manufactured from oil. That’s right, OIL. The same oil which is the precursor for thousands of other products we use every day, including gasoline for our cars. You might be wondering what oil could possibly have to do with nutrition and health. The answer is, of course, nothing. Well, actually there IS a relationship. MONEY! Synthesizing “vitamins” from oil is extremely cheap. As technology progressed, we were able to isolate various “vital amines” which is what we derive the word “vitamin” from. Because we were already off track with our thinking about nature, we logically concluded that conjuring up COPIES of these “vital amines” would be just as good but cheaper than using the real thing. This line of thinking fits into the mold of our adversarial relationship with the natural world.

Unfortunately, it too has proven to be an extremely poor, if not hazardous, practice. Synthesized vitamins, by their very nature, are only copies of what we, looking through the eyes of old technology and bias, could see. We assume that what we see is all there is to see. Beyond seeing is the understanding of how these vital amines work within the natural system. Once again, we overlook some extremely important facts.

7 Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, deluxe second edition.

NATURAL VS CHEMICAL MEDICINES

One last area for discussion along this topic is in regard to effectiveness of natural remedies vs. chemical affects. In working with patients over the years I have come to see a distinct pattern in how they respond to various medicines. There is a direct correlation in most cases between how often and to what extent the patient utilizes chemical intervention and their overall health condition vs. a patient who rarely uses any chemical substances for treatment and is closely tied to the natural system.

In some cases it is futile to try to affect the body with natural remedies such as herbs and homeopathic medicines when individuals continue to confound their bodies with medications, which cause dramatic reactions. An analogy will help. In a war situation, why use a nuclear bomb when a BB gun could do the trick? Once the bomb has been used, what good will use of the BB gun be? The affects of the BB would hardly be noticed.

The idea is the same with the human body. The body has been conditioned to “nuclear” tactics and responds to the dramatic and often instant affects of chemical substances. To instantly begin using a different tactic in approaching your health problem can seem very ineffective because the results aren’t often dramatic and instantaneous, especially because of the conditioning our bodies, not to mention our minds, have received. It takes a period of healing and reconditioning, “re-sensitizing” your system to the more subtle and gentle system which nature uses.

FACTORS OF BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

For some years, it has been well known in natural health circles that a rather remarkable difference exists between synthetic and natural substances. When comparing the two under polarized light, the natural vitamin reflects the light in one direction while the synthetic vitamin reflects it in the OPPOSITE direction. Essentially, what this means is that they are really two completely different substances when compared to the original from which the copies were made. In other words, the copies are really “forgeries” of the real thing. They may look similar, yet the biological availability of the synthetic version is low or nonexistent.

The following quote explains. “A very common but unique property of vitamins gives rise to an unusual problem with synthetic vitamins. The problem stems from the unique three dimensional structure that each vitamin possesses. This isn’t a problem until the vitamin attempts to take part in your body’s chemical reactions. A simple illustration will make it more clear.”

“All of your body’s chemical reactions and processes are dependent upon the work of vitamins and enzymes. These vital substances function by fitting themselves together into a very rigorously organized structure in the body. When all the components are perfectly oriented and arranged, the appropriate chemical reactions can take place. Unless they are perfectly arranged, none of these chemical reactions can occur. Herein lies the problem with many synthetic nutrients.”

“The easiest way to look at the problem is to imagine the way a hand and glove interrelate. If a glove is the proper size and has the correct number of fingers, then it should fit. But it isn’t that simple. The glove for your right hand will not fit your left hand and vice versa. Even though your left and right glove or hand are the exact same size and possess the same number of fingers, the glove will never be interchangeable. This is because even though your hands appear the same, technically, they are not. They are actually mirror images of each other and although they appear identical, they can’t wear the same glove.”

“It is precisely the same with vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are often the exact mirror image of their natural counterparts. Unfortunately, your body’s biochemistry is either right handed or left handed, but never both. Your body is equipped to recognize and use only the naturally occurring form of the vitamin and not its synthetic mirror image counterpart. It would be like trying to put a left-handed glove on your right hand. It just won’t work…In the final analysis, there is little reason to consume a synthetically produced supplement. With the ready availability of natural source nutrients, it would seem foolish to second guess mother nature.”(8) By the above explanation you can begin to understand how the scientific observation of oppositely reflected light relates to how our bodies can recognize and use nutritional supplements. Can you begin to see the connection?

Chapter 6:ENVIRONMENT

You might be wondering why I would include a chapter on environment in a book on health. Actually, this is a vital area of consideration in our discussion on health, as you will see. I want to draw your focus to what is around us, and what our relationship to our environment is really like. When you look around our country and world, you can see the affects of our attitude toward the natural world. As we “progressed,” we slowly lost contact with natural elements and the lessons they teach by their very existence. The environment and our own health status as a whole are mirrors of each other. As we treat the earth, we naturally treat ourselves. The more involved this process becomes, the more it directly affects US. We have an unavoidable relationship with the natural world and we can no longer neglect or ignore this relationship, nor can we try to sever this relationship. It is vital that we begin to work within the natural system, in ALL of it facets.
When you stop and think about our environment, you will begin to see parallels between what takes place in our bodies and what takes place in our environment. Think about the air we breath. The ozone problem didn’t happen overnight. The cause of the destruction of the ozone in our upper atmosphere has been occurring for many years but only recently have the SYMPTOMS begun to show themselves.

Our water is the same. For decades we have been pouring chemical pollutants into the water supply only to realize that, today, much of our water is contaminated with some type of chemical which is dangerous to our health. This is causing problems with wildlife as well as with people around the world. The symptoms didn’t begin immediately in response to our short-sightedness.

Science is daily proving that many of our routine practices toward our environment are coming to a head… that is, producing SYMPTOMS. Quite often, we attempt to remedy the problem with other, equally damaging steps, not realizing the bigger picture and the natural system. The same scenario can be seen in regard to personal health and health care. There is a direct correlation. Our environment affects us in countless ways throughout any given day. Just stop what you are doing right now and look, listen, smell and feel what is affecting you. Environmental factors are a constant area of influence in our lives, and whether we know it or not these factors in far too many cases, are adversely affecting our state of equilibrium.

It is very important to understand how we should relate to the natural world around us. There are thousands of books on the market which present information about the threats we face in a degenerating environment. Obviously it isn’t too late to address and take counter steps but it has to begin on a personal level just as health changes must begin on a personal level. The important key is to realize that what you do on a daily basis, added to 280 million others in this country, and billions across the world, absolutely, undoubtedly DOES have its affects on the environment, especially if it is wrong. It is impossible to prevent. The environment, as with our own bodies, is directed by natural laws and forces. Without those laws we wouldn’t HAVE an environment. Wrong interaction, even on a seemingly insignificant personal level, IS having its effects.

I will limit this chapter to basic environmental concerns which you need to be aware of. The chapter titled, “By the way,” will have some information about controversial health risks, which there are many.

Index WATER

We’ve all hear a lot about water these days. Lack of good quality water is rapidly becoming a serious problem for much of the world. Here in the United States, we are facing multiple problems involving water. Our ground stores of water are being depleted at alarming rates through lack of rain, irrigation and increasing population use. The vast amounts of agricultural chemicals being used for “technological” food production are reaching those underground stores and contaminating them. Today even well water in rural areas of the country are not escaping contamination.

Water contamination is perhaps THE most serious immediate threat to our health. If we consider all the sources of water contamination we have, you will begin to realize how this can be added to the list of health risks. Keep in mind the underlying relationship between mankind’s attitude toward nature and the development of products used by most of us daily. Think for a minute about your own household. If you were to go through your closets and cupboards, what would you be able to list in the area of soaps, cleaners, disinfectants, drain and toilet chemicals, automobile oils, engine cleaners, paints. The list would contain 10’s of thousands of chemical substances.

Eventually, some or all of every one of those chemicals end up in the sewer system either directly through being poured down drains and toilets or indirectly through rain washing them into the gutters. As we all know, the sewers lead to either a river, lake or ocean, or in some cases a land drain field. What most people may not know is that our waste treatment plants do nothing to remove the chemical contamination from the water. Millions of gallons of chemicals are released into our water systems every year.

In the beginning, the simple act of dispersion could dilute and disperse these chemicals and render them relatively harmless. But as populations grew and therefore product development and use, this dilute and disperse practice became the very avenue for the situation we face today. There is some natural breakdown of some of these chemicals due to their biodegradability, but a large portion remain in the system for years. If YOU owned the land, river, lake or ocean which received the contaminated waste water dumped by millions of other people, how eager would you be to drink water taken FROM it?

This leads us to the next disastrous step in the attitude toward the world around us. Once you have contaminated water, you have to do something to make it fit to drink. Toward that effort, our water companies add the common chemical chlorine into the public water supply. This chemical kills any bacterial contamination, but that’s as far as it goes. There is very little that is being done to remove the accumulation of chemical contaminants in our water supply. The bottom line, as usual, is cost.

It is much cheaper to simply add chlorine to the water than to do what it would take to truly purify the water. Chlorine is an extremely poisonous substance. It also is a very potent free radical. A free radical is a very reactive substance which disrupts chemical bonds and causes cell damage. Free radicals are suspected in being contributory to such things as arthritis and atherosclerosis. Normally our body scavenges such free radicals because even natural food we eat can produce them. But when we overload the system with additional chemicals, polluted and processed foods, it becomes difficult or impossible for our detoxification system to work.

Credit must be given to the job people do to provide the water we have now. They are working to provide water within a system that makes it quite difficult to NOT have to do what is done to send water across many miles to where it is needed. How do you keep it pure all along the way? This is just another symptom of our trek away from nature.

There is mounting evidence indicating the vital importance of having enough water on a regular basis.(9) Many health conditions can be improved with the increase intake of water and could even be brought on by the chronic lack of adequate amounts of water. Water is something most of us do not get enough of. We often believe that the coffee, tea, cola and other “watery” drinks is adequate, when it is FAR from adequate. It is well known that the consumption of these fluids, even though largely water, actually INCREASE our body’s needs for water. Why? Simply because there are various other substances within the fluids which we drink that generate an osmotic affect within the body. Osmosis is the physical action taking place of water moving from a high concentration to a lower concentration. If you drink a soft drink which usually contains 12 or more teaspoons of sugar per can, water naturally tries to dilute this thick concentration to bring it into a water balance. Since there is not enough water within the soft drink itself, the body must make up the difference in order to properly metabolize it.

The same is true with ANY drink which isn’t pure water. If we consider the research taking place today on the health affects of inadequate amounts of water in our bodies, and think about how little pure water most of us drink in any given day, it isn’t hard to realize the potential damage being done on a regular basis. Of course, as explained in previous chapters, the damage isn’t all at once. It takes the body time to degenerate and the affects of this degeneration to show up.

Obtaining quality water is vital to good health. Choosing a water filter is important, and depends on the type of water you have, the water pressure in your area and how much you want to spend. The more you know about the quality of your water, the better you can judge as to what kind of filter you need. It pays to do your homework on this. Many companies will tell you that THEIR filter is the best for your water.

Other types of filtration include a common carbon filter, reverse osmosis, ultra violet light, or a combination of some or all. Of course, you can also buy your water but in the long run, this costs much more than the investment in a filter for your home.

Index AIR

Wherever you may live, clean air is a vital “essential ingredient” which the body needs to carry out its functions properly. Air, like water and food, can be a carrier of contamination. Whatever contaminant is inhaled into the lungs is just as much a foreign invader as a virus or bacteria. Many of these contaminants are “filtered” out by cilia which are little hairs which trap particles entering the lungs. I say “filter” because the body still has to remove such particles entirely from the body or they remain an unnatural irritant to the lung tissues.

But there are hundreds of other elements in polluted air which enter the lungs and become a part of our circulation and thus the rest of our body. Such things as carbon monoxide, (CO) a deadly poison. Your body is much more effective in picking up CO than it is oxygen. CO actually binds to our red blood cells and renders them useless in carrying oxygen. Car exhaust is a major source of CO as is cigarette smoke. It must be remembered that oxygen is an absolutely essential “nutrient” which every cell in the body needs. If tissues are unable to receive a steady, adequate source of oxygen, they can’t live very long and will die prematurely.

A major loss of oxygen, such as in suffocation, or CO poisoning from car exhaust leads to a quick death. On the other hand, a consistent, low level deprivation of oxygen, from whatever cause, causes a microscopic level of tissue dysfunction, degeneration and even death. I am convinced that there are many health conditions which are promoted or enhanced by the prolonged insufficiency of oxygen. Not only is clean air necessary, but it is also vital to maintain a regular supply throughout the body through some form of aerobic activity. Without regular deep breathing, even in good air, we fail to support an adequate supply of oxygen to ALL the tissues of the body. More will be said on that subject in the chapter on exercise.

There are some kinds of tissues which have poor blood supplies, or none at all. These tissues depend on fluids around them to supply their needs, both nutritionally and with oxygen. One good example is the intervertebral disc. If the blood has an already low level of oxygen, there is hardly an adequate supply left for the disc to use. Again, it is on a microscopic level, but there can only be the stages of degeneration occurring when the cells are starving for oxygen, or for that matter, proper nutrients to maintain itself.

I think you can see the point I am trying to make. As with any other necessary nutrient which the body needs, clean, fresh air must be supplied regularly or there has to be an inevitable breakdown in the system. This is just another piece of the whole picture.

As most people realize, city air is far worse than country or sometimes even suburbs. There isn’t a lot we can do about the air we may be breathing except perhaps moving out of a smog filled city, if possible. The next best thing to do is to obtain a good air cleaner for your home, apartment or office space. A simple device such as that can go a long way toward minimizing the amount of personal pollution you may be breathing. Your employer may well be willing to have one or more installed in the office environment, that is, if he or she is aware of the relationship between an employee’s health and motivation, and productivity.

An air cleaner, ideally, should consist of a filtering device along with negative ion production. What is a negative ion? A negative ion is a naturally occurring electrically charged particle, usually in high abundance after a rain storm, around water falls and in forests–natural settings. The ions actually attach to such things as dust, pollen, viruses and particulate matter, taking them out of the air. It is the opposite of a positive ion.

Positive ions are in high concentration in closed work spaces, around electrical devices such as computers, overhead lighting, and air conditioning units. Negative ion generators help to reverse that ratio. Besides particle removal, negative ions are in some way related to reducing fatigue and a general sense of well being. Again, being a natural element which is largely missing in our normal living environment, we can see how it, too, can fit into the total health picture. One drawback with negative ion generators is that, unless the device has a good oppositely charged filtering base, much of the dust and particulate matter will be deposited on tables, desks, walls, etc. There are many good filters on the market that will help to minimize this affect. Despite that drawback, you will readily admit that it is better to have such air pollution out of the air we breath and on the walls or tables, anywhere but our lungs.

Index LIGHT

Another area which we have some control is in the way of lighting. Home or office, we use artificial lights everyday of our lives. When you count up the hours we spend beyond the suns reach, you will see that, if much of our artificial lighting were bad for us, we could very well be supporting some of our own health problems.

Let’s go back to the basics we discussed in the beginning. Remember, if we agree on the premise that natural law is the protective bounds which we should strive to stay within, then looking at man’s substitute for sunlight, we will readily see that there is a vast difference in the physical makeup of most modern lighting. To make a long story short, the wavelength is much shorter and is only a fraction of what is considered normal, natural light.

Being under the influence of this type of light, especially for extended periods of time does affect our bodies. Research has shown that light affects hormone balance, affects sleep patterns and, subconsciously, the light flicker is a cause of stress in adults and hyperactivity in children.(10) There has also been shown a relationship between our eyes and the importance of natural, outdoor light. Remember, we are tied to our relationship with our environment. Our society today spends most of its time inside, at desks, under artificial, poor quality lighting.

Natural, outdoor sunlight, even reflected sunlight, has antibacterial properties. It stimulates the production of vitamin D in our bodies, affects our hormone systems, tones our muscles. There are probably other attributes we aren’t aware of. Of course, this should not give license to those who are interested in the cosmetic affects of sunlight. Tanning has been conclusively shown to greatly improve the chances for skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation can damage the cells of your skin. It affects the collagen fibers which can be the cause of wrinkles and premature skin aging. Like everything else, it isn’t the casual interaction with the sun that is the concern. It is the continuous, habitual tanning process which causes the damage.

Of course, when added to all the other areas discussed in this book, you can see how the body could be unable to minimize the damage and even repair or remove any cancerous cells. It is well established that all of us have cancerous cells which develop for one reason or another. It is when the bodies normal defense mechanisms are interfered with that these cells can get a hold wherever they may be. THEN the problem begins.

So what can we do for our indoor work? There are alternatives to artificial lighting. There are many good “full spectrum” light bulbs available. They come in virtually any size and shape so they can replace almost any kind of bulb we now have inside our home. Research has shown that such symptoms as headache, muscle tension, eye strain, hyperactivity in kids, and fatigue in adults can be greatly reduced by replacing poor lighting with full spectrum lighting. Some sources of these bulbs are listed in the appendix.

Index SOUND

You may not realize it but noise is rapidly becoming a major cause of stress in our lives, especially if you live in the city. Noise causes our nervous system to gear up for action. You can read in more detail about this in the chapter on stress. Outside noise or inside noise. Traffic, horns, machines running at work. There is a difference between sound and noise. Sound can be soothing and relaxing such as a stream, waterfall, rain or music. It is the quality and the circumstances of the sound which initiates a stress response in us. It doesn’t take much noise to irritate us if we are already upset about something.

Research has been done into what is called “white noise.” White noise is a name for a rhythmical or steady sound which has been found to help mask background, manmade environmental noise. Many of us grew up with a fan blowing in the windows at night. That steady sound is what is termed white noise. Various machines are now on the market which mimic waves on the beach or rainfall. These machines are used primarily in the city environment where sleep can be frequently interrupted, or where night shift people need to sleep during the day when much more noise is generated around them.

Even some continuous sound we think we are used to generates an affect which can cause adverse health conditions. Too much noise, continuous noise or intermittent noise at various levels can add to the stress we experience. So naturally, we need to look at this area of our lives and evaluate it in light of what could be termed “natural sound levels.” Of course, a bird outside our window or a barking dog can also create noisy disturbances for some.

One other area which I believe deserves comment is in the area of “music.” Music can be of extremely personal interpretation. There is an incredibly wide range of sound included in the “music” realm. There is also fair portion of this range which can only be defined as noise. Music is beneficial and “healing” ONLY if it has a calming, soothing and inspiring affect on the hearer. Many types of “rock” music, and even some “classical” are anything but soothing. There may be some elements of emotional attachment to the words of the music or the beat and power of the music, but that is definitely NOT a stress reducer nor is it conducive to a healing environment. It is the opinion of this author that such discordant noise plays a part in generating anxiety and impulsive actions based purely on emotion and nervous reaction.

Usually a good way to know what the affects of music will be is to see how it is produced. In most cases, what you see in the production of said “music” is exactly what you can expect outwardly as action, or inwardly, in the form of stress and anxiety. Remember, this is just another small piece of the whole health picture. It all adds up.

Index ARTIFICIAL POWER SOURCES>

I feel it is necessary to mention this point under the heading “environment” because of how pervasive electrical power and appliances are in our society. If we stop to think about it, electrical power is everywhere in our lives. There are power lines along virtually every street in out country. They are in every building, along most walls and in most rooms we inhabit. Research has determined that there is a possible link between sources of electrical power and cancer. Even without research material to substantiate any health threat, it doesn’t take long to consider the possibility that such exposure, over an extended period of time could be a health risk. It is well known that the human body exhibits polarity…that is, there is a definite relationship between electrical power and the tissues of the human body.

Electrical charges have often been an adjunct to speeding the healing of various tissue injuries such as fractures. These charges have been very low, well below the levels we are exposed to on a daily basis. Imagine the possibility of what charges hundreds and thousands of times more powerful could be having on the human body. Every electrical wire or appliances creates a field of energy around it called an Electromagnetic Field-EMF. A perfect example is the magnet. We understand how the lines of force line up around the end of a magnet which can be readily observed using iron filings. The very nature of electricity produces a measurable field which extends out to various distances. Obviously, the greater the power need, the greater the field. We know it is not good to sit too close to the TV or a computer screen. The radiation given off can be unsafe.

Now, think about your personal environment. Work, home, shop. Is the bed you sleep in directly along a wall where power lines run? Chances are it is. The alarm, stereo, clock and other appliances we may have near us use electricity, some all night long. The beds most of us have contain metal springs in them. The EMF given off by the appliances and power lines is thought to interacts with the metal springs which we are subjected to all through the night. What affect could this be having on sleep, dreaming, healing, rest, disease, immunity…

I tend to be conservative in any matter that is questionable. So what does one do? Give up any use of electricity? Obviously not. However, there is a lot we CAN do. At the very least, you can unplug any appliance near your bed at night. You can shut off the circuit breaker to that particular room. You could move your bed away from the wall where the power lines run. If it is within your power, you could build a home which has special channels to house the power lines which eliminate electrical fields. There are instruments available now which measure these fields. It may be a good idea to buy one or hire someone who specializes in such business to measure your home for exposure to EMF. Your bedroom, the kids room, the living room, etc. As we’ve talked about before, it isn’t the occasional exposure to things which hurt us. It is the routine, relentless exposure that does the long term damage.

Are you close to a major power structure such as towered power lines? Is family activity close to the main power box in the house? Are there any phone, radio or cable companies close by that use microwave dishes? EMF and/or EMR-electromagnetic radiation-hits us 24 hours a day. We can’t escape it but we can minimize incidental exposure.

Index THE AGRICULTURAL CONNECTION

This book would not be complete if I were to leave out discussion about the relationship between our health and the ground we grow our food on. There are many good books on the subject of organic and natural farming which can explain the how-to. What is important to understand within the scope and intent of this book is the WHAT and the WHY.

The change in emphasis from natural farming to chemical farming was a gradual one. As with the changes in food processing and the addition of unnatural substances to our food, so has it been with our methods of raising food. Let’s start at the beginning and lay some foundational concepts about soil and soil “physiology.”

Contrary to what most of us have assumed, the ground we walk on is far from being dead dirt. Soil, in its optimum state, is teaming with microscopic organisms, organic matter from plant material, earth worms and sand and rock material, among other things. In order for soil to do what it was intended to do, it absolutely must have the proper balance of all these elements. In order for a plant to be able to grow properly and to store quality nutritional elements within its growth, it must be able to receive nutrients from the soil. However, these nutrients aren’t simply a passive product sitting within the soil particles, waiting to be absorbed. They have to be “produced.”

The 50 or more types of microorganisms living with healthy soil have a specific job to do. These organisms release acids which actually break down the “rougher” elements such as sand, rock particles, etc., making them small enough for the plants to absorb. When water enters the ground, it picks up these released elements and holds them for uptake by the plant. It is these released elements which is the key to good soil and food quality. Why? Because it is these micro-minerals which are almost totally absent from modern day food, and which play a vital role in maintaining normal, natural health in mankind, not to mention animals, in the world today.

If we take a close look at food production and soil today we will see a frightening trend. Soil which has been traditionally farmed is mostly devoid of any of the microorganisms mentioned earlier. It also has no earth worms and very little or no organic material. Earth worms are an integral part of proper soil management. They bore holes in the soil which allows water and air to penetrate. They also eat the organic material in the soil and leave behind “castings…fertilizer, which adds nutrients to the soil. When you add this up, this combination of deficits is why we have such poor quality produce in this country. In order for a plant to grow and produce as its gene pool directs, it must have the correct nutrients. The plants ability to produce, it ability to defend itself from disease and predators, and its ability to withstand environmental variables are all affected by the quality of the soil.(11) If you remember, this scenario is very reminiscent of how our own human physiology works.

So here’s the outline of what happens. Improper agricultural techniques, (artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and lack of organic material returned to the soil) deplete the soil and kill the necessary microorganisms and worms. This in turn diminishes the necessary nutrients for the plants to remain healthy, which in turn, makes for poor quality plant material. As we all know, people buy this plant material, (which, by the way, is processed through any meat we any buy commercially, thereby diminishing the quality), and are routinely eating food which is depleted of necessary nutrients which the human body absolutely needs to function in all its modes.

Can you see the connection? Whether it is the land, the air, the water, the food, or the processing, we are paying a huge price for manipulating our environment and forcing it to do something it was never intended to do. However, there is hope on the horizon. The demand for organically grown food, that is, food which is grown on land which is free of artificial fertilizers, artificial pesticides. The natural system, as this books is attempting to picture is interconnected in such a way that if you create interference with one area, you invariably create more problems in other areas. As you review the chapters, you will see how incredible the natural system really is and how wonderful it works if we work WITH it instead of against it.

8 Understanding Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, By Andrew Lessman, Founder of The Winning Edge.”
9 Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
10 “Health and Light,” “Radiation and You; How to stay healthy,” both by Dr. John N. Ott
11 This information can be found in several excellent books listed here for your information. “Secrets of the Soil,” by Christopher Bird; “Hands on Agronomy,” by Kinsey and Walters; “The Soul of the Soil,” by Grace Gershuny and Joseph Smillie. There are many other sources of good information on proper farming and gardening techniques under the heading natural or organic farming.
Index CHAPTER 7: HEALTH AND OUR CHILDREN

The subject of children is of special concern to me personally. Over the past 10 years I have had the pleasure and opportunity to work with our young people between the ages of 13 and 18, as well as university students, at a youth camp. During that time I worked in the health center which dealt with any particular health problem which arouse during the course of the camp session. As the years passed by, I could see a very disturbing trend which worries me quite a bit. Every year, I’ve seen a steady decline in the quality of the children’s health. Whether in the number of colds, the weight problems many of them have, their being very out of shape or, upon physical examinations, distinct signs of atherosclerosis. Children with allergies and many other chronic health problems are seriously on the increase.
Children are in a special category in every sense of the word. They are our future. They will be the ones to inherit the positions we now hold. Their ability to function in our society is dependent upon so many influential powers which, if wrong, can only lead to a serious question about the future.

From a physical standpoint, children are much more easily affected by adverse conditions than adults are. This is because the rate of cellular division and tissue growth is much higher in children. Obviously, this is because they are growing and developing. It is well known that such things as x-rays, alcohol and drugs can do more damage to rapidly dividing and growing cells, which children have in abundance. The faster a cell divides, the more potential for adverse affects to occur from foreign elements.

We all have heard about alcohol and pregnant mothers. We’ve also heard about drugs and fetal deformities. What is happening is that at some point of the growth and development process, there has been an interference with the normal physiological processes. If we consider the information previously covered in this book, we can see that the potential for incident in the growth and development of our children is very high. That means genetic manipulation is occurring in a very unscientific experiment. The serious potential I am speaking of isn’t necessarily obvious, although some is. The incidence of childhood diseases such as cancer and diabetes is on the rise. There has to be reasons. The not so obvious genetic affects could be showing up in ways we haven’t yet recognized or want to admit.

CHILDREN, DIET AND GENETICS

Your body is a living, dynamic, functioning and reacting machine. It is influenced by everything which comes into contact with it. The internal systems are very precision oriented and depend on a constant state of function to perform. When a woman conceives a child, the cells which will later become her child, are constantly affected by what is in her blood supply. The development of the fetus depends completely on what the mother’s body supplies. The father’s body, although not nearly as important to the development as the mother’s, nevertheless CAN affect the beginning, and therefore, the ultimate outcome of the child.

His body, his cells and his health and diet can and DO affect the development of sperm. Remember what we said about rapidly dividing and growing cells? This is one of the few places that is constantly renewing cells like no other in the body. To believe that a man is free to eat as he pleases, without any regard to offspring is foolishness and selfishness. All it takes is one minor variation in the normal genetic makeup of that sperm cell which penetrates the egg. Anything from a miscarriage to deformities can and do occur.

Genetics and genetic research will prove to be a hot item for the rest of the 90’s, you can be sure. Science has the vision that if only the blueprints of life could be understood, man would finally have what they feel would be “ultimate” control over health and disease and life itself. Genetic research is gaining momentum as well as funding from a variety of sources. The excitement seems to be contagious. It’s not hard to understand why.

Anyone who happens to see, or who may even have someone close to them, crippled by some genetic flaw, longs to see science reach the point of being able to correct the problem. Bear with me as I give a brief description of what genes do.

Real genetic research is fairly young. What we know is nothing compared to what we have yet to learn. However, what we are discovering is full of surprises. For instance, genetic researchers have recently discovered that the apparent useful information necessary for genes to do their work of producing, say, proteins, accounts for only about 10% of the actual genetic material. The remaining 90% is composed of “useless” information. This has researchers very surprised.

You see, in the example of protein synthesis, there is a “cut and splice” procedure which occurs as the gene produces the protein. The parts which are junk are cut out by enzymes and the useful ends are put back together by enzymes. From an efficiency standpoint, this is disastrous, especially if any one of the cut and splice occurrences is messed up. In other words, a mutation could occur in the process.

From a health standpoint, we should look carefully at this process and consider some possible causes of adverse genetic involvement. Think for a moment of all the ways in which man is affecting this world. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear something or another about the environment, diet, health, chemical pollution of water, air and land.

Keeping in mind the above research findings, is it difficult to believe that the extent of chemical pollution in air, water and food, and the processing of food, could be having an affect on the human genetic pool? Could there be a correlation between a gene’s work and things such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, cancer or a host of other disease processes?

The enzymes used in the gene’s work in and of themselves are likely candidates for problems. It doesn’t take much at all for an enzyme to be rendered useless. Toxic buildup of substances the body normally can get ride of can cause BIG problems.

When you consider that at any point along the genetic construction process, if something goes wrong, there could be abnormal proteins, tissues and cells being produced. When you consider the number of genes and the amount of work they do, we are talking about millions of possible chances for problems.

You may be wondering why we don’t have disasters occurring all the time. In a normal healthy individual there are physiological mechanisms which can take care of such things as faulty cells. The body can take care of these guys and that is the end of the matter.

However, when there is something creating an interference with that process, there will eventually be a breakdown in the system. The very same foreign substances interfering with a gene’s work could cause interference with other physiological mechanisms which would normally be able to correct the problem. You can see how there could be an intimate relationship between our health habits, pollution and sickness and disease, and how our genes could be involved.

When you add the fact that any human body which doesn’t have the proper nutrients and raw materials to repair, replace and defend itself, you end up with a recipe for breakdown. We have to look at the whole picture and consider ALL the factors which could contribute to the problems we see.

There is a lot of good genetic research could do as long as we realize WHY we are doing it. To use it as a tool to correct existing problems and get us back on track is a good one. To view genetic knowledge as the way to get around having to follow good health habits or to justify our continuing to pollute the environment, we are missing the point by a mile. Gene manipulation will never be the “cure-all, make life easy” some hope it will be.

Treating the genes as the “bad guy,” as if the GENES were somehow faulty in and of themselves is backward thinking. Something has to CAUSE the gene to do what it does. Diet, health habits and pollution may well prove to be a leading cause of genetic mutations.

Yes, it will be great to see genetic research help the thousands of people who are in need of such help, but unless we keep in mind cause and effect, we are simply postponing more trouble. Genetic research has a good side and an ugly side. It isn’t an opportunity to escape laws at work in the natural world.

An entire book could be written on the possible bad uses for genetic information, some of which is already being experimented with. We aren’t above the system, we are a part of the system. If we wrongly manipulate the blueprint of ALL life, we could be sowing the seeds for… well, think about it.

Let’s think for a moment, not about the sorrowful and heart rending major deformities which most of us are aware of in newborn children, but about possible very minor deformities which could occur from life style, diet and environment. What of intelligence? How about the countless elements which make up personality, talents, potential? How are we placing a burden on our own children by what we ourselves do as, not only parents, but as people before being parents? We will be extremely foolish to ignore the warning signs.

The traditional childhood diet is grossly deviated from a natural normal. They, and we, are paying the price. If children can’t perform in school as expected, they will obviously become discouraged and frustrated. They will drop out because they aren’t able to perform. This affects all of us.

Further research done by Dr. Barbara Reed (12) reveals a distinct correlation between nutrition and behavior. Nutrition is being linked to criminal activity which Dr. Stite’s book reveals.

IMMUNIZATIONS

The topic of Immunization is a heated one with opinions on both sides. You should be aware of recent announcements by the Association of American Physicians Surgeons regarding routine vaccinations. While it is true that the concept of immunization is based on the natural system within the body, there is increasing evidence that some of the techniques around immunizations are creating problems within the human body, even to the point of causing genetic damage.

As to whether you should or shouldn’t have your children immunized, it is important to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible on the subject. Remember also that traditional medical circles will be loath to admit that there is ANY problem with immunization and naturally will not entertain the possibility. I personally feel there is enough evidence to warrant further study on the subject and I believe I would be very cautious about immunizing my children.

A routine procedure by many doctors and others interested in the natural system is to actually EXPOSE their children to other children who have the milder diseases, while they are still young. It is well known that, as an adult, coming down with measles or mumps is far more serious than as a child. It isn’t a common thing but it does occur. As I said before, the stronger the child or adults immune system, the better the results.

Some things to keep in mind about childhood diseases are this. Disease organisms are opportunistic organisms. That means they are simply at the right place at the right time. Our immune system, if it is functioning optimally, is able to mount a strong defense. This usually either allows the body to eliminate the organism without any noticeable symptoms, or mild symptoms. For instance, it is a fact that many children have had chicken pox and the parents were unaware of it, the symptoms were so mild, or mistaken for a common cold.

Another fact is that ALL of the recently reported cases of polio in the U.S. have been directly attributed to the vaccination which the child received. The virus is contacted, usually through the LIVE virus in the diaper, by a parent or child. The point is this. The healthier the population is, the less the population acts as a reservoir for disease causing organisms. If people do not tend and keep their environment or their own bodies, then the opportunistic organisms, which BECOME a natural part of the environment as I’ve explained before, will simply do their job. In doing their job, they are able to continue in the environment looking for those “organisms,” namely those of US who are weak or becoming immunologically dysfunctional.

The healthier the population, the more our own natural immune systems work, and the less chance there is for these organisms, or ANY organisms or disease processes, to cause health problems. For a strong immune system, merely coming into contact with any particular virus or bacteria DOES NOT mean the disease will occur. It is all dependent on the person’s system and its level of integrity.

CHILDREN AND EXERCISE

When I was a boy in school, there was emphasis on sports and physical education. Sadly to say, today, emphasis has been removed from school physical education, that is education which SHOULD be about physical things. Health, fitness, diet, stress, etc. We place priorities on our children to excel in some particular sport. They train from childhood in one focused area of fitness for their sport and neglect the whole picture which includes nutrition. Real nutrition.

Physical education is almost a lost art in schools today. In many schools it isn’t even required anymore. How can we possibly expect our kids to grow up healthy without ANY emphasis on fitness as a way of life? Instead we push them into, or encourage them into one particular sport. Our nation has an obvious interest in sports, but, unfortunately, it’s from the living room couch. Is that what we want for our children? Is THIS the realistic, achievable goal all our kids can shoot for? Is that the answer to our health problems?

If a child places abnormal stress and weight on his frame during the growing phases, especially of a long term nature, there is increased risk of doing some long term damage to these areas. An example of this is the use of walkers for infants. This places stresses upon different parts of the body which haven’t developed enough to sustain such stresses. Accumulated stress damage can and does lead to future problems.

Just as with the bones, the internal organs, glands and tissues are still developing. Abnormal repetitive blows, stresses and forces delivered to any of the developing systems can weaken that system, its structural integrity or its attachment to other internal structures. Out of such actions could arise any number of problems, especially when combined with faulty diet.

I’m certainly not suggesting seclusion from activities. I am suggesting a normal, balanced and appropriate level of physical activity be implemented. Such things as heavy weight lifting or one sport activity which usually repetitively stresses the same areas of the body. Even in adults such repetition leads to premature microscopic degenerative changes which leads to injury and major degenerative changes. Kids are no different and are actually more susceptible. We should use caution and wisdom in what we allow our children to do in the way of sports. We should also get involved with the schools which have no physical fitness activity. If we don’t, we will be paying for it, literally, at a later time.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Let’s consider some areas which our kids could benefit in if we were to seriously consider making some changes. The simple yet very emotional and sometimes devastating subject of acne has affected most kids. Yet to date, modern medicine has yet to have a “cure” for it. That’s because contributory causes are misunderstood or overlooked. As we discussed before, the skin is a way for the body to dispose of toxins which are building up within the system. The two aspects of poor nutrition and toxin overload combine to provide plenty of opportunity for acne to develop. The skin, being an eliminatory organ, is sensitive to these toxins and will definitely react to them. This reaction includes rashes, and puss pockets as the body tries to break down and eliminate the foreign elements.

Another area which can contribute to causing acne are emotions and stress. The relationship between stress levels in a child’s life and their likelihood of having acne problems is quite high. Abnormal levels of stress, no matter the cause, will affect the bodies ability to properly function. It often causes the “weak link” in our health to show up.

Another area to consider is chronic colds or infections which so many kids have. Here again we have the same mechanism behind the problems. Unless the body has the arsenal with which to fight invading “germs,” the only result is a weakening of our defenses and sickness. The use of medication to diminish or “cure” the symptoms does nothing to reach the cause. Medication can help with things like pain and inflammation, but remember that the pain and inflammation or flu and infection is NOT a drug or antibiotic deficiency. Cause and effect.

12 Food, Teens and Behavior” by Dr. Barbara Reed.

CHAPTER 8:THE SIX GREATEST HEALTH THREATS TODAY

Modern research has lead to a better understanding of health, disease and degeneration than ever before. Natural health research, especially in the area of Immunoenzymology, is revealing a common thread that involves most people living today. People today seem to be very interested in their health. They read books, they listen to talks and they SPEND a lot of money on things they BELIEVE will help their health. Unfortunately, much of this spending is because of the hype that is associated with a particular product.
The hype gives them a false sense of hope and security that they are REALLY HELPING THEIR HEALTH WITH SOMETHING GOOD. That belief drives most consumers to spend billions of dollars on a host of health products that supposedly help their health, and gives consumers a “good feeling,” psychologically speaking.

The problem and TRUTH is, that up to 80% of the “health” products on the market are either useless, or may even be HARMING the health of millions of people. How can this be? Think about it for a minute. The health movement is gaining momentum by the minute, and businesses KNOW this. The driving principal behind most of these “business” minded people is PROFITS. When there’s a profit to be made on the ignorance and gullibility of the consumer, HOW something is promoted is of little concern.

We ALL want to be healthy, and it makes us FEEL good when we THINK we are doing something that supposedly promotes health. Quite often, studies are quoted, or “statistics” are mentioned by a company in an effort to convince the public that THEIR product is necessary for them to be healthy. That particular technique IS NOT WRONG, in and of itself, UNLESS IT IS NOT TRUE.

The subject of your health DOESN’T have to be confusing. When you look at the facts, and use your own common sense and reason, you will see for yourself that much of what is promoted as “healthy” is only healthy for the company’s profit margin.

What I would like to do is to discuss what have been classified as the 6 BIGGEST HEALTH THREATS facing mankind. Each threat is brought down to its basic elements and explained in such a way as to leave you NO DOUBT about the truthfulness of the matter. We are dedicated to promoting the truth, AND to changing to accommodate that truth when it is revealed. You have the choice of believing whatever you wish, and getting that “good feeling” out of it, but regardless of what that may turn out to be, only the TRUTH will succeed in doing what it claims to be able to do.

There is no particular order to these threats, but they are quite interrelated to each other, and play off of each other to magnify the damage to your health and body. Over time these 6 VERY REAL DAILY threats cause extensive degenerative changes in the body that result in premature aging, disease and death. They are by no means ALL the threats we face, and no matter what you may be doing or THINK you are doing to support your health, unless you are addressing these 6 threats, you will be missing the most important FIRST LINE of defense against poor health. THAT you will come to see for yourself!

Index Threat #1: ENZYME DEPLETION!

Most people don’t realize it, but enzymes are a vital element in maintaining good health. Enzymes are responsible for EVERY reaction in the human body. Without enzymes, we simply die. When enzyme production is insufficient, we can ALSO have many health problems. There is a disease called Shwachman Syndrome which is a pancreatic enzyme production insufficiency in kids. You can read about the results they experience at the following web site: shwachman.org

What does that have to do with you? Everything! Enzymes are only found in LIVE, uncooked, unprocessed foods. Every type of food there is has its own enzyme contained in it which actually DIGESTS the food. When you see food “spoiling,” you are seeing the results of enzymes at work, among other things. Enzymes are responsible for the actual digestion of the food we eat.

You might be asking, “If our bodies produce enzymes, why do we need to be concerned about getting them in our diet?” The answer is, our body has a limited ability to produce quality enzymes. Every time our pancreas is called on to produce enzymes, we are “using up” that ability to produce a good copy of the enzyme. It is not unlike a mold used in manufacturing products. The mold is good for X number of copies before it has to be replaced with a new mold. Wear and tear makes it unusable at some point.

Nature designed our systems to work WITH the enzyme content in foods provided in the natural world. When we eat raw food, it goes to the upper portion of our stomach where it is held for approximately 1/2 hour. It is primarily here where DIGESTION occurs. We have all been led to believe that the “acids” in our stomach digest the foods. This is not correct. IT IS THE ENZYMES WITHIN THE FOODS WE SHOULD BE EATING WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR “DIGESTING” THE FOOD.

Once the food has been acted upon by the enzymes, the material drops down into the lower portion of the stomach where additional enzymes may go to work. The hydrochloric acid within the stomach does one primary thing. It lowers the pH of the stomach contents so OTHER enzymes can go to work on different material. The point is, when there are NO ENZYMES within the food we eat, we set up a nasty series of events.

Imagine this scenario. We eat a meal consisting of meat, potatoes, boiled vegetables and say a glass of milk. There are NO enzymes in any of this food, so it sets in the top portion of the stomach. Imagine what happens to food that is ground up and set in a warm, wet place for 1/2 hour. If you are fortunate, you won’t experience the bloating and gas formation right away. You know, that “full,” “indigestion” feeling? Indigestion is EXACTLY THAT, INDIGESTION.

When we eat foods that have no enzymes, our body is immediately called upon to produce the enzymes we ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE in order to gain any nourishment at all from the foods we eat. Our pancreas normally produces metabolic enzymes which basically take care of all the processes the body must have going on every minute. Everything from our cells being able to live and produce energy, to cleaning our systems, to providing a strong immune system. Suddenly, this enzyme production for METABOLISM is interrupted and we have to produce massive amounts of enzymes JUST IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIGEST THE FOOD WE JUST ATE.

The pancreas empties its enzymes into the upper portion of the small intestines. The enzymes have too little time to properly digest the food at this point and much of it passes into the small intestine UNDIGESTED. You see, your body DOES NOT WANT PROTEINS, FATS OR CARBOHYDRATES. It wants AMINO ACIDS, FATTY ACIDS AND SIMPLE SUGARS. So, imagine again, what happens to the undigested portions of the food within the entire length of the small and large intestines.

What food is properly broken down is absorbed as nutrients. The remainder, which is quite a sizable portion of what we eat, simply goes through the process of PUTREFACTION. This is a fancy word for ROTTING. This process gives off gas, harmful waste products and damages the good bacterial culture within the colon.

The pancreas, being FORCED to produce massive amounts of enzymes, usually 2-3 times a day, far more than it was intended to do, gradually looses its ability to produce enzymes. With this, the entire metabolic system is slowly affected along with it. The aging process, the degenerative changes we experience, the breakdown in our immune systems, ALL RESULT OVER TIME FROM THIS ONE THREAT.

Imagine, if you will, 40, 50, 60 years of that scenario taking place in our bodies. The CONTINUOUS RELEASE OF TOXINS THAT OUR BODY MUST DEAL WITH, AND THE STRAIN ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AS A DIRECT RESULT. On top of that, every meal we eat without enzymes causes a strain on the immune system just through the fact that our white blood cells (WBC) contain enzymes that are used to digest and destroy foreign invaders and dead material our bodies get rid of. When our food is enzyme deficient, we cause an increase in WBC production which strains the immune system.

Another aspect to this is the CONTINUOUS DEPLETION OF METABOLIC ENZYMES WITHIN THE BODY. Enzymes within the blood stream and throughout the body help clean the system, break down fats, and harmful materials. Think about what might happen if these enzymes are not there, and you have 40, 50, 60 years of the effects of accumulated fats within the system, and the damage the waste products which build up in the system cause? Is it any wonder heart disease is the leading killer in this country?

There’s only one enzyme that can break down fats within the body, and that is LIPASE. Without lipase, you DON’T DIGEST FAT, YOU STORE IT. If this storage is within the tissues, you get fatter. If it is within the arterial walls of the circulatory system, you get heart disease. That is just the beginning.

As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, good health OR bad health isn’t something that suddenly “happens.” Whether we experience good health or bad health is ALL A RESULT OF OUR LIFESTYLE AND DAILY HABITS WHICH PRODUCE THE END RESULT. You simply can’t abuse the system like that for so many years and NOT EXPECT THERE TO BE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DONE IN THE PROCESS.

What is the answer? You have several choices. The most important is to change your lifestyle to improve this situation. The simple facts are, if you eat foods that have been processed or cooked above 118 degrees, you can rest assured that there are NO ENZYMES WITHIN THE FOOD, since enzymes are easily destroyed by heat. You also can’t expect to eat a full course meal of cooked foods, and then to eat a “raw” salad, expecting the enzymes within the salad to “digest” your entire meal. In almost every case, foods contain enough enzymes to SELF DIGEST. No more. One of several exceptions is Papaya. which is rich in enzymes, but not all we need or can use.

Another choice is to ignore this basic truth and do nothing. The results of this decision are being experienced by millions of people all over the country. The U.S. has the best medical system on the planet, yet we Americans have the worst health of any modern nation on earth. DOESN’T THAT TELL YOU THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG?

The third choice is to understand this threat of ENZYME DEPLETION, and HOW TO PROPERLY ADDRESS IT. The research involving enzymes is growing daily. The medical profession is even using enzyme therapy for stroke and heart attack victims. WHY? BECAUSE ENZYMES DISSOLVE THE CLOTS RESPONSIBLE FOR STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS.

IS IT SO HARD TO CONSIDER WHAT MIGHT THE RESULTS BE IF ENZYMES WERE PRESENT ON A REGULAR BASIS WITHIN THE BODY? Is it too much of a leap to conclude that this simple fact COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE STROKE OR HEART ATTACK IN THE FIRST PLACE? If you can see this connection, then you have taken a vital step to significantly changing your potential health in the future.

People naturally ask, “What kind of enzymes should I get?” There are, of course, many enzyme products on the market, and their importance is just now being realized. HOWEVER, because there is MONEY to be made, the quality of enzymes isn’t an issue with most companies.

National Enzyme Company produces food grade nutritional enzymes for virtually every company that has enzyme products in this country. The previous vice-president of National, some time ago, Stan Bynum, who was a leading authority on enzyme formulations, was contacted by Infinity and asked for help with their formulations. He was so impressed with Infinity’s formulation and ideas that he began working with Whole Food part time as consultant and head of professional training. He then resigned from National and worked full time for Infinity.

At the time he was vice-president, I asked him what was the difference between National’s enzymes and Infinity’s formulations. He told me that 5 of Nationals capsules were equivalent to ONE CAPSULE of Infinity’s enzymes. “How can this be,” you ask? The answer is, Whole Food uses only the natural system as its guide in formulating its products. In nature, enzymes are naturally formulated with other CO-FACTORS, which make the enzyme more usable. Enzymes in their “pure” state, are lacking these CO-factors and therefore WILL EITHER BE LESS EFFECTIVE IN THE BODY, OR THEY MUST DRAW THE NECESSARY NUTRIENTS FROM THE BODY ITSELF IN ORDER TO BE ” FULLY ACTIVATED.”

Unless enzymes are fully activated, you waste a lot of your money, and even cause an energy loss in the equation. Either way, you lose in the deal. Of course, SOME ENZYMES ARE BETTER THAN NO ENZYMES, but the issue here is that you NEED TO COMPLETELY DIGEST YOUR FOOD OR YOU RUN INTO THE SAME DIGESTIVE SCENARIO DESCRIBED ABOVE.

Whole Food Enzymes are formulated for complete utilization, and consist of a patented “Chelate Activated Delivery System,” (CADS) which assures these enzymes are FULLY ACTIVATED WITH ALL THE COMPONENTS NECESSARY FOR THE ENZYMES TO BE FULLY UTILIZED AS ENZYMES. If enzymes are NOT ACTIVATED and used, the body will simply use them as a high quality protein. That is an expensive way to supply your body with protein.

We don’t expect you to take our word for it any more than you should take any other company’s word OR HYPE as truth. Only by educating yourself on this issue, if you still need convincing, will you NOT BE TAKEN IN BY HYPE. Yes, we sell what we believe to be the best enzyme product on the market. There are other so-called “enzyme” products, but the truth is, there is only enough enzymes within these products to PROBABLE digest the contents of the capsule itself.

Remember, natural law can’t be fooled or tricked NO MATTER HOW MUCH HYPE AND MISINFORMATION GOES INTO TRYING.

Index Threat #2: Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency!

Threat #4: Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency

One wouldn’t think that we, in America, could possibly have a vitamin or mineral deficiency. After all, we have such an abundant supply of food, so how could we be “deficient?” The answer is VERY EASILY.

The factors leading up to this problem are many. From our depleted soils, to food processing, to pollution and stress, we have a major strain on our systems and this strain requires ADDITIONAL minerals and vitamins to do the same job which our bodies could do when such things weren’t a factor.

Vitamins and minerals have been on the market for decades. Some people take their “vitamins” religiously. The are presuming that they are “GOOD” for them and the “satisfaction” of thinking they are doing something to help their bodies is the primary drive behind this effort. However, is this the TRUTH?

A major area overlooked by most vitamin companies is the simple design of nature. Mankind has always assumed that if we can just take a look at a “substance” that we can easily duplicate it and that IT WILL BE JUST AS GOOD FOR THE BODY as that which we derive from foods. This couldn’t be more wrong.

The natural system “CHELATES,” or binds an amino acid to, its vitamins and minerals. This makes it possible for the nutrients to be absorbed at the cellular level. As a matter of fact, many of these “vitamins’ are not even NATURAL. They are synthetically made from such material as petroleum. The majority of the supposed “natural” vitamins and minerals on the market ARE NOT CHELATED. That is, there are not in a complete form that the body can recognize and readily use. What does this mean? It means that much of what consumers are spending on vitamins and minerals is going down the toilet, at best, and at worst, is actually HARMING THEIR HEALTH.

Whenever our bodies take in something not recognized as being from the natural system, it can’t possibly utilize it, UNLESS THE BODY DOES THE CHELATING. This chelation process involves the stealing of energy and nutrients from your body in an attempt to make it usable. That little which is successfully chelated, AT A COST TO THE BODY, is then used. That which isn’t, has to be dealt with like any other poison or foreign material it encounters. This places a strain on the detoxification system, the immune system, the kidneys, and other organs.

The world’s foremost expert on chelation is Dr. Harvey Ashmead with Albion Labs. He and his family hold over 60 patents worldwide on the chelation process in formulations, and is on the Whole Food Board of Advisors. ANY PRODUCT THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE ALBION CHELATES AS PART OF THEIR “SUPPOSEDLY” CHELATED FORMULATIONS, isn’t providing you with what your body needs. Unless vitamins and minerals are chelated, you don’t absorb them, and unless you have enzymes included with them, you ALSO don’t utilize them as you could.

Infinity’s INSURE PLUS, is a multi-vitamin/mineral formulation that includes Albion chelates, AND the enzyme delivery system that allows for 100 percent absorption. If you notice Infinity’s labels, you will see they ARE NOT hung up on QUANTITY of elements. The issue is NEVER ONE OF QUANTITY. It is an issue of ABSORPTION AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL. You can have tons of some product but unless your body is able to utilize it at the cellular level, you are wasting your money and your health.

What good is 1000 milligrams of ascorbic acid (Vit. C) when your body can’t utilize any of it until it leeches the necessary nutrients from your CONNECTIVE TISSUE? That’s right, the SAME ascorbic acid that most people take as their Vitamin C is actually doing more damage than not taking it. It is the same with any other “nutritional” we take. Unless we can be sure it is being absorbed, and the research PROVES it, then we are throwing money away and hurting our health.

One point I will make here is on the subject of minerals. There is a great amount of hype and misinformation regarding the subject of Colloidal Minerals. You need to read the research for yourself that ties in with this subject.

Index Threat #3: Fat and Sugar Consumption!
Most everyone has been aware of the problem with the consumption of fats and sugars.

Despite the research backing this up, far too many people still ignore the facts, OR WORSE, BELIEVE THE MISINFORMATION PROMOTED BY CERTAIN COMPANIES REGARDING FAT, CHOLESTEROL AND HEART DISEASE.

Index FATS:

Many years ago, when the research on fats in the diet came to the public attention, there was a scramble to provide products that are “low in fat,” or “fat free.” Attacks began against such things as butter, eggs and oils, suggesting that they “CAUSED” heart disease.

Recently, some of this hype has been corrected, but at a cost in consumers’ health. Remember the big push for “margarine.” “Safer for your health,” the ads would say. Of course, margarine profits went through the roof, as did ANY product that jumped on the bandwagon against fat. Companies simply played on the hype and fears of the consumer, something quite easy to do these days.

How many years did people switch from natural fats such as butter and oils, to consume UNNATURAL HYDROGENATED FATS AND OILS? These type of oils are abundantly worse for your health than most any natural oils or fats could ever be. The addition of the hydrogen to the oils make it not only “spreadable,” but makes it quite difficult to digest at all. This type of “fat” is very hazardous to good health, so don’t believe the stories.

As was mentioned in the material on Threat #1, there is only ONE ENZYME WHICH CAN DIGEST FAT, AND THAT IS LIPASE. Without lipase, the fats you eat CAN’T be properly digested. Here again you run into the same scenario regarding the accumulation of undigested fats in the body and blood stream. The pancreas produces lipase, but we are facing the same deficiency problem, as well as, the fact that the pancreas can’t produce near enough enzymes to do the job of complete digestion.

Undigested fats in the body contribute to being overweight, high blood pressure, heart disease and more. So naturally, you should be interested in the ONLY enzyme which can properly digest fats. Now, don’t think that just by taking the lipase enzyme, you can sit in a chair and lose weight. It doesn’t work like that. If you “mobilize” your fat stores, by taking lipase, you simply SHUFFLE THE FAT AROUND YOUR BODY if you don’t require that energy.

UNLESS YOU PLACE A DEMAND FOR ENERGY ON YOUR BODY, ALL THE LIPASE IN THE WORLD WON’T GET RID OF ONE OUNCE OF EXCESS FAT. You need to place the demand for energy on the body, through some sort of activity program. YES, THAT MEANS EXERCISE. NO, you don’t have to run 20 miles, or lift weights 5 times a week. You simply have to create a greater demand for energy production than your resting state requires. If you are on a program of some kind and NOT losing weight, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH EITHER YOUR PROGRAM AND/OR YOUR ABILITY TO DIGEST AND UTILIZE FOOD.

As a side note, the new “fat substitute,” OLESTRA, (TM) is another attempt to corner the market through ignorance and fear. The basic problem we have is that many of us DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO GIVE UP WHAT WE LIKE EATING. So along comes company “A” telling us that we can now EAT WHATEVER WE WANT AS LONG AS IT HAS THEIR NEW “UNDIGESTIBLE” fat in the product. If you are falling for this old trick, you should be ashamed. I can tell you without a doubt that there are risks with this product SIMPLY BECAUSE IT GOES AGAINST THE NATURAL SYSTEM AND YOUR OWN NATURAL PHYSIOLOGY. Sooner or later, we will hear about the results. WHY DEPEND ON MANMADE JUNK, THAT IS PACKAGED TO LOOK SAFE AND HEALTHY, when we have the best designed nutrition available in the world from the natural system. Don’t take the easy way out because you will pay for it in the end.

Consumption of fats and sugars should be at a minimum. Fats should only account for 20% of a person’s diet. Typical foods modern Americans eat is LOADED with fats, especially the wrong kinds of fats. It is vital for everyone to reduce the amount of fats, AND the hydrogenated oils in many foods. READ YOUR LABELS. If you think you are on a “low fat” diet, you might be surprised to learn where you are taking in fats.

On the other hand, it IS POSSIBLE TO RESTRICT FAT CONSUMPTION TO AN UNHEALTHY LEVEL. Your body NEEDS fat. In fact, your body would rather use FATS FOR ENERGY than anything else in the body. It has the highest amount of usable energy per unit, compared to sugars and proteins. There are people who limit the amount of GOOD fats in their diets, and allow the bad fats in. This is doing NOTHING to help their health.

Such things as butter, eggs and natural oils are GOOD for the body, IN NORMAL AMOUNTS. If you are going to eat fats, you need to be sure you are eating the RIGHT KINDS of fats. Natural fats and oils are much better utilized by the body, despite their sometimes “processed” states. The more natural you can make the fats and oils, the better for you.

Index SUGAR:

The subject of sugar has been debated for decades. The most recent “finding” states that sugar is good for you and is not to be feared. Is that the truth, though? You decide. If the natural system has no such thing as WHITE TABLE SUGAR, can we really believe that our bodies will have no difficulty with it? The average person in this country consumes about 140 pounds of sugar a year. That is a lot of sugar.

“Sugar,” of any kind, isn’t a good thing to have much of. The reason is that the body handles sugars differently than it does carbohydrates, which the body digests down to simple sugars as needed. Plain sugar or sugar products are absorbed far faster because there is little or no digestion that takes place. The exception is white and “brown”( white sugar coated with molasses) sugar. These substances have been stripped of all their nutrient value in the processing. This means that the body, in order to digest the substance, must rob itself of nutrients, simply because sugar CONTAINS NO NUTRIENTS. You lose in the equation.

Another consideration is that because of the nature of sugars, the digestive process is much quicker, thereby elevating blood sugar levels rapidly. This is turn causes the pancreas to produce insulin in order for the cells of the body to have access to the sugars. Too much blood sugar is dangerous as any diabetic knows. TOO LITTLE insulin is ALSO dangerous, and this is most likely a result of continuous sugar blasts to the pancreas. The cells within the pancreas which produce insulin eventually BURN OUT and you end up with a decreasing amount of insulin in the blood.

Diabetes is a growing health threat. Do we need to “study” the issue when basic physiology tells us that the body is not geared to run with high amounts of sugar always present in the blood stream on a daily basis? You see, the carbohydrates we eat are converted to sugars as the body needs them. That is why many runners “CARBOLOAD” before a marathon. The energy released by carbohydrates is a SLOW release, and allows for a steady supply of energy. When sugars are involved, we inundate the body with massive amounts of sugar and the body HAS to do something with this material.

Since the body rarely needs such massive amounts of energy, the body will store it as fat, for future needs. It is against the nature of our systems to simply reject energy sources. Is it any wonder WHY being overweight is such a common problem in our country?

Recent research in the area of the pancreas and insulin regulation has revealed that Chromium has a definite positive affect on how our body regulates insulin. From this data, many companies dove into marketing a product called CHROMIUM PICOLINATE.

The research suggested that this was the best form to use. This product has been selling big and most companies STILL use and promote it. I say STILL because there has been recent evidence that Chromium Picolinate causes liver damage.

Whole Food initially utilized the original research and included Chromium Picolinate in Lipo-Chromizyme, their product addressing fat and sugar consumption. At the first hint of a problem from the research with Picolinate, they withdrew that substance from their product, and decided to research the area themselves. They eventually came up with a patented product called Chromium Chelavite. This type of chromium is much better absorbed and utilized in the body, and has no side affects.

Index Threat #4: Free Radical Damage

If you haven’t heard about free radicals, you soon will. Free radicals are basically “free” particles that are in need of additional particles. A free radical STEALS this needed element from the cells of our bodies. This theft actually creates MORE free radicals, which in turn creates more, etc. This cellular damage adds up and is now linked to over 85 diseases.

Free radicals come from many “industrial” sources such as pollution, stress, toxins and even over-exercise. Another source we NEVER consider is the very substances we use daily for washing our hair, and body, cloths, brushing our teeth, hair perms, deodorants and anti-perspirants, household chemical, perfumes and more. We daily douse ourselves with these chemical substances and daily our bodies have to deal with it. The skin can unbelievably absorb ANYTHING it comes into contact with. Why do you think they use “Patches” to deliver drugs? Imagine the toxic stress we face just from this source of toxins and free radicals? Is it any wonder why premature aging, wrinkling of the skin, and other events like them are so prevalent? We are actually APPLYING substances which damage our skin and cells on a regular basis. Anyone who denies otherwise doesn’t understand human physiology OR the natural system.

Many of you have probable heard about “ANTIOXIDANTS.” These are substances which can stop free radicals and prevent the damage associated with them. Vitamins A, C and E were thought at one time to be the most powerful free radical fighters available. We were wrong. Today there is a new class of antioxidants called “Proanthocyanidins.” That is the technical name for ALL antioxidants in this class. You’ve probable heard of the name “Pycnogenol, TM”. This is simply a TRADE NAME for this class of antioxidants.

Of course, Pycnogenol has been marketed very successfully, and is a “household” name today. Proanthocyanidins are derived from two main sources commercially. The Maritime Pine Tree Bark Extract and Grape Seed Extract. These antioxidants are 20-50 TIMES as powerful as Vitamins A, C and E. Therefore they are “good” antioxidants. BUT WE CAN’T STOP THERE! While these antioxidants ARE beneficial, we run into the same problem of ABSORPTION AND ASSIMILATION. We can take truck loads of nutritionals, but if our body is NOT ABSORBING THEM ON THE CELLULAR LEVEL, we are again wasting our money. Nature, again, has the answer, if we would just use it.

Infinity’s research revealed that while Pine bark extract was a good source of antioxidants, the grape seed was slightly better. In addition, both of these combined were better than either alone. So Whole Food combined these sources and then added the necessary nutrients which guaranteed absorption into the body. This was a good step in and of itself, but Whole Food didn’t stop there.

THE most powerful antioxidant known to mankind is called Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). This substance is manufactured IN THE BODY. With the vast numbers of free radicals we are being exposed to daily -estimated at 1 million- the bodies ability to produce and defend against this attack is minimized. Our body’s natural processes produce free radicals, but under normal, natural conditions, the SOD and diet would be enough to eliminate these threats. Today, this isn’t close to being enough. While the extracts are good for this problem, they aren’t good enough. Whole Food went so far as to include the PRECURSORS to the production of SOD in their product so the BODY COULD USE THEM TO MANUFACTURE ITS OWN SOD.

Why can’t we simply take SOD in pill or capsule form? Because the SOD molecule is destroyed in the intestinal track. We simply spend our money on something that will have no antioxidant affect. By including the precursor minerals in their antioxidant product, LIFEFORCE, they have increased the antioxidant strength substantially. Because of this, you can’t find a more powerful antioxidant on the market today.

Remember, hype and marketing tactics can sell a lot of products, but what matters is the TRUTH behind the research, and especially in RESULTS.

Index Threat #5: Intestinal Flora Derangement

The subject of bacteria in our intestinal track isn’t necessarily a pleasant one, but research reveals that it is VITAL to the health of our bodies. The leading expert in “Probiotics,” or Friendly Bacteria, Dr. Khem Shahani, out of the University of Nebraska, has isolated 8 different strains of bacteria that SHOULD BE NORMAL within everyone’s colon. The sad fact is, MOST people living have as few as 3-4.

The strain most of us are aware of is “acidophilus,” the strain used in most yogurts. It is used here because it is relatively “tasteful.” The other strains would produce a yogurt that wouldn’t taste good. In addition, the yogurt cultures are NOT very VIABLE, that is, their ability to survive the intestinal track is quite limited. How many acidophilus products do you have to refrigerate? This is a GOOD indication of their viability, so eating yogurt COULD help slightly, but not in the amount you need, OR the full compliment of 8 bacteria.

“Isn’t 3-4 strains enough,” you ask? Let’s imagine taking one of your kidneys, one of your lungs, half of your liver, half of your intestinal track and throwing in a regular dose of toxins. How well do you think your health would do over the course of time? The human intestinal track should have approximately 3-4 pounds of these bacteria at all times in the colon. Such things as antibiotics, carbonated drinks, laxatives, birth control pills, alcohol and coffee, among others, destroy these bacteria.

The bacteria in our colon is responsible for a host of activities. They produce vitamins, enzymes and natural antibiotics. They suppress the bad bacteria and Candida yeast buildup which results from the above substances, AND they EACH play a different part in the digestion of the food substances in our intestines. Imagine the bacteria as a colony of workers or a miniature factory. The human body NEEDS certain elements that these bacteria produce as a part of their normal life. Micro-elements such as vitamin K and B vitamins. They each work on different substances and destroy certain elements that might not be good where they are.

If we are missing up to half or more of these friendly bacteria, how much are we being affected by the deficiency of what they would normally produce for us? When undigested foods enter the intestines (see Enzyme Depletion), it rots here and this environment destroys the good bacteria making room for and ALLOWING the growth of BAD bacteria and yeast. This condition, which is a steady source of not only toxins from the rotting food, but even worse toxins produced by the bad bacteria.

Our bodies then have to daily deal with this condition. Imagine what might happen to the cells of the colon if they were subjected to toxins on a daily basis. It is WELL known that constant contact with certain chemicals causes cancer. The toxins released by these bad bacteria are certainly chemicals and are VERY toxic. Not only are the cells bathed in these foul substances regularly, but our immune system has to try to clean them up. Is it any wonder why people’s immune systems are collapsing?

Index Threat #6: Stress!

The immune system is the focus of much scientific study these days. There are many types of immune system dysfunctions, such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and AIDS, among others. The immune system can only do so much and when it is overwhelmed, it begins to shut down.

This is basically from a culmination of all the other 5 major threats, but also includes routine use of drugs, such as antacids to control stomach acid. Stomach acid is a first line of defense against bacteria and virus entering our system through the gastrointestinal track. The acids kill these organisms. “Antacids” eliminate this first line of defense and allows bacteria and virus to enter alive and intact.

Other over-the-counter medications sold by the billions are such a normal part of people’s health care habits that they don’t realize that they are weakening their own systems with chemicals that suppress the body’s natural mechanisms for defense. The efforts to stop the symptoms of colds and flu, and countless other health problems simply undermines the body’s ability to defend itself as nature provided.

A basic explanation of what takes place during stress will help you to understand HOW too much stress is very bad for health:

We have all heard of the “fight or flight” response in the human body. When we are faced with any situation that stresses the body, there is a cascade of chemical reactions that occur biochemically speaking. This reaction prepared the body for either fighting against the threat, or escaping the threat.

The chemicals released in the body are very helpful in supporting either fleeing or fighting, but these same chemicals are quite toxic when you DON’T fight or flee.

As the stress response occurs, the usual activity related to fighting or fleeing quickly burns these chemicals up and helps the body to eliminate the build up of energy that needs to be used. Imagine what happens when this process occurs over and over again during a “normal” work day?

You have a situation where the body is being assaulted on every front. The nervous system, the hormonal system, the digestive system and the musculoskeletal system, among others, are ALL activated, but then have nothing to do. The chemicals build up, the tissues become toxic, the nerves become fatigued. No wonder people feel so “Fried” at the end of the day.

Whether the stress is from the food we eat, the people we deal with, the emotions we display, the work we do, the drive we have, or whatever, it needs to be dealt with in a physiologically acceptable manner.

One way to effectively help eliminate the stress chemicals is to exercise after work. Exercise before work may help to get some people going, but the “fight or flight” response toward the end of the day needs to be dealt with. People sleep better, they relax better, headaches are eliminated and overall health improves.

Live Stress Free External stress and the demands of life can seem unending. They affect virtually everyone in today’s fast-paced society, and as a result, the body’s vital functions are often compromised. In addition, crucial nutrients are depleted in the presence of stress and unless replenished, a host of stress-related symptoms can arise.

Index Threat #7: Subclinical Infections
A new concept is emerging in regard to infective agents, and substantiates in many ways the discussion in Chapter 15 on infections. Science is beginning to realize that infective agents are routinely existing in even apparently “health” people. What I call “subclinical” infections… infective agents growing in the body but NOT producing symptoms,or not understood to be producing the symptoms you might have… are rampant throughout both human and animal populations. These agents… be they bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast or mold, prions, mycoplasma, etc., release toxins on a regular basis, and these toxins, over months, years and decades, slowly cause various tissues to degenerate, and health problems to develop.

Imagine for a moment you have a harmful bacteria that is being harbored in your body… incubated as discussed in chapter 15 below. This bacteria gives off toxins as a byproduct of its metabolism. These toxins, by themselves can cause great harm, but consider what several subclinical infective agents might do when their toxins combine. Like combining harmless sulfur, salt peter and charcoal, and you get gun powder. These combined toxins have a far more detrimental affect on tissues and cells over time, slowly poisoning ourselves, and most don’t even realize that this is a foundational health threat that is completely overlooked.

Infective agents such as Candida, staff, strep, Lyme Disease, Herpes of various types, to name but a few, are directly damaging tissues and the immune system. Dozens of other health problems,in this author’s opinion, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, certain elements of heart disease, chronic fatigue, and many other health conditions are likely involving subclinical infective agents. Combine this with environmental threats of infective agents in such things as “bird Flu,” and other natural or manmade threats being purposefully released into our environment, and you have the makings for a major worldwide pandemic. A relatively new, remarkable powerful anti-infective is now available that is the strongest anti-infective agent this author has ever seen or heard about in the world. It is derived from friendly bacteria, and is extremely effective against bacteria, virus, fungus, yeast and mold, and likely against most other infective agents.

GENETICS

Genetics and genetic research will prove to be a hot item for the rest of the 90’s, and well into the next century, you can be sure. Science has the vision that if only the blueprints of life could be understood, man would finally have what they feel would be “ultimate” control over health and disease and life itself.

Genetic research is gaining momentum as well as funding from a variety of sources. The excitement seems to be contagious. It’s not hard to understand why. Anyone who happens to see, or who may even have someone close to them, crippled by some genetic flaw, longs to see science reach the point of being able to correct the problem. Bear with me as I give a brief description of what genes do. Real genetic research is fairly young. What we know is nothing compared to what we have yet to learn. However, what we are discovering is full of surprises. For instance, genetic researchers have recently discovered that the apparent useful information necessary for genes to do their work of producing, say, proteins, accounts for only about 10% of the actual genetic material. The remaining 90% is composed of “useless” information. This has researchers very surprised.

You see, in the example of protein synthesis, there is a “cut and splice” procedure which occurs as the gene produces the protein. The parts which are junk are cut out by enzymes and the useful ends are put back together by enzymes. From an efficiency standpoint, this is disastrous, especially if any one of the cut and splice occurrences is messed up. In other words, a mutation could occur in the process.

From a health standpoint, we should look carefully at this process and consider some possible causes of adverse genetic involvement. Think for a moment of all the ways in which man is affecting this world. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear something or another about the environment, diet, health, chemical pollution of water, air and land. Keeping in mind the above research findings, is it difficult to believe that the extent of chemical pollution in air, water and food, and the processing of food, could be having an affect on the human genetic pool? Could there be a correlation between a gene’s work and things such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, cancer or a host of other disease processes?

The enzymes used in the gene’s work in and of themselves are likely candidates for problems. It doesn’t take much at all for an enzyme to be rendered useless. Toxic buildup of substances the body normally can get ride of can cause BIG problems. When you consider that at any point along the genetic construction process, if something goes wrong, there could be abnormal proteins, tissues and cells being produced. When you consider the number of genes and the amount of work they do, we are talking about millions of possible chances for problems.

You may be wondering why we don’t have disasters occurring all the time. In a normal healthy individual there are physiological mechanisms which can take care of such things as faulty cells. For instance, it is well known that everyone has cancer cells at one time or another in their body. The body can take care of these guys and that is the end of the matter.

However, when there is something creating an interference with that process, there will eventually be a breakdown in the system. The very same foreign substances interfering with a gene’s work could cause interference with other physiological mechanisms which would normally be able to correct the problem. You can see how there could be an intimate relationship between our health habits, pollution and sickness and disease, and how our genes could be involved.

When you add the fact that any human body which doesn’t have the proper nutrients and raw materials to repair, replace and defend itself, you end up with a recipe for breakdown. We have to look at the whole picture and consider ALL the factors which could contribute to the problems we see.

There is a lot of good genetic research could do as long as we realize WHY we are doing it. To use it as a tool to correct existing problems and get us back on track is a good one. To view genetic knowledge as the way to get around having to follow good health habits or to justify our continuing to pollute the environment, we are missing the point by a mile. Gene manipulation will never be the “cure-all, make life easy” some hope it will be. Treating the genes as the “bad guy,” as if the GENES were somehow faulty in and of themselves is backward thinking. Something has to CAUSE the gene to do what it does. Diet, health habits and pollution may well prove to be a leading cause of genetic mutations.

Yes, it will be great to see genetic research help the thousands of people who are in need of such help, but unless we keep in mind cause and effect, we are simply postponing more trouble. Genetic research has a good side and an ugly side. It isn’t an opportunity to escape laws at work in the natural world. An entire book could be written on the possible bad uses for genetic information, some of which is already being experimented with. We aren’t above the system, we are a part of the system. If we wrongly manipulate the blueprint of ALL life, we could be sowing the seeds for… well, think about it.

COLLOIDAL MINERALS: FACT OR FAD?

The following research paper was written by Doug Grant, nutritionist and professional trainer, in response to all the misinformation being generated by companies on the subject of colloidal minerals. More facts will be released as more studies are conducted. The material is referenced at the end and contains vital health information you should be aware of, especially in the climate of hype and misinformation. What you do with it is up to you. The only important issue here is THE TRUTH. What we accept as “truth” is often too easily packaged in deceptive garb, so it is vital for you to take the time to listen to ALL the facts! For information on joining “The Team with the Truth,” in an effort to promote safe, TRUE, researched formulations that CAN’T be topped, see the end of the article!

Colloidal Mineral: Fact or fad?

As a nutritionist, I have watched the industry evolve over the past few years as more and more people are becoming interested in nutrition and health. Because of the excitement and the large influx of people who buy natural products and want to improve their health through natural means, many companies have seen the potential for profit. Along with some reputable firms, there are many companies that resort to trying to capture a share of the market by using hype and misinformation. Often their sales techniques resemble those used in the old “medicine peddler” days when anecdotal stories and “old wives tales” were used to convince people to buy useless elixirs and potions.

I will use this article to expose what I feel to be one of the biggest misinformation campaigns in today’s health products market. I’m referring to colloidal minerals. Colloidal minerals are getting a lot of publicity, and many companies have used colloidal minerals to amass millions of dollars in sales simply by using anecdotal stories about the effects of these minerals. Many of these stories come from an audio tape entitled, “Dead Doctors Don’t Lie,” that was being widely circulated.

The information that I will present in this paper is not based on stories that are impossible to back up or verify. As Infinity’s Mission Statement says, we believe in true education and in providing tools that will help people find true health. So, in this paper, you will find facts based on true research. In many instances throughout this paper, I have provided references so, if you choose, you may go to those sources for additional, in-depth details. To help you gain an understanding of what colloidal minerals are and the possible toxic effects of these kinds of minerals, I will first share with you some information and research findings from one of the world’s leading authorities on this subject, Albion Laboratories.

DEFINITION OF COLLOIDAL MINERALS

For years, Albion has been dedicated to research regarding minerals. In addition, Albion holds over 60 international patents in the process of mineral chelation. The next few paragraphs on colloidal minerals were written by Albion’s Max Motyka, M.S.:

“According to Dorland’s Illustrated Dictionary, 24th Edition, a colloid is: A state of matter in which the matter is dispersed in or distributed throughout some medium called the dispersion medium. The matter thus dispersed is called the disperse phase of the colloid system. The particles of the disperse phase are larger than the ordinary crystalloid molecule, but not large enough to settle out under the influence of gravity.

“The current edition of Random House Dictionary of the English Language defines colloids: Physical chemistry A. a colloidal system, one in which a finely divided solid is suspended in a liquid: such colloids range from solutions to gels. B. a colloidal suspension. C. a substance that when suspended in a liquid will not diffuse easily through vegetable or animal membrane.

“During the lecture by Dr. Joel Wallach, as heard on the tape entitled, ‘Dead Doctors Don’t Lie,’ the doctor states that colloidal minerals are so small that they require no effort to be absorbed. The hype behind the colloidal minerals tells us that the particles are so small that have direct permeability into your body’s tissues. Yet, in the definition of colloids from Random House, under section C, we are told that the colloidal substances “…will not diffuse easily through vegetable or animal membrane.”

“Dr. Wallach further states that colloidal minerals are absorbed at a rate of 98%. Why not 100%? Since there is no scientific documentation on colloidal mineral absorption besides his say so, shouldn’t the sky be the limit? By definition, a colloidal mineral is that mineral finely divided and suspended in a liquid. Why suspended? Why not dissolved? Because the mineral forms in the colloidal minerals are not soluble, that’s why. When a mineral form is dissolved in a liquid, it then exists in its smallest possible form (either as part of a bioavailable molecule or as a positively charged atom (cation). When the other mineral forms present themselves to the absorptive surfaces of the intestine, they are in their smallest possible form or liquid form. Colloidal minerals are much larger in size than other mineral forms. According to Remington’s Pharmaceutical Sciences, colloidal mineral particles each consist of many aggregates, and each aggregate contains many molecules. Obviously, colloidal minerals exist in particle sizes many times larger than the other mineral forms.”

As Motyka points out, because of their size, colloidal minerals are not absorbed by the body. Another consideration about colloidal minerals is apparent in a statement from Dr. Royal Lee. Dr. Lee is one of the most respected men in the area of nutritional knowledge to have ever lived. Here’s what he says about colloidal minerals: “A colloidal mineral is one that has been so altered that it will no longer pass through cell walls or other organic membranes.” (2)

In order for a mineral to be absorbed through the cell wall, and thus be available for use in the body, it must be smaller than the colloidal mineral form, as Motyka pointed out. Research also shows that a mineral must be “chelated,” or bound to an amino acid. Unless minerals are chelated to amino acids, they cannot be absorbed properly and utilized by the body. (3)

While the next quote is fairly technical, it explains the need for chelation. Following the quote by Dr. Ashmead, I will clarify some of the points:

“For absorption of a mineral from a salt to occur, it must be presented to the mucosa as a cation. Numerous studies have demonstrated that, after ingestion, metal salts are generally ionized in the stomach, providing they are soluble. If no interfering chemical reactions occur, the cations enter the intestine where they are bonded to amino acids from the chyme or to the carrier proteins embedded in the luminal membranes of the mucosal cells… Conversely, the amino acid chelate is not ionized before absorption. It is not affected by different precipitating anions because the metal ion in the molecule is chemically inert due to the coordinated covalent and ionic bonding by the amino acid ligands. It is not affected by the pH of the stomach and survives as an intact molecule particularly after the chelate has been stabilized through a particular process.” (4)

What this quote is saying is that taking in a mineral salt or an unchelated mineral places an unnecessary burden on the body. The body must, on its own, create the amino acid bond that will allow the minerals to be absorbed. On the other hand, if you take in minerals that are already chelated to an amino acid, the body is spared that work and the body’s resources are reserved for other purposes. If you have heard stories about people who have noticed any benefits at all from taking colloidal minerals, these stories may hold a particle of truth. These people may, indeed, have absorbed some of the minerals, but only by forcing their bodies to chelate the minerals itself, and to expel great resources and energy in the process. Thus, the “positive” results they may have experienced were derived at a much greater long-term cost to their body. It makes more sense and is healthier to take minerals into the body in chelated form to begin with so that you don’t rob your body of precious energy and resources. (5)

Research also shows that, even, though the body tries to help out, colloidal minerals and other popularly marketed forms of minerals are still inferior in their rates of absorption. The only minerals that have proven to be effective in terms of absorption are the amino acid chelated minerals from Albion. (6) At Infinity, every mineral we include in all of our products is in this proven, Albion chelated form. “Over the years, Albion has found that there are many ways to make amino acid chelated minerals, but nature requires that they be made in only one fashion if they are to be utilized by the body.” (7)

Listed here are the absorption rates of two of the most popular minerals on the market today compared with the patented amino acid chelates from Albion that we use in the Whole Food products.

CALCIUM AMINO ACID CHELATE

The public is well aware of the value and need for calcium in the diet. Yet 68% of the U.S. population consumes less than the RDA of calcium. Calcium absorption: (8)

Carbonate: approximately 23%
Milk: app. 27%
Citrate: app. 25%
Hydroxyapatite: app. 13%
Albion Chelate: app. 44%

In a medical journal article comparing calcium absorption from various foods and supplements, it was reported that the absorption of the Albion chelate was superior to all other forms of calcium, including milk. In fact, Creighton University Professor, Robert P. Heaney found that the calcium used in the Whole Food products was absorbed 63% better than the calcium in milk. (9, 10) The carbonate and the citrate had roughly half the absorption of the Albion chelate! (11)

IRON AMINO ACID CHELATE

According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the single most common nutrient deficiency in the world. (12) Fifty-eight percent of the U.S. population ingests less than the RDA. The average adult loses 1 mg of iron per day. Exercisers lose about 1 mg of iron in sweat per workout, and menstruating women have an even greater demand for iron. For pregnant women, the iron requirement is 8 to 10 mg per day above the Recommended Daily Allowance. (13) Growing children require relatively high amounts of iron. New studies indicate that iron is essential not only for physical development, but also for cognitive proficiency. Coffee, tea, wine, fiber and calcium inhibit iron absorption. Many drugs, such as anti-inflammatories, also create an increased demand for iron. Most supplemental and food additive iron is poorly absorbed and tolerated.

IRON ABSORPTION: (14) (comparative levels only, not actual mg’s absorbed.)

AA Fe Amino Acid Chelate: app. 58%
Fe Sulfate-Ascorbic: app. 23%
Fe Sulfate: 13%

Albion’s amino acid chelate, Ferrochel ™, has shown to be better absorbed, utilized and tolerated than ferrous sulfate. A recent study of anemic adolescents by Dr. O. Pineda at INCAP (Institute of Nutrition for Central America and Panama) showed that 30 mg of iron as Ferrochel raised hemoglobin levels the same as 120 mg of iron as ferrous sulfate! Ferrochel was 4 times more bioavailable. (15) Two studies in Germany showed similar results in anemic adults.

Take a look at the differences, and also take note of the research source. These studies were done independently, not by Albion Laboratories. Since these mineral forms are the best, it makes sense that a company dedicated to health would use only these. If a company includes any other form – from colloidal minerals to oxalates to citrates or other so called “chelates” – then the research makes it pretty obvious that the company’s motivation is not health, but that it is trying to pull the wool over the consumer’s eyes and offer a product whose greatest benefit is a healthy profit margin for the company.

Let’s return to the words of Max Motyka to discover another fallacy as far as absorption of colloidal minerals is concerned. Motyka says:

“In addition, Dr. Wallach states that the colloidal minerals are negatively charged, and thus are strongly attracted to the positively charged surfaces of the intestinal lining, where absorption takes place. A quick review of basic physiology of absorption will tell you that the intestinal lining has a negative charge, not a positive charge, as stated by Dr. Wallach. If colloidal minerals are negatively charged, they would be repelled by the intestinal lining, not attracted to it, making their absorption impossible.”

Motyka continues with an interesting question. He says:

“By the way, just what is the chemical makeup of a colloidal mineral? The word colloidal describes the physical form, not the chemical form of the mineral. Are they oxides (iron rust)? Free metals? Metal ore? Many are even toxic elements! Their marketers claim them to somehow be negatively charged. One text states that they are clay minerals extracted by organic acids (probably humic and fulvic acids). Most people taking colloidal minerals really don’t know what they are putting into their bodies. This probably doesn’t matter. After all, these colloidal minerals are not really fully absorbed anyway. Could that be a safety factor?!”

There is, indeed, a safety factor when it comes to taking many types of minerals into the body. At this point, I would like to share with you some research that should dispel the misconception being propounded by colloidal mineral marketers and others, that the body is in need of many types of minerals. Companies boast that their formulations have sixty to eighty minerals. That may sound good in the advertisements, but in actuality, this should be a warning signal. The National Research Council lists only “25 minerals or elements that have or may have some nutritional value in human beings.” (16) Of those 25, there are eight whose “essentialness to the human diet has never been demonstrated.” (17)

To be considered “essential” to the human body, a mineral must demonstrate that a “dietary deficiency of that element consistently results in a sub-optimal biological function that is preventable or reversible by physiological amounts of the element.” (18) “Six criteria have been outlined to establish “essentiality.” (19) “For all practical purposes, there are only 17 minerals or elements of substantiated nutritional value.” (20)

Minerals that many companies are selling in supplement form, including lead, cadmium, mercury, boron, lithium, strontium, beryllium, rubidium and others, have been referred to as “nonessential contaminants.” (21)

It seems absurd that companies are having a heyday marketing minerals that have no known value, while at the same time, many consumers are fearful of taking supplemental iron, a mineral that is an essential nutrient. Some people seem concerned over taking too much of an essential mineral, but are lured by claims of minerals, such as colloidal silver, that have well-documented toxic effects. I like how it was put in a quote I recently read: “Many are offended by the dangers of pollution in the water supply with heavy metal contamination or overexposure to known toxic substances. Why wouldn’t they feel the same about supplementation of known toxic substances?” Why would someone who is careful about health and nutrition, or worried about pollution and environmental toxins, take dietary supplements that are described not in pharmacological textbooks, but in books about poisons and toxins? Perhaps the marketers have done such a good job of veiling the truth that consumers are simply unaware of the potential dangers. Here are just a few:

GOLD:

“Dermatitis and stomatitis are the most frequently reported side effects of gold. The oral use of gold has resulted in…a type of kidney disease…It is believed that the gold forms a gold/protein complex that becomes deposited in the kidney tissues. It is known to cause bone marrow toxin…Gold is known to cause immune system suppression.”

ALUMINUM:

“Aluminum compounds can affect absorption of other elements in the G.I. tract and alter intestinal function…inhibit absorption of fluoride and can decrease the absorption of calcium and iron…has led to phosphate depletion and osteomalacia…It is thought to cause dementia in humans…speech disorders, (and) convulsions.”

LITHIUM:

“Lithium has been found to cause the following toxic responses: neuromuscular changes…black out spell, epileptic seizures, slurred speech, coma, psychosomatic retardation, increased thirst…anorexia, nausea and vomiting, and kidney damage…”

THALLIUM:

“Thallium salts were used as a pesticide in Germany and were particularly effective as a rodenticide. Due to human and animal poisonings associated with thallium use in pesticides and rodenticides, its use as such was banned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1965…Thallium is a potent neurotoxin. Initial acute toxic exposure results in nausea and vomiting…gastrointestinal pain, constipation, bloating and bleeding. Coma, delirium, hallucinations, more G.I. bleeding, and seizures can occur…thallium poisoning appears gradually over the course of a few weeks.”

I hope the evidence provided in this paper will be of service to you. It should help you to see that it is vitally important to look beyond the hype that many companies use. With that kind of hype, many companies are promoting colloidal minerals. After reading this paper, do you think those companies are truly dedicated to your health?

Bibliography:

• Whole Food Mission Statement.
• Lee, Royal, D.D.S. “The Mineral Elements in Nutrition.” The writings of Royal Lee.
• Ashmead, Harvey, et al. “Intestinal Absorption of Metal Ions.: Charles C. Thomas: Springfield, Illinois. 1985
• Ashmead, DeWayne, Ph.D., ed. “Chelated Mineral Nutrition in Plants, Animals and Man.” Charles C. Thomas:
• Springfield, Illinois. 1985
• Ashmead, H. DeWayne. “The Roles of Amino Acid Chelates in Animal Nutrition.” Noyes Publications: Park Ridge,
• New Jersey. 1993
• Ashmead, Harvey, et al, op cit.
• Ashmead, DeWayne, Ph.D., ed., op cit. page 14.
• vHeaney, RP: “Calcif Tiss Int” (1990) 46: 300-4.
• Recker, R. et al., Am Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” 1988; 47:93-95
• Heaney, op cit.
• Ashmead, HD, “The effects of supplementary calcium amino acid chelate on mineral levels in the hair, blood,
• saliva, and urine.” Albion Research Notes, March, 1993: 2:2.
• “Iron Treatment Failure,” Albion Research Notes, December, 1993: 2:6.
• Thompson, J.K., et al. Acta Ostet Gynecol Scand 1993, 72:93-98.
• Christensen, J.M.: “Effects of Divalent Amino Acids on Iron Absorption.” J. Pharm Sci. 1984; 73 (9) 1245-7
• Pineda, Oscar, Ph.D., “The use if Iron Amino Acid Chelate in the Treatment of Iron Deficiency and Iron
• Deficiency Anemia.” International Conference on Human Nutrition: January 21, 1995
• Underwood, E.J., Mertz W. “Trace elements in human and animal nutrition.” San Diego: Academic Press, 1987;2:1-19
• Ashmead, Harvey, et al. op cit.
• Nielsen, F.H. “Ultratrace elements in nutrition.” Ann Rev Nutr 1984;4:21-41
• DiSilvestro R.A., Cousins R.J. “Physiological ligands for copper and zinc.” Ann Rev Nutr 1983;3:261-288
• Groff, james L., et al. “Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism.” West Publishing Company: St. Paul, MN 1995
• “Minerals…Trace Minerals…Ultratrace Minerals. Is Supplementation Safe?” Albion Research Notes, May 1996: 5:2
• J. Doull, et al. ” Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology, The basic Science of Poisons.” Third Edition, 1986, P. 625
• Ibid
• Ibid
• Ibid
• Ibid

Chapter 9: EXERCISE

In most peoples minds, the word exercise conjures up nothing less than boredom, pain, discomfort, struggle, dislike, and I’m sure you have other descriptive terms for it. Exercise has too often been packaged in a gut wrenching and distasteful way. We usually envision huge sweating bodies shoving large weights around as they admire themselves in the mirrors plastered all over the gym.

Unfortunately, this is a form of exercise which has been greatly exaggerated, often to the detriment of the participants. As with most things, we seem to have a knack of going to extremes with virtually every area of our existence. Let’s face it. Over the course of the past 30 years, the idea of “health” or “fitness” was embodied in the concept of Charles Atlas or “Mr. America,” in most of our minds. It was assumed that anyone who pumped iron or did this kind of “exercise” were indeed healthy individuals. In response to that concept we now have thousands of gyms around the country that focus on body building. There has been an improvement in the concept of having a support system for body building recently. But in the minds of most Americans, exercise is NOT something they look forward to being involved with.

WHAT IS “EXERCISE?”

Let’s again go to Webster for a definition. Exercise is stated to be, “Active use or operation;” also, “To use habitually.” Let’s stop right there and develop those definitions. What could we designate as “exercise?” Just about anything we do on a regular basis. Have you ever considered sleeping as “exercise?” What about eating, breathing, going to the bathroom, taking a shower or bath? Obviously we could come up with many negative and destructive examples for the word “exercise,” but let’s drop it right here.

Remember a key point in the definition for exercise is “active” or “habitually.” For anything to have a lasting, positive or negative affect on the body, it must be something which is habitual or constantly performed or not performed. When was the last time you went two weeks without sleep, stopped breathing for 10 minutes or fasted for two or three days? It’s easy to see the point of these examples. The body needs to have a constant “supply,” you might say, of those needs to adequately function.

Don’t take a bath or shower for a week. Try avoiding the bathroom for even a few days. What happens? The body responds to REGULAR activity, no pun intended. It isn’t the once a week or once a month performance that the body responds to. Those may seem to be unrelated to the idea of exercise or health but you will see that it has everything to do with both.

Have you ever gotten a blister from putting on a pair of new shoes, or from walking across the room? Of course not. A blister develops from the continued rubbing of the shoe on some portion of your foot. It wasn’t the casual walk across the room, or the simple act of putting on the new shoes. It had to come from a repeated activity. The body responded. When you gratefully take the shoes off to relieve the pain and discomfort, and put on your old comfortable shoes, do the blisters go away suddenly? Again, they obviously don’t. It takes time for the body to respond to the changes.

It has been explained how time and repetition are so important in the area of health, nutrition and disease. Exercise, as defined by the common concept of physical activity, also has an important relationship with time. Let’s first discuss exercise, what it is and what it isn’t, and then tie it into our concept of overall health.

As we have already discussed, exercise is not well accepted by most people because of the perceived “nature” of exercise. Exercise is viewed as an unpleasant way to be healthy, and, frankly, many people aren’t willing to be involved with any exercise program because of their concept of what exercise has to be. On the contrary, exercise, based on the above definition, can be virtually any regular physical activity that is somewhat focused in application.

It is commonly assumed that to be physically fit from exercise is equal to good health. The equation goes like this: “To be physically fit is to be healthy,” or, “fitness = health and health = fitness.” The primary focus on health today is in the area of fitness. Our nation’s love affair with sports and the respective stars reveal where our focus is. The Olympics focus heavily on physical fitness.

But what do you hear of nutrition, lifestyle or habit emphasis? We hear the clicheés, “Balanced diet,” “Good nutrition,” and the like but just what does that mean? Balanced and good by whose definition? We discuss those in other chapters, so where does exercise fit in? If the health picture is beginning to become clear to you, you will understand there is a vast difference between “fitness” and “health.”

Regular physical activity is an absolute need for the body to perform its best. We said above that a common misconception about exercise says, “To be physically fit is to be healthy.” Just the opposite is true. “Physical fitness is a part of being healthy,” but is not a substitute for the complete picture of health. Exercise must be viewed as a piece of the health puzzle. Remember what we covered in the other chapters about human physiology? Circulation and oxygen transport are intimately involved with exercise. Most of us breath on such a shallow level that it’s a wonder we stay conscious. Observe yourself sometime. Notice your breathing patterns. Whether we are involved in tasks requiring concentration or just sitting watching TV, virtually everyone of us uses about one fourth to one sixth of our breathing capacity. As you might guess, this isn’t real efficient in providing a steady supply of oxygen to our tissues. Hence, prolonged tissue oxygen deprivation. The relationship between exercise and nutrition is obvious since whatever is traveling in the circulation, be it good or bad, is simply being distributed more effectively to greater parts of the body. Nutrition is a support system to exercise just as much as exercise is a support system to nutrition.

Baring a discourse in exercise physiology, there are some important key concepts you need to be familiar with in order to understand WHY exercise–regular physical activity–is so important. The relationship between exercise and stress reduction will be covered in the chapter on stress. Here, lets focus on the basics of what activity or inactivity do to the body. A brief lesson in anatomy is needed. Beginning from the level of bones, the innermost level, to our support structure, we have tissues called ligaments. Ligaments are basically what hold one bone to another. For instance, the finger bones are simply small bones placed end to end. Ligaments are what hold these ends together and allow for some degree of limited motion. It is these tissues which are affected when we sprain an ankle or other joint in the body. Usually the joint has been forced beyond the “stretch” of the ligament and the tissue tears to some degree.

Going out beyond the ligament layer, we essentially have tendon and muscle attachment to either the ligament tissue or directly to the bone itself. In either case, these muscle attachments are what provide the ability for us to move one bone on another. As these tissues are used, they stimulate the area’s physiology and therefore maintain the tissue integrity. From the point of view of the bones, muscles, and ligaments, movement, activity and exertion all stimulate these tissues which strengthens and maintains them in their strongest states.

As we do work, lift things and swing our arms, there is a pull exerted on the ligaments and bone which stimulate the bone to fortify the area with additional minerals which maintain hardness and strength. The same goes for muscle. With work and activity, the muscle cells are being “forced” to respond to the demand placed on them. This results in increased strength, and the maintenance of muscle tone and condition.

When there is a regular and prolonged period of inactivity, meaning lack of activity beyond basic walking, sitting, standing, laying and simple repetitive motions, the body is no longer stimulated to maintain these tissues in their “enhanced” mode, and they will begin to weaken comparatively.

It is well known that inactivity actually causes bones to become softer and more brittle because the constant tugging and stress placed on them by the tendons and ligaments is no longer there as when regular exercise is performed. As with everything else, this process takes time to occur. It doesn’t happen overnight.

You have heard the saying, “use it or lose it”. This society of ours is very sedentary. Oh we love our sports on weekends, our occasional workout or health blitz. But for all intents and purposes we are not active. In fact, this type of weekend athlete is most likely to incur injury from becoming involved with activities for which the body has not been adequately prepared. Ask any doctor and he will tell you the most common sports injuries are due to inadequate preparation. These types of injuries very often cause permanent injury with lasting symptoms, and predispose the area to further abuse because many times these injuries go untreated and the residual scar tissue and tissue damage weaken the area. More on that later.

Back to inactivity. Most are aware of what happens to an arm when it is put into a cast for 6 weeks. The muscles decrease in size, and the bone looses some of it’s strength. All because the arm was not being used for 6 weeks. Once the cast is removed, the strength comes back in a few weeks, as the arm is used. Now apply that series of events to any other area of the body. If any area of the body is not used or worked, degenerative changes will occur at a greater rate than would otherwise occur.

For those of you who may not be familiar with athletic training, there is a critical need to maintain training or risk the set back of many weeks or months. For instance, an injury sustained in any particular sport can be detrimental to the physical condition of the athlete. The loss of even a week or two can set back the training clock by two to four times the lost time. That is because the constant activity needed to sustain THEIR fitness level is missing.

Notice I emphasized THEIR fitness level. An athletes fitness level is not your fitness level, nor is it my fitness level, and for that matter, MOST peoples fitness level. In affect, an athlete is taking his physiology to near maximum performance level. That is the level at which HE needs to be in order to perform the work he has chosen. That in no way means you or I have to somehow achieve the same fitness level in order to be in very good health. Each one of us have a level of “physiological normal” which the body will achieve and maintain providing the right steps are taken. A regular activity schedule is part of the necessary steps to optimize normal physiology and to maintain an adequate fitness level and muscle tone.

Just what does this “activity” have to be? The key to that is “What do you enjoy doing?” If it’s nothing, then you have a problem. In order to be successful, you must choose an activity that you enjoy doing, be it walking, riding a bike, sport activity, hiking, canoeing, yard work…ANYTHING that will get you moving, breathing deeply and stimulate your heart rate to a moderate level. It is NOT, I repeat NOT necessary to increase your heart rate to any particular high level of beats per minute. The important general fitness level must be above what your normal heart rate is in normal activity, and do it for 1/2 or more at least 3 times a week. Anything short of that will not affect the body in a way as to stimulate positive tissue changes. You are not trying to become an Olympic athlete who HAS to drive his physiology to perform as he requires in his activity. What you want to do is to increase cellular respiration, circulation, cardiac output, and stimulate the body to maintain tissue strength and a healthy physiological process. You can do that by walking around your neighborhood, park or mall at more than a casual relaxed pace of a stroll. You can do it through any number of sports activities or programs, but you have to LIKE the activity, and WANT to make it a part of your LIFESTYLE. Unless it becomes a part of your routine, you will never experience the benefits from ANY program.

For those who want to work out more vigorous, keep in mind the law of diminishing returns. Unless you are training for a particular goal, the extra time and effort to become “more fit” is largely wasted and will serve you no purpose in your overall health status. Of course, if you have the time and the desire to go beyond the necessary level, that’s your decision. But remember there is a reason virtually all sports figures and others retire early, and that’s because they HAVE to. The kind of drive placed on the body, and the focused wear on particular aspects of our anatomy cause a premature breakdown of those areas. The kind of intense demand on physiology necessary to be in the competitive arena of sports comes at a price. Oftentimes that price is the loss of proper use of a particular part of the body. Most cases cause a premature degenerative condition due to the extreme stress from the activity. Just like you wouldn’t want to pay more for something than what it’s worth, don’t pay more with your time and effort toward fitness than what you will get back from it.

YOUR PERSONAL EXERCISE PROGRAM TIPS

Any time you start a new exercise program you need to be careful to not overdo it.

Your initial plan should begin VERY moderate, especially if you are not in the best of health. A common mistake many people make is to begin too aggressively with exercise or some other activity, only to end up doing themselves harm in some way and creating a negative experience that prevents them from continuing with the program.

Beginning exercises, for example, should be done only a few at a time for each type of exercise. Say you want to begin doing sit-ups. You should start with perhaps 5-10, and then stop there. Don’t be deceived by how easy it may seem. If you haven’t done any exercises for quite some time, you won’t like the results if you overdo it. Your doctor should be able to design an exercise program for you. Something to keep in mind when developing an exercise is that you don’t have to make it a miserable experience. 20 minutes, three-four times a week can do a lot to improve your health. As your fitness level improves, you may find that you enjoy the activity and will actually WANT to do more.

There is a new kind of exercise called, “Super Slow”(13) that is the most effective in strengthening any given muscle. It involves doing a series of exercises in slow motion. You simply go through the motion for a count. For instance, doing pushups, you would start on the floor, raise up to the count of 10, and then drop back down to the floor to the count of 5. You will see how difficult this is in the beginning but it is an excellent way to make the muscle stronger. You might be interested to know that a muscle that is strong will burn more calories than a weak muscle, even if you are sitting in a chair watching TV. The actual muscle tone is stronger and this actually burns more energy than a muscle that doesn’t have the same muscle tone. Talk about an easy way to lose weight.

Index FOR YOU SERIOUS MUSCLE BUILDERS AND ATHLETES The latest research in the area of fitness and muscle physiology has produced a new line of muscle builders that are actually 2X more effective than anabolic steroids.(14) That is quite a claim, but the research is conclusive. Formulating nutrition in such a way that the body can better utilize it, and incorporating enzymes as part of the nutrition makes this possible. Of course, this program and plan is for serious muscle builders who are willing to spend the time doing the workout necessary, AND focusing on their nutrition. For those who are willing to spend the time and to make the commitment to the program, the results are possible.

Now for some actual exercises you can do that are simple, yet very effective. This series of exercises is simple but works different major muscle groups and are good for overall muscle toning. Utilize the slow count method for doing these sets. Use your own judgment for how long to count for each exercise since some are much quicker than others because of the shorted distance involved.

One other area of exercise I will mention is the rebounder. This item is low impact, easy to do at home, and is excellent for cardiovascular and lymphatics, and you can use the small weights as you rebound.

CHAPTER 10: HEALTH DISCIPLINES DEFINED

We need to have some background on the subject of the “support systems” which have evolved around today’s medical system. In our society today, we have grown so large and complex that in order for the various systems to even function, there has to be a huge support system in the way of industry to provide all the necessary support products and services necessary for any particular system to continue.

As our view of health became distorted and we began to veer off course, we had to have corresponding support systems which were obviously also off track. As the main system developed, so to did the infrastructure. Each area depended upon the other for its very existence. Like a tumor, as it grew, it demanded more and more resources, all the while going further and further off course, and, subsequently, the principles and concepts shaping this growth developed further away from what it was intended to be.

This health care system now consumes almost 1 Trillion dollars worth of American lifeblood. Where do you think all that money goes? From the pharmaceutical companies, to the medical products, to hospitals, to nursing homes, to surgeries and medical procedures. It all adds up to a consuming system which gives very little in return for the investment we make in it.

Why are we presently in the health care crisis we are? If we were doing the “right thing,” we would be seeing a much more fruitful result. It WOULDN’T be the greatest cost the American economy has to bare now. Health care in this country is, unfortunately and to our shame, caring for the health of the bottom line of large companies, being paid for by the physical health deterioration of our citizens following a destructive health concept. It is a self feeding disease which will never change until WE decide to get back to basics and implement the right health plan.

I want to emphasize that people involved with this system, (and yes, too many chiropractors are also involved with the “bottom line” health care) aren’t to blame. They have been recruited to function as a supportive part of this system. The good thing about most of the professions are that they can be reoriented into the preventive and maintenance levels of health care. The system is there, it just needs to be reorganized. Fortunately, some of that reorganization is actually taking place within the medical community itself. Yes, some of the pressure is from some within the profession realizing the problem. However, too much of it has been motivated by, again, the bottom line. You know the old saying, “If you can’t fight them, join them?” They have no choice but to change, and as they do, they will begin to understand the bigger picture as it will become quite obvious.

We live in an age of extreme specialization. Because of the advances in technology which seem to never end, and the accumulation of knowledge, it has become impossible for anyone to be able to keep up with all the areas of concern. That is why there has been this continuing process of specialization in the health area.

What use to be the country doctor who could literally know all there was to know of medical advances, has become the heart specialist, the gynecologists, the eyes, ears, nose and throat specialist or the countless other areas of health specialists. It has become so complicated that any given doctor can’t possibly keep up with the growing fund of information.

That is often why a doctor may not be aware of something YOU are aware of. Knowledge is so freely available today that the chances of you coming across something your doctor doesn’t know is extremely good. That doesn’t make your doctor an incompetent who doesn’t know what he or she is doing. They are human and have limitations.

This specialization is simply another affect of our crisis management and our relationship with the natural world. As science and medicine have advanced, there has been this drive to conquer disease and illness, including old age. As we went off track in our relationship with nature, we carried with us the idea that if there was a heart problem, the problem was with the heart.

Stated another way, we focused on the obvious symptoms and believed that in conquering the symptoms we were in affect conquering the problem. Subsequently, as this idea continued to hold us captive, we naturally looked more and more into the details of a specific area. Specialization continued and continues in the search for the illusive magic button of ultimate control over anything which goes wrong.

There is, essentially, a specialist for virtually every system, organ or tissue of the body. Technology provides more and more control over more and more aspects of life. This, in one respect, is very exciting and inspiring in how nature does what it does. Yet my concern, as I’ve said before, isn’t with technology, but with the purpose and intent of technology and “specialists.”

For the sake of the patient as well as the doctor it has become absolutely necessary to narrow our field of “expertise” down to a manageable level, one which we can adequately provide quality care for. These days the more a doctor tries to handle, the more he opens himself up to those who are looking for easy money. It’s sad but true. With the specialization we have lost more and more of the personal, as well as the wholistic view of the patient. Instead of seeing a whole person with feelings, hopes and goals, the patient is often viewed as a body with a heart condition, cancer, arthritis, diabetes or what have you. With such a narrow, microscopic view of people, it is extremely difficult to think BIG. As we continue to dive deeper and deeper into matter, tissue, reactions and affects, we lose, more and more of the bigger picture because we are so absorbed with this “huge world unto itself.” A symptom arises and we search for a way to manipulate that symptom into subjection with chemicals, reactions, or ultimately where possible, to removing entirely the symptom through surgical means.

An analogy to this would be for us to strive and fret over the excessive wear and cost of tires on your car. We would examine the tire material itself, the makeup of the fibers. We would devise means to support the tire, chemically strengthen it and in every way possible, find out what is wrong with the TIRE. All the while ignoring the basic foundational fact that there is too much air in the tire, or not enough air, or the front end is out of alignment which is the CAUSE of the excessive wear and expense.

Do you see the connection? In industry and science, man works closely with the cause and affect relationship between success and failure. Mechanics look for the cause of the excessive tire wear, the oil burning, the misfiring. They examine in a step by step process, the path which could lead them to finding the cause of the problem. Continuing to replace tires or add oil or cleaning spark plugs is not the solution to the problem.

Why then do we continue to take this approach with the most intricate machine on the face of the earth? Why do we treat the elements which make up our body under a different system of procedures then we do in following precise patterns of natural law for shuttle launches to be successful? We seem to be so aware and mindful of laws “out there,” yet almost completely ignore any relationship of similar laws to the failures we experience in health.

This systematic approach of dissecting life continually down to more basic elements is NOT getting us any closer to the cause of the problem. We keep looking for some kind of a design failure as being the cause of sickness and disease, not willing to consider that perhaps it ISN’T the design but in the UTILIZATION of the design. It is no more a design failure which is the cause of heart disease and cancer than it is the tires fault it wears out prematurely because of not having enough or too much air in it.

Obviously, the topic of genetic influence and affects are not being addressed here. Splitting straws is not my intention in discussing this basic concept. Genetics is a very real factor for consideration, but it, too, must be viewed in some respects as an affect of some underlying cause in the natural realm. So where are we now? By following a faulty road map, we end up at the wrong destination. Continuing to treat symptoms on a micro level simply overlooks the larger picture and inevitably leads us to eventual breakdown of the system. Natural law, as mentioned before, are the bounds which provide a safe haven for us to act within. As we step outside those bounds, we set up circumstances for negative interaction with natural law. Natural law can not be stopped from having its influence or affects on us. All it can do is to continue to influence all functions within us. Disease and sickness is, in THAT respect, a natural result of being outside the protective bounds of natural law. It is what happens when there is no systematic functioning according to a set pattern. By disregarding the absolute affect of natural law, we are courting, sooner or later disaster, in the same way NASA would be courting disaster by ignoring all the natural factors which control trajectory, inertia, thrust, gravity and rotation of the earth in launching the space shuttle.

How does all this tie in to the health disciplines? Think of it as being lost and going to a travel agent. You first need to find out where you are in the scheme of things. Your particular set of circumstances is unique to you. You will have strengths and weaknesses. As the health care system we have now is set up, we can use the various disciplines and treatments as tools and support in our journey back to health. But it is vital to remember that unless we use these tools in conjunction with the overall concepts provided in this book, you will miss the destination. We eventually come into contact with a particular health specialist when we have reached a level of dysfunction which is enough to interfere with our comfortable ability to continue to function as we would like. This brings us to another concept to consider.

The list that follows is not complete nor is it an exact definition by the respective professions. It is merely my definition based on my experience, study and interaction with each area. The explanations I give concerning the medical profession involve standard medical treatment procedures. For instance, while working with an orthopedic surgeon, he had a patient with a developing scoliosis, which is a sideways curve of the spine. Over the course of several months his treatment of choice, standard remember, was to measure the degree of advancement, saying “it’s not bad enough for surgery yet.” When it becomes bad enough, surgical intervention, usually drastic, has been standard practice. So my point is, remember that, for the most part, medical treatment is not preventive treatment. Disease or symptoms are not an indication of the lack of some kind of drug in your body. Chronic, or recurring, “tonsillitis” is not due to an overabundance of tonsils which need to be removed. The medical individual can’t be blamed for what they were taught. What they CAN be blamed with is the lack of responsiveness to the obvious research data, facts, and desires of the public. It is, of course, a threat to their existing mode of action and thinking but they will HAVE to reconsider their stance and adjust their thinking to conform with what the natural world is all about. They have a valuable role to play in the health care delivery system. We are either a part of the solution or a part of the problem. The list below will have some overlap in areas of expertise and practice. Remember, it is very basic.

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LIST

• • Acupuncturist: Chiropractic or medical doctor who specializes in the use of hair thin needles for the control and prevention of pain.
  • Cardiologist: Medical doctor who specializes in heart disease.

Dermatologist: Medical doctor specializing in skin diseases and conditions.

• Chiropractor-(D.C.): Doctor specializing in prevention and treatment of conditions involving bone, joint mechanics, muscle and nervous system. Various specializations include nutrition, radiology, orthopedics, homeopathic and other alternative health care procedures.
• EENT: Medical doctor who specializes in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat problems.
• Endocrinologist: Medical doctor who specializes in glands such as pancreas, ovaries, adrenal and lymph glands.
• Gastroenterologist: Medical doctor specializing in stomach and intestinal disorders.
• Geriatrics: Medical doctor specializing in aging and conditions relevant to the elderly.
• Gynecologist: Medical doctor specializing in female reproductive conditions and diseases.
• Hematologist: Medical doctor who specializes in diseases and conditions of human blood.
• Herbologist: Practitioner specializing in the use of herbs to assist in prevention and treatment of health conditions.
• Homeopath: Doctor specializing in the use of extremely small doses of natural (and occasionally) pharmaceutical agents to assist in the prevention and treatment of various health conditions.
• Immunologist: Medical doctor who specializes in the immune system and diseases related to immune function.
• Internist: Medical doctor who specializes in internal organ function and disease.
• Iridologist: Doctor or practitioner who studies the iris of the eye, looking for signs within the layers of the iris as a guide to internal health conditions. They believe there is a direct correlation between deformities within these layers and that these deformities change and reflect the internal environment of the body. They utilize that information as a basis for treatment using nutrition and other natural therapies.
• Kineseologist: A practitioner who utilizes a system of muscle testing to determine specific health conditions. It is presently being used as a diagnostic tool which, in this author’s opinion is extremely dangerous if relied upon as the sole diagnosis.
• Massage therapist: Swedish; Superficial massage technique for relaxation, stress reduction and general improvement in circulation.
• Shiatsu; Incorporates a much deeper and more firm style of massage for more serious muscle massage, muscle adhesions from chronic stress conditions and deeper layers of muscle usually never reached or treated by most other practitioners.
• Medical Doctor: General medical practice utilizing primarily drugs and surgery for the treatment and prevention of disease.
• Nephrologist: Medical doctor who specializes in the study and treatment of kidney function and disease.
• Neurologist: Medical doctor who specializes in nervous system disorders, injuries and testing.
• Obstetrician: Medical doctor specializing in child development and birth.
• Occupational therapist: Therapist performing treatment and rehabilitation for various injuries or diseases, under a medical doctors authority.
• Oncologist: Medical doctor who specializes in the study and treatment of tumors.
• Ophthalmologist: Medical doctor primarily specializing in internal eye disorders.
• Optometrist: Specializes in visual problems and correction.
• Orthopedic surgeon: Medical doctor specializing in surgical intervention in injury and disease involving bones and joints.
• Osteopath: Medical doctor who specializes in bone and joint conditions using surgical and occasionally, non-surgical treatment. At one time, osteopaths adjusted the spine (some still do) like a chiropractor does.
• Pediatrics: Medical doctor who specializes in conditions involving children.
• Physical therapist: Therapist who provides a wide range of treatment procedures for rehabilitation in work or disease related problems, under a medical or Chiropractic doctor’s authority.
• Plastic surgeon: Medical doctor who specializes in reconstructive surgical procedures for accident or cosmetic appearance.
• Podiatrist: Medical doctor specializing in foot related problems.
• Proctologist: Medical doctor who specializes in rectal and lower gastrointestinal diseases.
• Psychiatrist: Medical doctor specializing in the study and treatment of mental disorders.
• Psychologist: Specializes in emotional and mental health.
• Radiologists: Medical or Chiropractic doctor who specializes in providing professional evaluation as to the contents of an x-ray.
• Reflexologist: Practitioner who believes specific points on the feet correlate to specific organs or systems of the body. It appears good for general relaxation and may “reflexively” stimulate various organs. It is not a technique for diagnosing or treating any specific health condition, nor should it be used as such. To do so could be dangerous.
• Respiratory therapists: therapist who performs various treatments on patients, under medical doctor’s authority, involving the lungs.
• Rheumatologist: Medical doctor who specializes in study and treatment of autoimmune conditions involving bones, muscle and nerve, such as forms of arthritis, and other disease conditions.
• Urologist: Medical doctor who specializes in the study of the urinary system.

 

In reviewing this list, please remember that ultimately YOU have the responsibility for the decision you make. The medical profession, unfortunately, has a long history of resistance to anything which fell outside their mindset for health care. Though their motives may have been sincere in the beginning, the influence of power and money have a way of corrupting even the best of intentions.
With literally billions of dollars at stake to lose, and multiple support systems as well, there will, of course, be some resistance in the guise of altruistic “we want to protect the public” propaganda which is sometimes very irritating. If there were a sincere desire on the part of those in control of health care policy in this country to find the truth about health care, there would have been multiple millions of dollars already spent on research into these supposedly “quackery” practices.

To date, the only significant movement toward research and clinical studies of a serious nature have been toward closing down such places, resisting development and an all out effort to contain ANY area which could present a threat to the established medical practice. At the time of this writing, there is presently a move within the FDA to contain vitamin and other natural health care products, and to limit them to prescription only, of course, through your doctor. I seriously doubt whether this will ever make it as there are too many thinking people, who are realizing their responsibility to themselves and to their children, and are applying their rights to free choice and free access to health products that are proven to be effective.

The Office of Alternative Medicine(16) has been established within the National Institutes of Health, to investigate alternative health care. I believe it is already showing that there is much to gain from the various specialties within the area of alternative medicine.

15 Besides looking into the Kineseology course and manual work while in school and finding it a rather odd and very inconsistent supplement to a practice, I have several close friends who had recently been diagnosed wrongly, both with potential life threatening results. The first volunteered to be “tested” and was told he had a gall bladder problem. My friend remarked that if anything, he had a lever problem as he has a history of some liver problems. The Kineseologist told him that his liver was fine and insisted that his gall bladder was in trouble. My friend, being the diligent investigator he is, had every test possible done to determine the truth. He found that it was indeed a liver problem. In fact it turned out to be hepatitis 3, the most serious form of hepatitis. He is now working on that and having good results.

The second friend had a problem with one of his testicles. It became swollen and extremely enlarged. The same Kineseologist “diagnosed” him as having an infection. After some time and pleading from his wife, he had some tests done and found out he had testicular cancer. He chose to undergo surgery by then and had to have some of his lymph glands removed also. So you see, diagnosis based on muscle testing is NOT a safe and reliable form of primary health diagnosis. I seriously doubt whether ALL Kineseologist are as the one described and I know of some doctors who utilize some forms of Kineseology testing in their practice. I simply feel there are much better and more reassuring ways of dealing with my patients.

16 Office of Alternative Medicine publishes a monthly newsletter called “AM.” It is available through the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Building EPS, Suite 450, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

CHAPTER 11:CHIROPRACTIC EXPLAINED

This may seem to be a biased chapter in the book, but after I explain some foundational elements and try to clear up many wrong concepts, I think you will understand why I’ve included it. How does one begin to address this controversial area of health care? Chiropractic began in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa, and ever since has been fighting for its life. From being branded as quacks to being thrown in jail, doctors who practiced Chiropractic have obviously believed in the validity of what they did. Having gone to school for a degree as a Doctor of Chiropractic, I can attest to that belief.
With the recent victory in the antitrust suit against the AMA and other groups,(17) the Rand study,(18) the positive articles in Time,(19) and other publications, the 20/20 news program taping, and the developing Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA)(20) program in hospitals, Chiropractic is gaining credibility in the primary health care arena.

Any profession could not possibly survive for almost 100 years without there being something to it. And Chiropractic has not only survived, but it has grown and is presently the largest, drugless healing art in the world. Why, you might ask? Let me try to explain.

The human body is composed of billions of cells which combine to form many differing tissues, which combine to form organs and systems. Systems such as the circulatory system, the digestive system, the skeletal system, the lymphatic system, the respiratory system and the nervous system play important rolls in our day to day living. The focus for this discussion will be on two specific systems, the skeletal system, primarily the spine, and the nervous system, though there is a relationship between all of the systems.

17 Suit was brought against various aspects of the medical profession claiming their intent was to contain and eliminate the Chiropractic profession. They lost the suit, appealed and lost again and have been ordered to change their official standing against the profession and discontinue prohibiting medical doctors from having professional relationships with the Chiropractic profession. 18 Rand Appropriateness of Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain study; 1991 Published by Rand, 1700 Main St., P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 19 Time Magazine, November 4, 1991, P. 68 20 MUA is a fairly new program that began in the mid 90’s. It was developing “jointly” (no pun intended) between the Medical and Chiropractic professions in the LA area in the mid 90’s. This involved serious spinal problems which were not responding to normal adjustment techniques. The procedure involves placing the patient under anesthesia, and then manipulating the spinal joints with all muscular contracting at a minimum. This technique was showing to be very affective.

SPINAL VERTEBRA

The human spine consists of 24 movable bony segments called vertebra. Each vertebra has a set of joints, two on the top and two on the bottom which join to the vertebra above and below. It is these joints which provide the ability to move in various directions. Bending and twisting are possible because of the simple, essentially flat, but vertical–that is up and down nature of the spinal joints. These joints glide on one another, and with a lubricating fluid between them, provide for a wide range of flexibility. Ligaments, the strong tight band of tissue we discussed earlier, form a protective capsule which holds the joints together and provide limitations in motion which protect the joints. It is these joints which go “pop” when a Chiropractic adjustment is given. More about THAT a little later.

INTERVERTEBRAL DISKS

Between all but 1 of these vertebra there are cushions know as intervertebral disks. These disks act as shock absorbers between the vertebra and maintain a distance between the vertebra, which in turn supports the vertebral joint structures at an optimum level with each other for best mechanical functioning of our backs. The closer these joints come to each other, the less mechanical range of motion there can be. These disks are therefore important in the ability to move.

These disks are composed of a jelly-like substance which is inside a tough coat. This donut like structure is attached to each vertebra at the top and at the bottom, as well as becoming a part of a tough band of material called ligaments which entirely cover the front and back portions of the vertebra and disks. The disks do NOT have a direct blood supply of there own and therefore depend on another method to receive nourishment. That method is MOVEMENT. It is the motion which the spine goes through that maintains a pressure gradient that helps to draw in nutrients and water to maintain the pressure inside the disk and to nourish the cells, and to provide for healing.

As we move, bend and twist, these disks flex because of the jelly like nature of the inside and help to distribute the weight load evenly up and down the spine, and maintain the relationship of the vertebral joints. It is these structures which are involved when you hear the term, “slipped disc,” although the disc can’t possibly “slip” anywhere, as my description of the ligaments which entirely surround the spinal structure showed. The term slipped disc is a cheap term coined by doctors to satisfy patients about their condition without having to explain the problem.

Slipped discs are in reality, discs whose outer, tough coat has been injured, usually over a course of years through the micro-trauma of minute degenerative changes mentioned earlier, or from accumulated trauma of improper work habits or repetitive work stress. This tearing of the outer coat allows the inner “gel” to ooze out and place pressure on the nerve which is in the vicinity. Needless to say, this pressure can cause excruciating pain. The surgical answer for this removes the extruding piece, relieving the pressure.

The Chiropractic approach is to prevent the rupture from happening in the first place and/or by working with the joints and discs to take the abnormal pressure off of the outer coat, thereby relieving the inner pressure. More will be discussed about this a little later.

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

With the vertebra described, we can next look at the relationship between the vertebra and the nervous system. The skull houses the brain from which the spinal cord runs. The spinal cord carries information from the brain, down through the vertebra and out little holes called foramen which are formed by the coming together of two vertebra. From here the nerves travel throughout the entire body and either directly or indirectly influence every aspect of our physiology by way of the information which the brain sends through them.

As long as there is a proper channel of communication between the brain and the rest of the body, the corresponding organs and tissues “know” how to function, by itself and in conjunction with how the other systems are functioning. This degree of communication is absolutely necessary for optimum performance of any system. Should there be an interference with that flow of information, there will be a corresponding decrease in the proper performance of the area affected by the interference.

Naturally, because many of you have had experience with the Chiropractic profession, you are somewhat familiar with the term “pinched nerve.” You have been told that a pinched nerve is what you have when you have pain in your neck or back. The technical term often used has been called a “subluxation.”

Most people know what a “dislocation” is. A joint which has been forced out of place. Well a “subluxation” was coined to describe what to describe what was occurring with the joints of the spine. The joints somehow were affected, causing them to be moved “out of place,” but to a much LESS degree than an actual dislocation.

We believe this subluxation to be the culprit behind the actual nervous system involvement. Obviously, if someone were having some degree of trouble with a particular organ or system, it was a logical assumption that it was possible for it to be due, in part at least, to some degree of nervous system involvement. Research to date has shown conclusively that pressure on the spinal nerves does indeed cause a change in that nerve’s ability to transmit information along its course.(21) If you have ever hit a nerve in your own body, such as your “funny bone,” you will readily agree that something indeed occurred which you often felt along the entire course of the nerve. In the beginning of the nerve pressure or irritation, the nerve is extremely sensitive and will become swollen, often leading to further limitations of the motion which places pressure on the nerve. After prolonged pressure, atrophy–(shrinking) of the nerve will take place, and thus the communication which the brain sends through the nerve to various tissues such as the heart, stomach, muscles, etc., can be interfered with. An analogy might help. If you’ve ever used a garden hose to water your lawn or garden, you can readily understand what happens when someone steps on the hose, or a car drives onto the hose. The water flow is decreased. The physiology involved within the human body is far more detailed and complicated, but the analogy is valid.

In actual fact, there is most likely an intricate combination of nervous system, lymphatics, brain, circulation, emotions, joint mechanics and who knows what else going on with the spine at any given moment. There is a lot of research that needs to be done to provide better understanding as to WHY and HOW problems develop and adjustments and other steps help. One important issue to remember is that, in most cases of back pain and discomfort, the pain is due to muscle involvement and not a “pinched nerve.” The concept of, “My backs out,” though, is at best inaccurate, and at worst, a hazardous concept to base your health upon.

21 Research at the University of Colorado, through Dr. Su.

“BONE OUT OF PLACE” MYTH
This brings us to the most common concept people have concerning Chiropractic and their backs. It must be added that our own profession has propagated this concept, largely due to antiquated concepts developed in the early years of Chiropractic growth. Today we have a great deal more technology, and can somewhat better understand just what is going on with the spine.

Chiropractic has, for as long as I can remember, held to the “bone out of place” concept to explain the mechanisms behind Chiropractic. When someone’s back was “out”, wherever that is, they were taught to believe that they needed to have it put back “in.” This approach has unwittingly propagated in the minds of the public the false concept that spinal pain and symptoms indicated a “bone out of place”, and NO spinal symptoms meant there were no problems. Remember we discussed the concept of pain and no pain earlier? The instant cure, magic bullet approach to health persists, even in natural health care.

If we look at this concept logically, we HAVE to realize that if “in and out” were a valid concept, considering the anatomical structuring of spinal joints as explained above, then the simple mechanical movements of bending and twisting would have to be continuously moving the joints “in and out of place.” That is an area of contention which the medical profession has had for years. They simply looked at the spine and scratched their heads wondering HOW we could view the anatomical structure of spinal joints as even being constructed in such a way as for them to be “in” or “out.” That has made it difficult for the two professions to work together.

So let’s forget the common phrase, “my back or neck is out” and focus on the reality of what is going on. The human body was designed for use. Any aspect of the body NOT used on a regular basis will soon undergo what is called disuse atrophy or disuse degeneration. It is a natural result of improper use or inadequate use of any given part. As with any changes the body undergoes, disuse degeneration occurs over time, as we’ve already discussed. It isn’t something we can feel or notice outwardly such as pain. Only until the tissues involved reach “the limitations of matter” do symptoms usually present themselves. By then years have gone by. Let’s go over some more physiology and how this relates to Chiropractic, and for that matter, most of our everyday activities.

DEGENERATION AND HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

In the chapter on NATURAL LAW, we mentioned how human physiology, (all life for that matter) has a specific, personal rate of degeneration. This rate is controlled by many different factors including, genetics, environment, social stresses, nutrition, fitness, emotional elements and time. The “nature” of nature is such that, if left to itself it will NOT perform as well as if there is a positive intervention into the processes which control and direct things. If left to natural processes, there will be an accelerated rate of decay and degeneration in the non-living physical things like our cars, etc., unless steps are taken to MINIMIZE these changes through such things as oil changes. As for living things, there is a degenerative rate occurring, but during the lifetime, there is a degree of productivity that is fairly steady, UNLESS specifically intervened in. Our personal level of physiological potential, that is, our potential for good health in the physical world, essentially predetermines our MINIMUM level or rate of degeneration. If our behavior in interacting with the world is not in keeping with the overall natural system, then we can actually begin to MAXIMIZE that genetic and physiological rate of degeneration.

This can occur through the areas previously mentioned. If our nutrition complies with the boundaries set by natural law, then can be assured that we are doing all we can in this area to maximize our physical life potential. If the environment we live in is polluted and we breath foul air, drink toxic water, and live or work under toxic conditions, then we are, again, placing ourselves in an accelerated physiological mode. Emotional elements, social stresses, lack of exercise and other areas also contribute to the problem.

How does all this fit Chiropractic? Think about it. If the human body has a natural physiological rate of degeneration under day to day “modern” activity, which it does, doesn’t it seem logical that intervening to minimize those affects and working WITH the bodies physiological processes, we could prolong the otherwise normal outcome? Spinal mechanics and joint action are hinged on one primary element. MOTION. Why is movement so important? Take what we know of motion. Motion affects circulation by the contraction and relaxation of the muscles responsible for the movement. In fact, contrary to what many may believe, the circulation is greatly enhanced by muscular activity and motion. It forces blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, throughout the tissues and augments the removal of metabolic and degenerative waste products. The implication here is that to the degree that movement is limited, there will be a corresponding decrease in the health of the tissue environment. This leads to toxin buildup and increases the rate of degeneration of the area. Movement also stimulates the nervous system, stimulates tissue healing and regeneration, maintains tissue strength and functional integrity, etc.

Mechanically speaking, improper motion affects not only local joint and tissue physiology, but also the mechanics of more distant joints and thus, that area’s physiology, and ultimately, the functional integrity of the whole system is compromised. The vertebra function as a UNIT. Each bend we make is involving many of the vertebra, each contributing its own little amount of movement. These small amounts of motion add up to the full flexibility we can normally achieve. If there is a problem with the mechanical ability for one vertebra to freely go through its range of motion, then the motion or transfer of stress and work which should be accomplished by it does not occur.

In fact, this derangement in the movement actually increases the stress on that particular joint. It also creates an abnormal mechanical roadblock to proper activity of other parts of the spine and back. If left unattended, this will lead to conditions such as degenerative joint disease and disk degeneration. As these areas become more and more involved, nervous system communication problems develop, which in turn affects our internal organs to the point /that they can no longer operate as directed by the brain. Add to loss of motion, this element of spinal injury, and we have set up a scenario for this slow degenerative process to take place with similar results. When we are injured in a car accident, have a fall or mishap, we actually tear tissue on the inside of our body, primarily muscle and ligament tissue around such things as joints. Muscle tissue is torn and blood vessels rupture. This allows a pool of blood to form which provides an excellent medium for cell growth and tissue healing.

The problem with this normal physiology is that this pool of blood isn’t picky where it runs. Wherever the blood leaks is where the cells will grow. The death of tissue within the body leads to scar tissue formation, the same as when you cut yourself on the outside. This scar tissue isn’t elastic, just as a cut heals with scar tissue on the outside, so too do the injuries on the inside heal with scar tissue. In spinal injuries, the tearing of tissue causes bleeding. This bleeding, if unchecked or untreated, leads to a pool of blood in which cells grow and scar tissue develops in order to close up and secure the injury. If this occurs around any area of normal motion, then the scar tissue can interfere with this motion. As this scar tissue reaches full maturity, it creates a restriction in the area it involves. Scar tissue is non-elastic. That is, it does not stretch and flex as other normal tissues do. If a joint is injured, this scar tissue will have formed around or IN the joint itself. You can see how this could create mechanical dysfunction. As motion is impaired, the above scenario of circulation, oxygen and nutrition comes into play. The degree of scar tissue development corresponds to the amount of tissue damage. A bigger factor and much more serious factor in these kinds of injuries is to what degree there has been intervention on the injuries. If any injury is allowed to progress on its own, without some degree of treatment, it almost unfailingly leads to premature degenerative changes, and often permanent injury. Even WITH proper treatment, areas of injury often are the first area we notice problems with as we get older.

What happens when movement is altered, tissues are injured and there is no intervention? What happens when the above mentioned physiological processes are hampered? Degenerative change! Isn’t it reasonable to conclude that the loss in any of the above mentioned normal processes of motion and physiology would INCREASE the physiological rate of degeneration? All of these physiological factors add up in different ways.

Consider arthritis for a moment. Looking at physiology as we understand it, could there be a correlation between lack of motion and tissue degeneration, poor oxygen supply, waste product buildup and poor nutrition? “Disuse degeneration!” As we get older we become less active. Activity–MOTION–maintains tissue integrity and minimizes that degenerative rate. The old saying “Use it or lose it” is a vital concept to keep in mind. It isn’t necessarily old age which brings on arthritis. It is the gradual decrease in activity as age progresses. This decrease promotes the changes we have been talking about.

What about muscle spasms? Lack of motion or proper motion at work, chronic stress, or repetitive motions can all contribute to microscopic degenerative changes which, on a chronic or long standing basis, are responsible for the tissue damage, joint involvement, spasms, fascial irritation, adhesions (tissues sticking to other tissues), chronic pain and neurological involvement which frequent such problems.

There is a cause and affect system working within each of us. Weaknesses we may have and predisposition to diseases such as cancer can be affected by the degree, or lack thereof, of minimizing negative physiological processes.

WHAT DOES CHIROPRACTIC DO?

Look at normal body physiology. The simple aspect of immobilization on any part of the body is understood to be, what I term, “a negative physiological accelerator,” (others being poor nutrition, unhealthy environment, genetic weakness, high stress levels, emotions…) which accelerate the rate of degenerative change. An arm or leg in a cast always exhibits atrophy, (muscle wasting), weakness and joint stiffness. ALL are aspects of degeneration. These changes occur over the course of 6-10 weeks. If allowed to continue longer, the area would become dysfunctional.

Take this understanding and apply it to YOUR daily life. If asked, most of us could show a moderate range of motion–twisting, turning, bending. Ask yourself, “How often do I regularly use my spine in such a way?” “How often do I put my back and body through those FULL ranges of motion?” Not doing so will, over time, lead to the conditions I’ve already explained. Remembering the injury element also and you can see how easily our spines can become adversely involved.

Enter the Chiropractic “adjustment.” Rather than “putting backs into place,” the adjustment is restoring proper joint and spinal mechanics. That is, MOVEMENT is being restored to a spinal segment or segments which, for whatever reason, has become fixated, (stuck) in its ability to freely move. Perhaps a better and more clear concept is “FIXATION subluxation.” The adjustment places specific motion into a specific joint. Depending on the degree of immobility, and remembering that it can take years for such conditions to reach the symptomatic threshold, it will logically take some time and work to restore proper mechanics to the spine. Trying to decrease scar tissue buildup and stretch out what remains is not as simple as “putting a bone back in place.”

As the spine becomes more and more involved, affecting more and more joints, there can be spinal deviation as a whole unit. The forces of gravity, stress and the work we do all act to “shape” the weakened and mechanically dysfunctional spine. This shaping occurs over time, such as with spinal scoliosis–the sideways bending of the spine, or postural deformities. It is impossible to simple move bones and restore mechanical functioning by “popping a back.”

Correcting such problems, which usually develop over the course of years, takes its own time. That is the reason for the series of treatments which include adjusting the joints, as well as, and just as important, therapy with ultrasound(22) and other helps. It is often assumed that the quick fix is all that is necessary for correcting spinal problems. An analogy will help here. I mentioned before how a dentist has to work with ligaments in the repositioning of teeth. That same tissue is closely adhered to the spine. We all know that braces aren’t something which one wears for only a week or two. It can take years for such corrections to take place. You don’t go in for tightening of the wires and then have the braces taken off. Neither will going in for a few adjustments alleviate years of spinal problems.

Anyone with any experience with the Chiropractic profession may be wondering why they got such quick results from a few adjustments. I once had a patient who had migraines for 20 years of her adult life. After one adjustment, the headaches were gone. Even I was surprised. She promptly stopped treatments only to return several weeks later because they returned.

The reason she, and others can experience such immediate relief, or even relief within a week or two is simple to understand. Imagine the process leading up to the eventual loss of joint motion, called a fixation, that we’ve already described. Muscles spasm, the joint is “stuck or jammed.” All these lead to the development of pain and discomfort. Everyday motion and activity are funneled through the spinal joints and musculature. The affects of gravity, stresses of motion, mechanics, etc., all are absorbed and “equalized throughout the spine. If there is an area where this “equalization of stress” can’t occur, you get a specific point of pain where the pressure or stress is “caught” and it builds up, eventually, to the symptomatic level.

When an adjustment is given, this pressure is released and some degree of motion is restored to the particular area, thereby, in some cases, relieving the symptoms entirely. It is easy to understand how this relief could be taken to mean “cure.” However, it is far from that. It is merely the first few steps in a process which takes time and consistent effort to repair.

Once correction has reached its limitations, which is generally the same for most people,(23) then it is important to view your relationship with your spine as a Preventive AND MAINTENANCE relationship. As we have mentioned before, in order for nature to function optimally for our benefit, it requires some degree of action or INTERACTION to bring about the positive results.

Just as we change the oil in our cars, tune them up, maintain other equipment or even our pets. Without regular maintenance, there will be an increase in the physiological degeneration, or in the case of cars, an increase in the wear and tear and a decrease in the life expectancy. We are no different. It takes constant work to maintain our bodies. Try eating as often as you exercise. Try sleeping as often as you eat wholesome, REAL food. Get the idea? Health ISN’T a vitamin, a weight machine, a sport program, a drug, or an adjustment. It IS a way of living. A process, a journey. It is an active thing which has to be continuously supported by the right system of procedures. Health, good or bad, is the result of an accumulation of either positive or negative physiological support. WE and only WE can set up and make as a part of our daily life the right support system for these machines we are. Unless we take this responsibility upon OURSELVES, we can expect less chance for a much more rewarding and healthy lifestyle.

I would be remiss if I failed to discuss the important issue of nerves and spinal problems. The entire premise of Chiropractic has been based on the relationship between spinal joints and spinal nerves. Any point along the cycle of spinal problems, from day one, to a 20 year problem, there is a very real and yet not readily understood even taking place which affects all of us at one time or another.

Regardless of at what point it may occur, spinal nerves can and do become involved in the complex scenario taking place within the tissues. As the degenerative changes take place, there is also a corresponding level of interference potential that can take place with the associated nerve which exits the spine. Depending on which tissues or organ this nerve happens to “control,” there can be corresponding degrees of malfunction taking place.

For instance, if the nerve to the stomach is being disturbed, keeping in mind our discussion on the steps a nerve goes through when compressed or irritated, there can be a higher level of stomach acid production. Prolonged overproduction of stomach acids can lead to tissue destruction within the stomach walls, known as an ulcer. Let this problem develop into a chronic, long lasting, yet low level nerve interference, and you could have problems digesting at all.

This example can apply to any organ or tissue in the body. Muscles, reflexes, senses, skin, you name it. I do not participate in the school of thought held by some doctors of Chiropractic that all disease is a result of nerve and spinal problems. I CAN say, however, that can be a factor in the overall health status of many of us. It is, as I’ve said many times before, another piece of the health picture, one we shouldn’t ignore.

22 Ultrasound is a machine which emits high frequency sound waves which penetrate the tissues and do a number of things. The action generated by the sound waves mechanically massages the tissue deep within the body. This massage generates heat at the same time. These affects combine to increase circulation, decrease swelling and inflammation, decrease pain, minimizes the formation of scar tissue and softens and allows scar tissue to stretch with the increase in range of motion which is being administered. There are also other instruments which are valuable in promoting proper healing as long as they are utilized in the right place, for the right length of time AND included with active range of motion and stretching to affect the scar tissue. 23The reason this can be said is due to the commonality of human physiology and the healing response. Even though there can be many different conditions or areas involved, the actual process of mechanical restoration, healing and the factor of time are very much the same with all people.

CHAPTER 12: MUSCLE PAIN AND STRETCHING FACTS

I am devoting an entire chapter to the subject of stretching because I have found it to be a major key in any kind of preventive and maintenance health program. Stretching may bring on the same mindset as exercise first did, but rest assured, you will feel different about it once you try it the right way. Aches and pains you once had could disappear in a matter of weeks. I RECOMMEND YOU READ THROUGH THIS REPORT COMPLETELY BEFORE ATTEMPTING THESE STRETCHES. The more you understand about your muscles and how they act, the better you will be able to accomplish what you want . . . to be PAIN FREE!

Muscle tissue is a unique type of tissue in the human body. It is responsible for several different duties including movement, posture, containment and circulation. I want to spotlight circulation because it receives important support from the muscles of the body. As a muscle contracts, it shortens. This shortening creates a pressure within the muscle, helping to circulate blood. When the muscle relaxes, blood can flow into the muscle and the cycle continues. Both contraction and relaxation help to force blood through the muscle. This helps the flow of nutrients into the muscle and waste products out of the muscle. As long as muscles are routinely contracted and relaxed, there will be adequate physiological support for the muscle. Herein lies the potential problem.

When a muscle is static–that is, when a muscle is not regularly relaxed and contracted over the course of a day, there begins to be a deficit in the blood flow. In the course of time, the muscle will begin to react to the changing amount of nutrients and waste products. Since it is absolutely necessary for there to be adequate blood flow to remove waste products which are produced when a muscle works, and to supply oxygen and food, the lack creates a toxic environment within the muscle.

Most everyone has experienced the results of this. Think back to a time when you had to sit at a desk for a long time, typing, working on a project, or whatever. Remember the ache you had in your neck and shoulders, or low back? That ache is caused from a muscle slowly going into spasm. It is the nature of muscles to contract when irritated or disturbed in some way.

For instance, when a muscle is struck hard, it contracts as a protective reflex. When you have your reflexes tested, you know, the old hammer on the knee, the first reaction the muscle has is to contract in a protective response. This same response occurs when an internal irritation is present. As the muscle slowly begins to contract, it becomes tighter and tighter. This, of course, makes it even more difficult for the circulation to reach into the muscle. Try squeezing a sponge in your hand and then sticking it under water and pulling it back out. Kind of hard for the water to enter the sponge with all that “contracting” going on, isn’t it? You get the idea.

The pain associated with a muscle spasm can be excruciating. The slow buildup of the spasm presents varying degrees of discomfort. Anyone who has experienced the tight neck, shoulders and back know how good it feels to get up and move around a little. Often, just the simple act of moving can remove the pain. This movement is just enough action to remove enough of the toxins within the muscle and allow the blood to circulate. You know how much relief there can be from a quick massage of the affected part. The same results occur from this.

The latest studies in workplace “ergonomics,” that is, studies looking into how a person works, their posture and the equipment suitability, etc., shows that people in jobs which limit their movement should stand and stretch a little at least every 10 minutes. That’s what the studies show. Let’s be realistic, though. You know and I know that most people don’t come remotely close to that kind of standard. I know for a fact that most people will work at a desk for hours before getting up to move. I know, because I’ve been sitting at my desk typing this material for over two hours already. That’s why the muscles in my right shoulder blade area are killing me, too. And that’s why anyone in any static job needs to make a point to activate their muscles regularly.

Multiply this typical example by the years people spend doing it and you can see how the body begins to break down prematurely. It is my professional opinion that the long term affects of prolonged muscular stress and “starvation” for blood promotes premature muscle cell death. This in turn is replaced by scar tissue, although on a cellular level. When this occurs for a period of 20, 30, 40 years, you can begin to see how this can add up to the total affects we call aging. Aging isn’t just a mysterious event which takes place within a given time span.

It is a result of specific events which take place over that time span. It all adds up to what we become.

It won’t be long before every employer will realize that enhancing workplace ergonomics will benefit them. If the employee’s are hurting or uncomfortable, they aren’t going to work as well, right? Compound that by years of the same and you have permanent injuries resulting in accumulated trauma. That translates into lost money. Billions of dollars to be exact.

Index WARMUP I feel it is important to discuss the subject of warming up prior to any activity which places high loads on your muscular system, especially sports activities. Any muscle that is “cold,” that is, is in a partially contracted condition and with minimal blood flow through it, is a muscle just waiting to be injured when any stress is placed on it. “Warming up” increases the amount of blood flowing into the muscle by reason of muscle activity. This prepares the muscle for activity. The muscle and tendons which attach the muscle to the bones are more ready for stress. Most of us have experienced the proverbial muscle “pull,” right? A muscle pull is a muscle tear. We described muscle damage and healing earlier. If this muscle tear isn’t properly addressed, it quite often leaves permanent residual pain which occurs during activity placed on the muscle.

Remember the discussion of how the blood from an injury forms a pool for cell growth? If this growth happens to be between adjacent structures, or even within the muscle belly itself, the scar tissue growth acts like a “glue” and prevents normal relaxation and contraction. That’s because the area was allowed to heal in a contracted state, without motion to allow healing of the tissues during a full range of motion. When activity is required within the restricted area, the scar tissue pulls on normal tissue it is adhered to around it creating pain, irritation, inflammation, and further tissue damage if another tear occurs.

The important thing is to work with the already damaged tissue to minimize the damage, whether the injury is only a few days old or 10 years old.(24) I will point out that in any type of accident or injury, there is some kind of internal tissue damage done. From sports activities, falls and fractures, scar tissue becomes involved. This is one of the most commonly over looked aspect of what we know as sprains and strains. The medical profession quite often ignores the internal soft tissue injury and hasn’t fully appreciated the residual affects of this kind of damage. I will describe some treatment procedures important to minimizing muscle damage in the chapter on self help.

24 I have personally handled many old muscle tears, some many years old. It is actually relatively easy to eliminate such problems, but again, it has to be properly understood and handled by your doctor.

Index MASSAGE

Personal Massage is an excellent way to relieve stress and to relax a person. There are many good books on the subject which can give you many basic ideas about how to do it. It is rather simple and anyone can learn to do it quickly. There are some points to keep in mind as you do massage. You want the person to be relaxed and comfortable. They shouldn’t be in any position which creates muscular stress. A quiet, comfortable room, with some soft music is nice. The massage should be firm enough to do something but not too hard as to make the person uncomfortable. There will be spots within any given muscle that will be more tender than other area’s. These are important areas which will be discussed under the “technique” section below.

Massage should be relatively easy for the one doing the work. Simply sliding your hand across someone’s skin isn’t going to work well. There is a certain amount of slide which occurs when you move the skin around. Try rubbing your elbow. Feel how the skin moves around so readily? This is the same for most area’s of the body to some extent. This skin movement can be very effectively used when doing massage. By pressing on the skin and sliding the skin over the area involved, you can avoid the resistance normally associated with sliding your hand across dry skin. The initial contact on the skin is maintained and the movement occurs between the skin layer and the deeper layers of tissue.

As you become more familiar with how this works, you can even increase the skin slide by moving the skin over the massage area down until it is tight, then digging in with the massage as you slide back up. It doesn’t take long to become very comfortable with this technique. It can be used in any form of massage.

Index THE STRETCH TECHNIQUE

In doing these stretches, please keep in mind that you should get some advice from your doctor if you have certain complications that could become involved as you stretch. If you’ve had a recent muscle injury, have some degenerative conditions in the area, or have had chronic pain that doesn’t seem to respond to the stretches within a week, check it out. If these stretches DO NOT HELP WITH YOUR CHRONIC PAIN, then I highly recommend you have the condition examined by your Chiropractor. If the pain is NOT caused by muscle spasms, then you have a more serious condition, such as scar tissue adhesions, nerve entrapment or joint fixations going on.

In most cases, stretching will not be a problem. When doing these stretches, it is much better to do them on a firm surface such as on the living room or bedroom rug. Doing them on a bed reduces the effectiveness because the bed “gives” too much, and doesn’t allow for full motion.

There are several preparatory stages involved in stretching any particular muscle. It is important to be in loose clothing. If you’ve ever tried to stretch in a pair of jeans, you know what I mean. It is important to have as much freedom of movement as possible. You can’t hurry a stretch unless you want to make the muscle tighter, or damage it. The key to these stretches is to hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds, and even up to 1-2 minutes.

This gives the muscle time to relax and lengthen. As this occurs, the circulation is allowed to flow easier through the muscle. As you stretch a muscle, you will reach a point where you either feel firm resistance, or definite discomfort. Usually, the pain is a sign that the muscle is tight and needs the stretch.

When you reach either point, hold the stretch there. (Remember, to stretch a muscle it has to be relaxed. That means you shouldn’t be using ANY muscles in the area of the stretch. For instance, it is best to concentrate on using only your arms when you are stretching the leg, thigh and neck muscles, or allowing gravity to assist in the stretch of the lower back and pelvic area. The more you can relax any muscle not being used to support the stretch, the better it will be.)

As you hold this stretch, you will notice the tightness, or discomfort begins to subside. At this point, stretch a little more. Keep this progress up until there is no change. If the muscle is very involved, you may not notice ANY let-up in pain or tightness from the beginning. That’s OK. At this point, simply hold the stretch for 30-60 SECONDS.

Remember, HOLD EACH STRETCH FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS FOR IT TO BE OF ANY VALUE. The traditional 5-10 second stretch that most of us grew up with CAN ACTUALLY SHORTEN AND WEAKEN THE MUSCLES, and can INCREASE MUSCLE SPASMS WITHIN A MUSCLE. You have to overcome the muscle’s natural response of contraction when tugged on. If you simply place a stretch on the muscle for a short time, you trigger the contraction response, but don’t continue through to the relaxation response.

Index IMPORTANT KEY TO IMPROVING MUSCLE STRETCH

This is another little trick you can employ to further encourage the muscle to relax. When you are through stretching, but before you relax the stretch, contract the muscle you are stretching with about 70% of your strength. For instance, if you are stretching your thigh or buttock muscles, try to draw your leg down and out in the opposite direction of the stretch. If you are doing this correctly, you will feel some discomfort. Hold this contraction for a count of 5-6 and then relax the contraction but don’t let the leg, (or whatever) out of its stretch. Oftentimes, you will actually be able to FURTHER stretch the muscle after this technique.

One other trick you can do once you have stretched the muscle is to hold the stretch just short of tightness or pain, at the end of your stretch, for another 5-10 seconds. This allows more time for the lengthened muscle to receive more blood and discourage the muscle from tightening back up as you relax the stretch.

If you have trouble with these, ask a friend to help you with them. If you are older, with arthritic problems, a friend can make the difference between success and failure. The key to all of this is motion, as I’ve stated before. I am convinced that a complicating factor in arthritis is the lack of motion over a period of time. By incorporating these stretches and movements on a regular basis, you can minimize degenerative changes. Of course, as I’ve already mentioned, diet is a vitally important factor as well. This technique can be used for any muscle you have and any area you may suspect of harboring a spasm, or for warm-up prior to any sporting activity, and cool down stretching to minimize muscle discomfort from toxin buildup due to the activity. This includes all the areas listed and described below. You will be very surprised at how much range of motion you have lost, even if you are young.

One last thing. These stretches can be done several times a day without any harm. In fact, it is BEST to do them 3-4 times a day at first, in order to re-establish circulation within the muscle before it has time to tighten up and you lose the benefit of the stretch. The key is to continue with the stretching until you overcome the natural physiology of the muscle problem. After this, you do the stretches at the end of each day, just before you go to bed. You will find that these stretches make for a great sleep in a relaxed condition. Oftentimes, problems with sleep are caused by chronic tension within the muscles of the body. This tension can stay there all night and prevent the proper rest from taking place. Ever woke up tired and sore? Now you know why. In the work place, you can do the neck and shoulder stretches right at your desk, and I highly recommend you do them routinely if you want to minimize the pains you normally get from being at the desk for long periods of time. At home, you can have a friend or mate help. There will always be some local spots within the muscle itself that will be “especially” sensitive to touch. This is called a TRIGGER POINT.

This spot is a focal point of toxin buildup and inflammation. These spots can be massaged, always massaging toward the heart, NOT away from it. You can apply pressure to these spots for 5-10 seconds and then release. This, combined with heat, can rapidly improve things. In MOST cases, HEAT is the best choice between ice and heat. This has ALWAYS been an area of controversy in the medical/health profession. My experience is that most people prefer heat over cold.

The heat increases circulation in the area, which is what you want, and it simply feels good.

Cold causes contraction, something you want to avoid, UNLESS IT IS AN INITIAL INJURY.

You ALWAYS want to put COLD on an injury that just occurred. You WANT to cause contraction of the tissues and vessels to minimize swelling. The swelling actually can cause more damage than the initial injury, so COLD is important in these cases.

Otherwise, a hot pad or hot water bottle for approximately 20 minutes is good, BEFORE the stretch, at MEDIUM. This increases circulation and can ease the discomfort while stretching or being massaged. NEVER SLEEP ON A HEATING PAD, OR USE IT FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES. This can cause TOO much local circulation for too long a time and actually SLOW the process down by creating a “fluid jam.” Remember, when you sleep, your circulation is greatly reduced.

Keep in mind too, that because you have toxins within the muscle itself, that have been trapped, when you stretch, you will begin to RELEASE these toxins. They have to travel SOMEWHERE, and this can cause some temporary general soreness throughout the muscle as they irritate the surrounding tissues. This is very temporary, however, and will pass. It is good to drink plenty of good water, during this time especially. You can also, if you are having a hard time dealing with the pain or discomfort, take increased dosages of Vit. C, or get some GOOD enzymes that are specific for breaking down inflammation. You can also use some over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, like Ibuprofen if you choose, although I always recommend providing the body with the elements it needs to minimize inflammation in the first place. (Enzymes are one of the greatest deficiencies that exists in the human body and are directly related to premature degenerative changes in health.)

OCCASIONALLY, heat might cause your symptoms to actually increase IF you have a highly inflamed situation going on. In MOST cases, this won’t occur. If it does, don’t panic, just stop using the heat and focus on stretching and easy, short periods of massage of the area.

Between stretching, heat and massage, you will have a remarkably efficient means for dealing with muscle spasm pain.

laying on back holding your back, upper head in your hands;

• Straight stretch-chin to chest
• Right stretch—angle head to right while stretching muscle. You should feel the stretch on the LEFT side of your neck and even in the left mid-shoulder area.
• Left stretch—angle head to left while stretching. You should feel the stretch on the RIGHT side of your neck and even in the right mid-shoulder area.

MIDBACK:*Flat on back.

1. Pull knees up to your chest, and continue arching back, drawing knees closer to your head. The full stretch will occur when you have your knees right next to your head, on the floor. This, of course, will take some time and effort for most people since most haven’t done this kind of stretch for decades. It can be quite helpful to have someone support your back in this stretch until your range of motion increases.
2. A word of caution with this stretch. You will find that the older you are, the less you will be able to perform this stretch. You won’t be able to overcome 20, 30, 40 years of tightness in a day or two. If you are elderly, or in poor health now, you may want to check with your doctor regarding some of these stretches.
3. A variation of this stretch is to do the above stretch to whatever degree you are able, and to pull your head, tucking your chin to your chest. This will often cause your mid back spine to move” and you will hear the “cracking.” This is good, as the chapter on adjustments described.

LOW BACK:

1. Pull knees to chest and hold.
2. Pull right knee to chest, using only your arms and relaxing your leg and hip muscles, and keeping your left leg straight.
3. Pull left knee to chest, using only your arms and relaxing your leg and hip muscles, and keeping your right leg straight.
4. Lying flat on your back, rotate your hips to the left, right side up, with right leg drawn toward your chest somewhat, but keeping your upper back flat on floor. Hold for 30+ seconds.
5. Lying flat on your back, rotate your hips to the right, left side up, with left leg drawn toward your chest somewhat, but keeping your upper back flat on floor. Hold for 30+ seconds.

PELVIS/BUTTOCKS: This particular stretch effects THE most overlooked set of muscles in the body. This is similar to the knee to chest stretch above.

1. Pull your left knee to chest, keeping your other leg straight as possibly. As you pull the knee toward your body, angle it to the right across your mid-line. Keep your left hand on your knee, maintaining the stretch, and place your right hand on your lower leg or ankle. As you angle your knee across your mid-line to the right, begin pulling on your lower leg toward your head. You will begin to feel the tightness right in the butt area. A DEEP tightness or pain. These are the muscles that quite often cause low back, hip and thigh pain due to their spasms.
2. Pull your right knee to chest, keeping your other leg straight as possibly. As you pull the knee toward your body, angle it to the left across your mid-line. Keep your right hand on your knee, maintaining the stretch, and place your left hand on your lower leg or ankle. As you angle your knee across your mid-line to the left, begin pulling on your lower leg toward your head. You will begin to feel the tightness in the left butt area. A DEEP tightness or pain. These are the muscles that quite often cause low back, hip and thigh pain due to their spasms.

SHOULDER/UPPER BACK: Sitting;

1. Reach across your chest with your right arm and grab your left arm just above the elbow. Keep your left arm straight and pull your left arm across to your right as far as you can. At the same time, turn your head half way to the right and drop your chin to your chest. Let your neck relax and maintain the pull on your left arm. You should feel the tightness in your left shoulder blade area, as well as the area between your spine and your shoulder blade, and your left neck area. These are muscles that can cause headache, neck pain, arm pain and upper back pain.
2. Reach across your chest with your left arm and grab your right arm just above the elbow. Keep your right arm straight and pull your right arm across to your left as far as you can. At the same time, turn your head half way to the left and drop your chin to your chest. Let your neck relax and maintain the pull on your right arm. You should feel the tightness in your right shoulder blade area, as well as the area between your spine and your shoulder blade, and your right neck area. These are muscles that can cause headache, neck pain, arm pain and upper back pain.

THIGH: Sitting on floor;

1. 1. Bend your right leg so as to almost sit on your right foot. Keep your left leg straight or slightly bent at the knee. Supporting yourself with your arms behind you on the floor, slowly lower your upper body toward the floor. It probably won’t take long before you feel the discomfort right in the middle of your front thigh area. Few people will be able to lower themselves to the floor at first. Just go to the point where the tightness or discomfort begins, but don’t back of from this pain. You NEED to go INTO the pain a little in order to make any changes to the tight muscle. Hold that position and try to relax the muscle as much as possible. Remember, this isn’t a torture session. It IS meant to loosen and relax the muscles. If you are stretching this, or any, muscle too much, you won’t be able to relax it.

Bend your left leg so as to almost sit on your right foot. Keep your right leg straight or slightly bent at the knee. Supporting yourself with your arms behind you on the floor, slowly lower your upper body toward the floor.

CALF: Standing facing wall, counter or table top;

1. Plant your right foot flat on the floor, several feet from the wall or counter top you are facing. Step toward the wall or counter top with your left leg, but keep your right leg straight with your toes pointed directly forward. Support yourself with your arms against the wall as needed, and bend the left leg to allow forward motion. If you are doing the stretch the right way, you will feel the tightness or discomfort in your right upper calf area.
2. Plant your left foot flat on the floor, several feet from the wall or counter top you are facing. Step toward the wall or counter top with your right leg, but keep your left leg straight with your toes pointed directly forward. Support yourself with your arms against the wall as needed, and bend the right leg to allow forward motion. If you are doing the stretch the right way, you will feel the tightness or discomfort in your left upper calf area.

RANGE OF MOTION: (ROM)

Range of motion is included here as part of the stretch technique. Range of motion is useful AFTER the initial stretch to facilitate blood flow and help to lessen time in ridding the tissues of toxins released by the stretch. Basically, ROM is applying motion to various body areas through the entire range which that particular area can go through. Obviously if injury is involved you wouldn’t apply ROM without your doctor’s approval, but for general maintenance, it is very good.

ROM consists of slow, deliberate motion in every direction you can but doing it in a circular motion. For instance, ROM of the neck would involve a slow circular motion, perhaps 5 to the left and then 5 to the right. This can be done with any extremity or joint in the body.

Arthritic joints such as shoulders can respond to a slow ROM and what is called the “Wall Crawl.” This entails facing a wall and placing your hand flat against the wall at shoulder level.

Slowly using your fingers, crawl your arm up the wall, keeping the heel of your hand against the wall after each crawl. Do this to the point of pain and or tightness, and then hold AND RELAX. The wall supports the arm and allows slow, but steady movement. This is, of course, done over time and can increase joint ROM, even in arthritic joints.

NECK MUSCLES:

• • I want to be a little more specific in this area of stretching due to the nature of the area. As mentioned above, the general stretching will help a lot to relax the muscles in the area. A method you can use to help this process is to have someone do the following procedure:Hold the person’s head in your weaker hand so you have your strength for the process. Turning the head away from the side you will be working on, you will be able to feel where the muscles of the neck attack to the back of the head. If you start at the very base of the head, using your thumb for greater action, press into the area anywhere between the two bumps (mastoid process) in back of the ears. The line of attachment of the muscles will begin right at the bottom of these bumps and move toward the mid-line of the skull, rising as you go toward the middle. With a little practice, you will readily feel where the muscles attach.
    It is much better to use a lotion or gel for this procedure because you will be pulling the hair and adding to the discomfort. Just enough to make your thumb or finger slide easily along the skull where the muscles attach. Beginning at the top of the attachment area, press in on the tissue and slide DOWN the head and neck, toward the heart. Be sure to have the “patient” let you know where the “hot” spots are, and how much they can tolerate. If you press too much, they will tighten up, defeating the process.

    IT WILL DEFINITELY BE TENDER!!! Chronic muscle spasms cause increased pull on the bone where the muscles attach to the skull. This area can become quite sensitive and are most often the cause of general headaches. Always massage TOWARD TO HEART for the following reason. Remember that toxins are involved with muscle spasms. Inflammation and toxins can be FORCED higher into the already inflamed tissues, WITH NO WHERE TO GO INTO GENERAL CIRCULATION. This can worsen and prolong the problem.

    Before and after the massage action, you can apply MEDIUM heat to the area for about 5-10 minutes-no longer. Simply take a towel and hold it length ways at the corners. Fold it in half length ways, then in half the other way, and then roll it up. A couple big rubber bands are very handy to place on this roll to hold it in place. Take a heating pad and place it over the curve of the towel, and lay your neck down on the towel, holding up any long hair that might be there. The hair will insulate the heat from the area. The towel’s curve will support your neck in a good neutral position, and the heat will increase the circulation.

    BE SURE TO DO “SOME” MASSAGE AFTER YOU DO THIS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS TENDERNESS AT THE SKULL/NECK JUNCTION. You don’t want to heat up the area and then NOT drive some of the toxins out.

    If you are having any problems with any of these stretches or techniques, please feel free to email me. I have used these stretches with excellent results for people who have had chronic neck and back pain that wouldn’t go away. This kind of pain is even often overlooked by Chiropractors and Physical Therapists. Stretching can be a simple solution to years of suffering. If you have chronic pain from previous injuries, I have treatment protocol for addressing these problems and I can discuss them with you and your doctor.

CHAPTER 13:TURNAROUND BEGINS

In anything new, the first few steps are always the most difficult. In beginning a change in you health lifestyle, it is no different. There are ways to make things more comfortable for yourself and not drive others around you crazy. I expect that for those already versed in the subject, you could be tempted to pass over this chapter. At least look over the headings to see if there is anything you might like to brush up on, or get some new perspectives. I’ve learned a lot of little things by reading or listening to what I felt I already knew. You might be able to as well. Every little bit helps…

Index HEALTH FOOD STORES: To be or not to be!

As the interest in natural health has progressed, there has been a corresponding rise in the number of stores which offer items under the headings of nutrition, health, fitness, weight loss or gain and so on. Not all of these places are necessarily interested in your health. It isn’t difficult to discover which store is which. You need to make a casual stroll through the isles and look at what is being offered. Pick up several of the products, find out what it is suppose to be and then read the label. Is there any relationship between the two? That may sound funny but it’s unfortunately true.

Keeping in mind what you have learned about health and nutrition, observe whether the store in question offers a good selection of natural foods. If organic produce(25) isn’t available, request it so the owners can see that there is a demand for such things. It is available if they want to find it and the rise in demand will prompt growers to change over to organic farming methods at a faster rate. Does the store have dry goods which are minimally processed with no chemical additives of any kind. The less there is the better it is for you and your family. Of course, not all stores which have health products will have everything. Some offer supplements. Others may specialize in breads and rolls. And still others may supply natural medicinal and therapeutic products. The list is growing. Beware of stores which claim “health” this, or “nutrition” that, or “natural” the other thing. All too often, they are expensive gimmick producers with either products unjustifiably more expensive than other places, or their products are a far cry from what can be claimed as “natural.” As of today, you shouldn’t have a problem finding a natural food store somewhere near where you live. Of course, the bigger the city, the more likely you will find several good health or natural food stores close by. For those of you farther out of town, you may have to schedule regular trips into town to stock up on things. There is another recourse which both city and country people can utilize in obtaining natural products from various companies, and that is through what is called a “coop.”

A coop is nothing more than a group of buyers who have formed a “buying club.” There are coops all around the country, some very large and others quite small but adequate. You simply place orders once or twice a month with a coop or food supplier in the city. When the food is delivered to a central point convenient for all, you simply drive over, help organize the orders, and take your order home. Of course, the local store can certainly supply routine necessities such as butter, eggs, etc.. In you investigation of a coop in your area, you may be surprised what they offer in the way of environmentally friendly household products. Remember the affects of millions of households dumping chemicals down the drains? Especially in rural areas of the country, septic systems can be devastated by such things. Remember, that is a natural system too, that needs no interference from the outside.

25 “Organic” means foods grown on soils that have been without artificial fertilizers, and weed killers of at least 10 years, and where the soil contains live microbes and earthworms. The term organic recently received government sanction and clarification as to what can be called “organic.”

Index READING LABELS

If you are at least a little serious about what you may be getting in your food, it would be good to go to your local book store or health food store and pick up a copy of any number of books which list for you additives which are typical in traditionally processed foods. It will help you become familiar with what is really bad, not so bad, or even OK. The names can through you if you’re not familiar with some of the natural additive’s names.

In reading the labels of the food you buy, anywhere for that matter, keep in mind the fact that the items listed as ingredients are listed according to amount. There is more of the first item than the second item and so on. As you read the label, look for duplication of additives. For example, on the advertisement for the product, it may be touted as “Low in sugar.” Looking down the list, you may see “sugar” low on the list. But don’t let that, (or them) fool you. Sugar is sugar but so is corn syrup, dextrose and fructose. Look for the positions these ingredients hold and then ADD them together and you will have the real story on how much “sugar”(27) there is in the product.

Generally speaking, the more ingredients with names you can’t pronounce, the worse it will be. A loaf of bread, for instance, should say something like, “Whole(26) wheat, water, yeast, honey and salt.” Very basic loaf of bread. Oftentimes all you have to do is look how long the list is. You usually don’t have to bother reading it. A loaf of bread with a two inch ingredient list is very suspect. With a little practice, you will become quite proficient at sizing up a product in a matter of seconds.

AT HOME WITH THE GOODS

• • • Once you’ve made your selections, keep a few things in mind. Many natural products won’t keep as well as products which are preserved. Refrigeration is a good way to prolong the life of any product. Freezing also works for many of them. Despite a shorter shelf life for some products, most of the time, the products you do buy won’t be around long enough to spoil.
    • Another thing to consider is preparation of the food. Over cooking s a dangerous way to prepare foods. There is evidence that overcooked or overheated foods create mutagens, which are cancer causing. Such things as black toast, grilled foods which are black or crispy, etc., have been shown to contain high levels of these mutagens.
    • Obviously such cooking can certainly decrease the value of the food you are preparing. Frying isn’t a healthy way to cook food, either. Boiling things like potatoes, rice, millet, barley, etc., is fine. Vegetables should be “steamed” in a minimal amount of water, to assure they retain their crispness and the maximum amount of nutrients. Natural food, which has not been processed, or is minimally processed, contain enzymes7. We discussed some work enzymes do earlier in the book. That is just a fraction of the number of things enzymes are responsible for.
    • As for receipts, there are dozens of good natural cookbooks available. You can even use your old “Betty Crocker” cookbook, but you’ll have to experiment with amounts and simply replace the processed food with natural, whole foods.
    • Many products on the market state “Whole wheat,” but aren’t. It boils down to semantics. They “start” with whole wheat, but once the processing is done, there is little left of the “whole.”
    • I would like to point out that, while honey, maple syrup, raw sugar and the like is definitely better for you, they are still sweets. “Junk” food can be artificially produced and it can be naturally produced. The point is, TOO much of even natural sweets isn’t any better for you than too much processed sugar products.

CHAPTER 14:SELF HELP TECHNIQUES FOR HEALTH

As with any area of life, health care involves many facets. Diet and nutrition, exercise and activity, prevention and maintenance are examples. Along the way, though, there are times when knowing what to do when something happens can mean the difference between permanent injury and running up a doctor bill vs. temporary problems and saving some money. I will list as many areas as I can think of below which seem to be common everyday occurrences we all face. I will also include some basic immediate self help steps you can follow to help make your doctors job easier and to help yourself in the long run.

I want to list some basic ways for you to provide the various measures required below:

ICE:*

• • • Ice cube in a washing cloth.
    • Popsickle maker filled with water and placed in freezer.
    • Wet washcloth folded, stuck in a Ziplock bag and placed in the freezer.
    • Reusable freezer gel packs.

NOTE: Always, always, place a thin cloth, paper towel or the like between the ice pack and the skin. There is danger of freeze damage to the area if you don’t. Don’t make it too thick as the cold won’t penetrate enough to do the job. HEAT:

• • • Electric hot pad. (medium heat and use for only 20-30 minutes. NEVER sleep on the pad as burns or increased inflammation can result)
    • Hot water bottle.
    • Wet washcloth or towel in Ziplock bag, placed in microwave. (Be careful to assure comfortable heat level)
      Hot water.

THE SPRAINED ANKLE

The most important first step you must take is to get the person off the ankle. If they have tennis shoes on and you are not close to any ice, leave the shoe on and transport to a place where you can apply ice. Elevate the ankle while transporting to minimize swelling. Once ice is available, remove the shoe and place a paper towel or light cloth on the site of pain and apply the ice. It is very helpful to have an ace bandage which you can wrap around the ice bag to keep it in place. Elevate the ankle once again, above the head and heart preferably. This is the most important first step you can take in minimizing swelling and injury.

Quite often, it is the swelling which causes more damage than the original sprain. The pain of a sprain doesn’t usually last very long. There are other factors such as the straining of a muscle along with the sprain which can cause pain as well. Occasionally, the sprain is side by side with a fracture, although this isn’t very common. In the 9 years I’ve been working with a youth camp, I’ve seen only one small fracture out of hundreds of sprains.

Once you have the condition stabilized, you can decide on the next course of action. After these first steps, time isn’t a big factor, even if there is a fracture. Having an x-ray taken is the best way to rule out a fracture, but any doctor can usually rule out a fracture upon the first exam of the injury. Since x-rays cost the patient money, I usually have one taken only when I am not sure, or question some of the signs. Once the injury is diagnosed, there are a few more considerations. When an ankle is sprained, there is a separation of the ankle bone from the leg bone at the joint. This separation or opening is what causes the loud pop usually heard with sprains.

In many cases, this separation causes a slight dislocation of the joint itself. Unless this “mis-location” is addressed, it can prolong the healing time and not allow the damaged ligament to heal properly. Quite often, the customary procedure is to prescribe crutches, wrap the ankle, and tell the patient to stay off of it for several weeks. This is a poor procedure for sprained ankles and undoubtedly will leave permanent injury, and usually symptoms.

If there is some dislocation of the ankle mortise, leaving it in that state and simply wrapping it will only support that “dislocation.” The ligaments can’t possibly heal tight when the bones that are suppose to be closer together are separated farther than they should be. This is where therapy comes in. Yes, it does cost some money to treat a sprain like this, but unless you don’t care about having strong ankles and are willing to take a risk of having permanent ankle problems, this is the only recourse. In my experience, I routinely adjust the ankle area after every sprain. While the area is stabilized with ice and elevation, I will make a simple adjustment to assure joint stability and will then securely tape the ankle in that supported position. Ice every 2 hours for about 20 minutes for the next 36 hours, as you realistically can.

The use of ultrasound, not the diagnostic ultrasound used to view the fetus, but a therapeutic ultrasound is excellent for minimizing scar tissue, swelling and pain. Your medical doctor can prescribe it for you, or your Chiropractor can do the therapy right in his office. Interferential electrical therapy is also a good choice for treatment. Whatever the choice, if the treatment is correct, within a week of the sprain you should be able to walk pain free. If there is pain when you walk, the injury hasn’t healed enough for you to be very active on the ankle. Even when the pain is gone, the tissues are still healing and your ankle will be subject to re-injury if you aren’t careful. I use the existence of pain as my indicator for crutch use, along with the other factors involved in the injury.

MUSCLE PULL

Muscle pulls were mentioned earlier in the chapter on stretching. Unfortunately, a muscle pull is very difficult to ice since most of the time, the injuries are deep within the muscle belly. In order for ice to reach a level of even 1-2 inches, it would have to remain on the area for several hours. This is unacceptable to most people, including me. The discomfort of the injury is better than the treatment of ice. Therefore, the only real treatment you can do for a strained muscle is, rest, and after several days, follow the stretching program described in the chapter on stretching in order to minimize scar tissue involvement.

TRIGGER POINT TECHNIQUE

The trigger point can be located by using your thumb or finger in the general area of discomfort. As you probe, ask the person where the pain increases and decreases. The TP is usually very tender to the touch, more so than the surrounding area. It is usually the size which fits under your thumb or finger. When you find this point, you should massage or knead the point in the direction of the heart. Think of it as forcing the toxins which are locked up within the TP along the muscle belly, back into circulation. This kind of massage need only last for a few minutes and should be done to patient tolerance…that is, hard enough to have an impact but not so hard that the person flinches and tenses up. That defeats the purpose of the exercise.

You may also apply pressure directly to the TP and hold it there. Hard enough to hurt a little, but not so hard that the person can’t stand it. As you hold it, in most cases there will be a decrease in the pain level within a few seconds. Release the pressure and do the same thing again. This helps to break up the TP and allow relaxation of the muscle. Don’t overdo it. It is possible to cause more inflammation in a TP area if the massage is too long. Just a few minutes of this kind of concentrated massage is enough.

After focusing on the TP, it is good to do a general massage of the area, again in the direction of the heart, to help move the toxins released by the TP work. It isn’t unusual for someone who has had such a treatment to feel sore for a few days. This is because the waste products freed during the massage have to travel through the muscle itself and this causes a general “workout” kind of muscle soreness.

CUTS/SCRAPES

There usually isn’t much of a problem with minor cuts and scrapes. With more serious cuts, the question you need to ask is, “can I bring the edges of the cut together and make them stay that way for several days?” In many cases of more serious cuts, the need for stitches isn’t justified. A better way for less scaring and less cost to you is to have some type of butterfly bandages or other similar thing which you can use to close the wound. You need to evaluate WHERE the cut is and how active the area is. If it can be immobilized easily and you can close the wound, you will have no problem with it.

Naturally, you need to be sure it is cleaned well, and kept dry for good healing to occur.

Most ordinary cuts, scrapes and bruises can benefit from ice. It minimizes swelling and inflammation. Even with more serious cuts which require stitches, applying ice can help prevent swelling, decrease the pain, especially important with children, and make the doctor’s job a little easier. It can even help to minimize scar tissue formation by allowing the doctor to work with more normal tissue size and to draw the tissues together more accurately.

BLOODY NOSE

The simplest technique is to pinch the entire soft part of the nose together for several minutes, in a comfortable sitting position. Bloody noses can seem far more serious than they really are, especially if the head is tipped back and the person is lying down. This can allow blood to accumulate in the sinuses. When pressure is released, the blood comes out and panic can ensue. Ice can help here if the bleeding continues beyond a few minutes. Frequent nose bleeds, or prolonged nose bleeds should be checked by your doctor.

FEVER

The topic of fever has always been an emotional one, especially when dealing with children. Lets understand some basics about what exactly a fever is AND ISN’T. Generally speaking, a fever is an immune reaction to an invading organism of some kind. The body, as a means of limiting the growth of the organisms, elevates the temperature of the body in order to create an environment which suppresses the ability of the bacteria or virus to replicate and continue to spread. The longer the organisms can be held in check, the sooner the body can rally its defenses and destroy the problem. As the temperature rises, the body also increases its production of antibodies throughout the lymph system. Lymph nodes swell, and the immune system is actively addressing the problem.

Typically, as we have all been “programmed” over the years, we rush to the medicine cabinet and down a pill to lower the fever. but is this really the thing to do. If the body is reacting to an invading organism by ELEVATING the temperature, why do we try to lower it? The medical profession for decades convinced millions that any fever was dangerous and should be dealt with at once. It hasn’t been till only recently that they concede that fevers aren’t to be feared, just monitored. Believe it or not, even fevers of 103-104 aren’t dangerous for most people, including children. The key to fevers is OBSERVATION. Routine monitoring of the temperature is wise, and if necessary, only after prolonged fever of 103, for days, should you think about drugging the fever into submission.

The major problem with this type of fever is comfort. Typically fevers make you feel lousy, and can make it quite uncomfortable to rest. Carefully balancing the use of aspirin or Tylenol to control the fever, BUT NOT ELIMINATE IT, can be quite effective in allowing the body to rest comfortably. Allowing the fever to do its work, while monitoring the temperature is ideal. Of course, it is very important to maintain adequate levels of fluids, PRIMARILY WATER, since the elevated temperature causes loss of water at a faster rate.

HEADACHES

Headaches are about as common as weekends for may people. There can be a number of causes for persistent headaches, but perhaps the most common is known as the “muscular tension” headache. Muscles of the neck and shoulder act like a battery in that they tend to “store” stress and tension. The more stress and tension driving a muscle, the tighter it becomes. This leads to the proverbial pounding headache. There are a multitude of little muscles within the neck and head region. The spine itself has many small muscles attaching to the various vertebra and to the back of the skull. Most often these muscles are the ones involved in the development of headaches. As with any muscle spasm, the key is to restore the circulation to the muscles and decreasing the stress and tension in the area.

Prior to using the stretches described in chapter 11, place a hot pad over a rolled up towel(28) and lay down so your neck is supported by the roll. Be sure that the roll isn’t too big or too small. Lift any long hair that might be in the way so the heat can penetrate the area. Lay on this for about 20-30 minutes. Follow this with the stretches, and if you have the luxury, have someone massage the area for you while you lay on your back. Remember to massage toward the heart. This means the massage should be forcing blood down the neck. Because of skin irritation, it is helpful to use some hand lotion so your fingers don’t pull the hair or cause discomfort, but it can be done without lotion with a little practice.

28Take a medium to large size towel, fold it in half lengthwise, then fold it again the opposite way. Then roll it up. You can place rubber bands on this roll to maintain it for future use.

Colds/Flu

Colds and flu are a universal problem and we should understand what exactly the are. There can be several types of “colds.” It goes without saying that the more healthy you are, the less you get sick. Colds are a way for the body to routinely “purge” itself of substances it can’t deal with. The more the colds, the more you are taking in something that you shouldn’t be, OR your system isn’t properly metabolizing the food you are eating. You could be eating a “natural food” diet, and STILL be getting colds because your body is not adequately digesting and processing the material. This undigested material sets up a whole series of events within the body, one of which happens to be colds.

Colds can also be an indication that the immune system is weak and your system is allowing “germs” to set up house keeping. This stimulates the immune response, and hence, a cold with all of its symptoms. For those of you who claim to “never” get colds, you might want to be a little concerned. Unless you are eating a pure, natural, raw diet, and living in the country or wilderness, you are kidding yourself if you believe that no colds means you are healthy. Unless your body is doing SOMETHING to clean itself out, you are in the process of generating a host of future health problems because your body can’t detoxify. The more toxins, etc., the more long term damage you are receiving.

The best way to handle a cold is to minimize food intake. While you are eating, your body has to expend energy digesting foods. If you are taking high quality enzymes daily, fasting and continuing to take the enzymes can quicken the cleansing process. As mentioned in the chapter with enzyme information, if you have access to therapeutic enzymes, these are the best. Water should be used, AND ONLY WATER. Juices actually increase your body’s need for water. Water, pure, unclorinated water, is important any time, but especially during a cold or bout with some sickness. If you need to eat, since you don’t want to starve yourself, eat fruits, vegetables, and other light foods. This will keep up your blood sugar levels, while not burdening the body with too much food. The worse thing you can do is to eat big meals when you are sick. It is equally disastrous to eat processed foods, especially sugar. Sugar lowers your immune response, and actually feeds bacteria in the throat. This bacteria can cause sore throats, ear infections, lung and sinus congestion and infections. Sugar, in ANY form (including honey) other than from fruits, will not help at all. Remember, processed foods in any form will only add to the problems the body has to deal with.

Give your body a chance to cleans itself, work with it nutritionally, and rest. This will greatly speed up the whole process, and you will be back in shape in no time.

Hiatal Hernia/stomach problems

A quite common but often overlooked cause of pain and discomfort is what is called the “Hiatal Hernia.” Common complaints include bloating, abdominal gas, acid reflux, a pain in the chest, and indigestion. There are, of course, other reasons for such complaints, including diet and enzyme issues brought up elsewhere in this book, but this could be a contributing factor to such complaints.

When we swallow food, it passes down through the esophagus, and into the stomach. The esophagus has to pass through the diaphragm, our breathing muscle. At the junction of where the esophagus meets the stomach is a valve called the cardiac valve. This valve opens and closes to allow food to pass into the stomach and prevent it, or the digestive juices and hydrochloric acid from coming back through onto the delicate tissues of the esophagus.

This problem is routinely treated with antacids, and even surgery, both of which should be absolute last minute treatment. The answer lies in simply mechanics. Most doctors will tell you there is no know cause for this problem, but there ARE some situations which can bring this on. One cause is being overweight. Abdominal fat usually carries lower in the belly when we are upright. However, when we lay down, this adds weight shifts UP, leveling out according to gravity. When you have this kind of force below your stomach, pushing up on it, this forces it to “ride up” and push up into and through the diaphragm. When this happens, the cardiac valve becomes compromised, allowing digestive juices to pass through and onto the delicate lining of the esophagus.

Anyone who has ever vomited knows what the burning in the throat feels like from these acids. This same caustic activity is what creates the discomfort and pain. Imagine this kind of irritation over many months of time. The tissues become severely inflamed and can even begin to bleed. This can become more serious over time if not corrected.

Another possible cause, I believe, is eating shortly before you go to bed. Whether you are overweight or not, adding food in the stomach, especially large meals, creates the same leveling out effect in the abdominal area which causes the same forces against the stomach. Regardless of either cause, it is important to correct this mechanical problem. Here’s a simply but, in my experience, 100% effective correction to the problem.

Remember, the problem is with the stomach riding up through the diaphragm. We simply need to bring the stomach back down, and an easy way to do this is as follows:

On an empty stomach, and when you know you will be on your feet for several hours, drink several glasses of water. The idea here is to place as much weight into the stomach as is possible. Immediately after this, locate a stool, or stand on the second step from the bottom of a staircase. What you want to do is to step off of the small stool, or stairs, and land quite firmly on your feet. You DON’T want to absorb the shock of the landing with your legs or knees. You want the momentum of the downward motion of the stomach to continue on firmly after you land on the floor. This momentum will actually pull the stomach down in the abdominal cavity, repositioning it where it belongs.

Do this jumping at least 3 times, preferably 4-5 times. Be sure it is a FIRM landing or you defeat the purpose of the exercise. In most cases one series of jumps should take care of this problem, if it IS the problem. If you don’t experience relief within the next day, try the procedure again. If twice doesn’t do it, then you may have something more serious going on. Remember, Hiatal hernia can be magnified by the poor quality of foods you eat and the lack of enzymes in your food, so if one doesn’t work, try the other with it.

I have worked with patients who were diagnosed with “heart” problems, who in fact had this Hiatal hernia problem. Once corrected, their “heart” condition never returned. As you are seeing throughout this book, many health problems have surprisingly simply solutions.

Fasting

A few comments on fasting. Essentially, fasting is a way to allow your body to focus on cleansing and healing without expending energy in food digestion. Fasting usually involves going without food for 24+ hours. If you are fasting for health reasons, water is important during the fast. There are a few good books on the subject. A word of caution however. It is, in most cases, NOT a good thing to take radical steps in fasting. Going on a total juice fast for a week isn’t advisable. Suddenly doing anything to the body can be dangerous and unhealthy. Take steps in moderation and use common sense. Read up on the subject. Talk with your doctor. If he’s not a doctor who is more open-minded about natural health care, find another doctor who is. The important thing is for you to feel comfortable with your doctor and his professional help, while at the same time maintaining some control over what happens with your health care.

CHAPTER 15:EVERYTHING I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY

In light of all we’ve talked about to this point, points I will make here will be brief and specific. Specific reasons will have been covered in some form in other chapters. Try to avoid regular use of any of the following commercial items. Remember, there is a natural replacement for the basic items which we really need. Others are simply a way for companies to get money…YOUR money.

-Substitute grain alcohol for your deodorant, NOT isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is manmade and is linked to serious health problems. You can look into this research by obtaining the book, “The Cure for all Cancers” and “The Cure for all Advanced Cancers” It is a cheap and effective form of deodorant. The key to eliminating odor in that area is eliminating the bacteria in that area which create the bad odor. The best product I am aware of is sold in liquor stores with the brand name of “Everclear.” This will last you for a long while, and contains NO dangerous chemicals. There are several other natural products which are very affective in minimizing or eliminating the bacterial growth. The point is, save your money. You don’t need the fancy consumer products OR the chemicals they contain.

-As a substitute for the various commercial disinfectants, obtain some Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide to use for mouthwash, cuts and scrapes, disinfecting anything.

A few comments about cookware.

There is a lot of controversy about aluminum cooking utensils and a relationship to Alzheimer’s disease. I am of the opinion that, until conclusive proof is produced to verify aluminum’s innocence, I recommend staying as far away from aluminum cookware as possible. If you must use it, use only wood utensils to prevent scraping any aluminum off the pan into your food. Rather than error on the side of “Oops, it seems aluminum IS the cause of Alzheimer’s disease,” I prefer to error on the side which not using aluminum to begin with. There are many superior products to use, such as glass, stainless steel and iron.

Are YOU Breeding disease? (See also Chapter 8, Threat # 7)

The following material is presented as food for thought about your future. This information is not necessarily documented but is a reasonable concept to entertain. I expect this concept will be quite shocking for many to read, but it needs to be stated so you will realize the potential disaster we face as a people in this world. There are forces at work within many people that, unless checked, will precipitate a “snow ball” effect in the deteriorating health of millions of people.

Have you ever wondered “where” disease comes from? It was thought that small pox was exterminated at one time in the world, yet it has returned with a vengeance. The same is true for TB and other “historical” diseases. There must be an explanation for the persistence of such health problems.

Think about this. Any disease process that is “microbial” in nature absolutely MUST have a way to be spread among the population. The simple “exposure” to any organism DOES NOT mean that the individual will, in FACT, break out with the disease. Why is that? Why is it that when any 10 people are all exposed to the same “cold germs,” that not all 10 get the flu? You have experienced that and so have I. The same goes with ANY disease process that is directly related to microbes of some kind.

The key is this. Unless the microbes have a medium in which to “BREED,” they can NOT develop on their own. When the natural system at work within the human body is not adequately supplied with all the necessary elements, then a side effect of this is a weakening Immune System. The immune system is responsible for preventing any microbes from being able to set up housekeeping in our bodies. The usual symptoms related to various health problems are simply the “calling card” for any given microbe.

As more and more people in the world wander toward various nutrient deficiencies, so too, does the immune system’s ability to defend the body decrease. It is most certainly a process which includes a slow, degenerative state overtaking the body and gradually allowing more and more microbes the ability to find a “home” in which to raise a family.

In affect, WE, OUR BODIES, are an unwitting host to these microbes. This allows for a “permanent” source of disease microbes. People can carry these microbes in what I call a “subclinical” condition. That is, they are weak enough to harbor the microbes, but not YET weak enough to exhibit the actual full blown disease. This “carrier” then passes it on to every person they have casual contact with. If the microbe is “lucky” enough, it will be passed to a body that ISN’T strong enough to resist and KILL the invaders.

With a little thought, you can imagine how this scenario could play a major role in future health problems. After all, it is a proven fact that the common cold is ALWAYS passed on from person to person through casual contact or through the air. Why then should we have such a hard time believing that we could ALSO harbor ANY OTHER MICROORGANISMS?

The fact is, that is the ONLY way disease can survive and pass on to others. When you have a collective situation where the immune systems of millions or even billions of people are steadily being eroded by fake foods, environmental pollution, household chemicals, beauty aids, etc., then you have a disaster waiting to happen, and happen it will. There is only one way anyone can beat this Coming Plague and that is through strengthening their personal health defenses NOW, while they have the means to do it.

Early in this century, there was an outbreak of “influenza,” which killed millions of people. Today, we call influenza, “THE FLU.” Yes, the same type of “flu” that we take as “normal” these days, and use an arsenal of ineffective medications against to try to “make the symptoms go away,” is the SAME basic entity that KILLED millions of people in the past. Yet, today, we naively believe that this sort of thing couldn’t possibly occur. Realize this. We have accepted the VERY SAME EVENT, which is on a smaller scale, the “Common” cold, and don’t realize that this very structure is already set up and at work.

What we call “colds” is, in most cases, an early warning sign that our immune system is WEAK. It HAS to be weak for the microbes to be able to produce symptoms in us. The symptoms simply prove that we have already LOST the initial battle. Our defenses eventually rally enough to where we can overcome the invaders and win the war. However, when we dose ourselves with the “anti-runny nose, anti-sneezing, anti-congestion, anti, anti, anti. . . we are only fooling ourselves into believing the medications are fighting the real battle.

Do you really believe that the use of such things makes our immune system STRONGER? Do you think that by running after every little symptom with some chemical solution will strengthen our ability to fight future battles? Making the symptoms go away does not make the CAUSE of the symptoms to improve? Unless you understand your body and how it truly works, you will never really know how to build a strong defense. That is a monumentally important issue for us today. Unless we are individually strong and healthy, we will just become a supporting part of a future health crisis. It will do NO good to try to “get healthy” when it is too late.

If you feel more secure depending on drugs to defend your health, what do you think would happen when such things aren’t available, or worse yet, ineffective. This is already being proclaimed in many ways across the country. “Super Germs” are even thriving on penicillin these days. We are having to move to stronger and stronger antibiotics to do the same job. Doesn’t this raise some red flags?

If the same bugs are getting stronger, doesn’t this mean we are actually BREEDING these bugs? We are creating our own future health crisis through manipulation of the genetic pool of the species of microbes we are trying to “kill.” The strong ones survive and pass this resistance on to their offspring. This process continues as our immune systems are gradually weakened to the point that we can’t even fight them WITH antibiotics. Add to this the premature degenerative changes that go along with a lousy diet, and you have an almost hopeless situation.

Unless you take stock of these facts right away, and begin to BUILD your immune system and minimize degenerative changes in your body, you will simply become a future statistic, and a contributor to the fall of others around you. Those are the cold, hard facts. They aren’t simply scare tactics. YES, we WANT to get your attention and there’s nothing like a dose of reality to do just that, but reality won’t change.

Don’t just take our word for it. Look into this for yourself. The evidence is all around you, everyday. Every cold, every health problem, every hospital cancer ward, people YOU know should bring these facts to mind. You need to educate yourself away from being slowly weakened and degenerated. You need to begin to build and empower your body to once again, do what it should be doing. This takes time and truth. You have the time, NOW, and we have the basic truth you need.

Prove it to yourself. EXPERIENCE the reality of your body working on “all 8 cylinders.” Don’t let the crowds force you along a dead end road. Begin NOW to reshape your life and health, before you pay too dear a price. To be sure, your health and that of your loved ones is at stake. Don’t ignore the obvious. Don’t put off what HAS to begin NOW. The sooner the better. It is much easier than you think.

CHAPTER 16:THE PROCESS

So here we are at a point you are probably saying, “What do I do now?” It is important not only to understand where we may be headed with making changes in our lives, but also HOW we may be getting there. Every human being is affected in a unique way by genetic predisposition, environmental influences, mental and emotional states and present status of health. All those factors must be considered when making decisions about lifestyle changes.

There are other factors to consider as well. The concept that a specific vitamin, food or health program is the answer to ANYONE’S health problems, is wrong. Because of the unique makeup of each of us, all of us may not respond to the same nutritional, medicinal or therapy program. For reasons not well understood, there are occasional differences in the way one body may respond to any given program or substance over another.

The key to remember is you are just beginning to have a real relationship with your unique physiology and set of physical circumstances. This obviously requires some time and attention. Some of us are very independent and are willing to do a lot on our own to make the changes, do the reading, and have the self motivation necessary to be successful.

Others may respond much better to a program set up by their doctor, or health club, providing it is in line with your new foundational understanding of what true health really is. There are more and more doctors turning to natural and holistic forms of therapy for primary health care. The main emphasis is to realize that generally speaking, the wellness, lifestyle change concepts presented will be effective, in one degree or another, for everyone. Some details such as specific food supplementation, such as vitamins and food concentrates, or exercise program may have to be modified specifically for your circumstances and present health status.

The rest of this chapter will focus on specific recommendations for laying out your lifestyle plan. It is highly recommended that, unless you are well versed in these areas and you understand your health condition, that you seek the advice of a professional holistic health practitioner. Many well intentioned people have done themselves great harm in jumping into some drastic changes and not allowing their bodies the necessary time to adjust to the changes. The body will give indications of how aggressive or slowly you can progress, and these signals must be monitored.

Index What should I do first?

An important starting point is to find out exactly where you are from a health standpoint. This is vital in order for you to know how and where to start. The first step is to obtain a complete blood profile and urinalysis, and to fill out a health questionnaire, such as the one listed in the appendix. The blood profile should check for 50 or more blood chemicals. For each of these chemicals in the blood, there is a “normal” range for males and another for females. Simply because your specific chemistry falls within the “normal” doesn’t mean you are without problems.

What is most often overlooked are the “high” or “low” normal readings for any given chemical in the blood. A high or low normal can tell an observant doctor that there are potential problems developing and are target areas which we can work with. If you have had such a complete blood chemistry done recently, ask to see the results and even ask for a copy. Discuss the high and low normals with your doctor. If he/she doesn’t feel they are important, take the profile to another doctor, or if you are so inclined, investigate it for yourself. Some basic research into the various readings can shed some light on where you need to begin specific steps to remedy the problem.

Unless you and your doctor understand your specific health profile as COMPLETELY as possible, you may run into problems or at the very least, not obtain the success you want. If your doctor doesn’t want to understand your health profile, you should take that as a red flag and head elsewhere. It is through this health profile that any and all treatment, therapy and programs you are involved in will be formatted. You may not necessarily be able to apply the same program as someone else, in exactly the same intensity or repetition. Remember, you are a unique individual with a personal, specific health status. You have to do what is good for YOU, not what is good for someone else.

Armed with the information in this book, go to your doctor, or find one whom you can trust and isn’t opposed to natural health care. If you have a medical doctor, discuss with him or her what you want. Tell them you want to get serious about your health, if you already aren’t. They should be more than happy to work with you. If they aren’t, I highly recommend finding another doctor who IS health minded and is eager to work with you on your goals. A qualified health care professional, from whatever discipline you may choose, is important in establishing the groundwork from which you can work.

You may want to have several doctors, depending on how you want to approach things. It is unfortunate that, despite the health profession, there are biases and prejudices which aren’t warranted, and of course there are valid complaints and errors as well. As you incorporate the natural system into your health lifestyle, you will begin to understand where these biases are and be able to steer clear of them. NO profession has ALL the answers to health. The closer a doctor works with the natural system, the more true answers he/she will have and the less you will have to depend on traditional medical drugs, surgeries and the like. As I have said before, such procedures should be THE LAST RESORT in health care.

So once you have your health status in mind, you can begin implementing a program which your doctor should be able to design for you. Exercise, be it walking or bike riding, routine health screens to monitor your progress, personal dietary habits and TIME will bring you surprising results. You won’t find the answer to your health problems or potential health problems in ONE place or procedure. They all work together to bring the desired result.

Index I want to do more

The next step for anyone to take is to seriously think about what is said in this book. It has been proven time and time again that, unless you are motivated to change, and understand why you need to change anything, you will have limited, temporary success. Joining with a friend is always good, but don’t do it because THEY are doing it. Do it because YOU want to do it. The reason being, YOU and YOU alone can make the effort a success OR failure. It would be good to sit down and make a plan. Write down some basic changes you feel you can do to get things started. Don’t try to change every aspect of your habits right away. This often is the cause of people giving up.

They take on unrealistic goals, usually due to excitement or immediate motivation, and then find the effort too difficult, and then quit. If this has been done several times, it often takes a psychologically monumental effort to try once again where you have failed in the past. Even if you have to do some research on your own to prove things to yourself, or to find the motivation to get started, do it. You have to do what works for you.v For instance, if you are very new to health or diet changes, simply make the effort to weed out some of the more offending types of foods. Begin avoiding fried foods. Try baking or slow cooking in a crock pot. Begin by replacing margarine with butter. Shortening can be replaced with natural oils such as olive or canola. Slowly add more salads and other vegetables to your daily diet. Buy natural sea salt and use it in place of regular salt, sparingly, of course. You will find that as you begin your changes in diet, your desire for salt will decrease. Your tastes will change and the natural salt content in foods will be more obvious. Also the natural flavor of foods will become more evident.

Stop drinking tap water, unless you either are from a remote area where you KNOW the water is good because you had it tested, or have a water filter installed. Begin replacing the white, processed bread with good whole wheat bread. It might help to change from the white to a light, whole wheat bread with the same texture and feel. Unfortunately, quite often, bread which is very soft, spongy and “brown” is FAR from good whole wheat bread. Again, read the labels. True whole wheat bread is a heavier, courser bread. Companies and their advertisers can color white bread and call it whole wheat simply because of a small amount of whole flour. If you haven’t learned yet, you will discover that advertising is deceitful and often just plain lies.

Cut down on your consumption of fluids such as milk,(29) soft drinks(30) and coffee.(31) There are many good replacements for these drinks which are far better for you. Natural, sugar free juices, herbal teas and , as mentioned before, water, are much better for you.

As you progress with these changes, you can become more aggressive. When you shop, begin carefully reading the labels of the foods you normally buy. You will be shocked by all the chemical substances and artificial ingredients there is in commercial food. As you read these labels, ask yourself, “Do these ingredients fit into the natural system and will they promote or degrade my health?” Keeping in mind what you have learned from this book, you will be able to answer that question rather quickly.

Do most of your shopping in the local natural food store or coop. The larger the town or city you live in, the better are the chances that you will find such a place. It may be that you will have to do a little planning, and make a trip to wherever you have to in order to shop for what you really want. Ask you local food store if they can carry specific items. I have already seen the larger food chains carrying organic produce, and they are responding to the demand for more natural food. As more of us purchase the quality, natural food and avoid the other, the more the prices will go down and availability will increase.

You may be interested in starting a food coop in your area. Many families are interested in natural food. By asking your friends and around your neighborhood, there may be a big interest in obtaining quality, bulk foods at a much reduced rate. I say bulk because when you buy in large quantities, you save a considerable amount of money. Some basic steps in doing this include:-A list of those who want to purchase such items in your area.

• • 1. Contact with a local or distant coop or natural food store. Discuss your plan for establishing a coop in your area and what kind of special costs you can set. If the place is a large coop itself, the prices are already low. You will have to get a full list of what they have in the way of products. Then ask about delivery of the items. Often the coop will deliver all the supplies to a central location in your local area. There you can set up a distribution center where people can come to and pick up their orders. There are various ways to do handle this.
       You can either set specific amounts to purchase, say by the pound, so you or someone else doesn’t have to break up bulk packages in order to fill a specific order. Or you can handle the split orders and package it yourself. Either way, it isn’t unreasonable for there to be a small coop fee for doing the work. Say $5.00 or $10.00 a month. It obviously depends on if you have to pick up the order, split any orders or any other work which needs to be done. Coops such as this are functioning successfully all over the country.
    2. Set up the distribution point. This can be a persons home, garage, place of business or whatever. You may need to purchase a refrigerator or other initial items, which the monthly fee would cover.monthly fee would cover.
    3. Establish a coop member list, with names, addresses and phone numbers. Have an initial meeting to establish all the guidelines and to set specifics. Pass out copies of the order magazine or brochure along with an order form of some kind. When the product order brochure is updated by the coop or natural food store, or new products are added, you can then mail a new brochure to the members.
    4. Advertise your coop, or print simple fliers and have the members pass them out. The more people involved, the better the prices are. There are often discounts for larger purchases of, say cheese, cases of juice, grains such as brown rice, whole wheat flour or berries, etc. If a person wanted to, this could become a full time or part time job. It is well worth it to those who chose to become a part of the coop. It is a valuable service and promoted healthy habits within the community.
    5. Lastly, don’t forget to name your new coop. A name somehow gives the coop a life of its own and unifies the membership.

Milk has been linked with many health problems, especially allergies in children. Milk is a highly processed food product, considering what it is. Pasteurizing, homogenizing and irradiating…that is, using radioactive nuclear waste, and placing the milk close to it in order to kill any living organisms for an indefinite shelf life without refrigeration…all contribute to degrading the quality of the product. We humans are the only ones who continue to drink milk after weaning, especially on a regular basis. Of course, the milk industry doesn’t tell you about all the hormones, antibiotics and other medicines used to promote milk production in their cows. They also have done an excellent job of selling the idea that we aren’t healthy unless we regularly drink milk. They mention “calcium” for bones and teeth. Well, there are many food sources which put milk to shame in the amount of calcium available. 30 Soft drinks are one of the most common ways people quench their thirst. However, as mentioned elsewhere, this actually increases your body’s need for pure water, and creates a water deficit that can cause lots of problem. 31 Coffee is one of the most common beverages people drink in this country. Evidence suggests various health problems associated with regular coffee drinking. The most obvious is the addiction it creates in the body. We all know of the headaches associated with not having the morning cup, or the lack of drive. Besides the affects of this constant artificial stimulation on the various organs and glands of the body, coffee can contain such pesticides as DDT and other chemicals banned in this country. These chemicals are no longer used because of their known health affects, however, the United States allows the manufacturers to ship these same chemicals to the coffee producing countries, who in turn use them on their coffee crops. Needless to say, this is rather hypocritical, and is doing absolutely nothing for protecting your health. If you insist on having your coffee, buy organically grown coffee beans, available from natural food outlets or your local food coop, and grind your own. I have been told, not being a coffee drinker myself, that organic, home ground coffee is far superior to any commercial coffee you can buy, and is obviously far better for you, despite the caffeine.

Where to look

It is this authors hope to soon see the establishment of a “Health and Wellness” center that will not only provide natural health support, but will TEACH people how to use the natural system in maintaining personal health.

I should mention here something on the subject of sources of vitamins and other health products. Most cities have their share of vitamin and health food stores. I’ve already mentioned some things about the true nature of some of these stores. What I’d like to mention here is that, if you aren’t in need of a particular product immediately, you can save substantial amounts of money by ordering from a mail order house. Here, too, there are good ones and not so good ones. Pure Health Systems has a list of companies I have personally utilized for many years in the past and found them to have good to excellent products at the best prices. Being in some of the staff positions I have in the past has allowed me to search out the good, affective products and to get rid of the less affective ones.

Well, I’ll think about all this and try it later, when I’m ready!

Any big, important step which involves personal change is ALWAYS difficult to start. After years of dealing with such steps and decisions with my patients, I have found only one way to accomplish it. DO IT! Do it, keeping in mind the goal and the results which WILL come. There can only be positive results from making such changes. There are thousands of people in hundreds of hospitals, and even more sitting in rest homes, THINKING about what they wish they could do, or might have done to make things different. Unfortunately, retroactive thinking does absolutely nothing to affect a persons present reality. Only “proactive” or forward thinking will make a change on a person’s future.

Unless you sit down and make a plan, even a basic, simple one, there will be no benefit from what you have learned. The natural system and the affects of our poor health habits WAIT FOR NO MAN. Every minute of every day, we are shaping our future health. None of us knows where our personal “limitations of matter” lurk. Environment, genetics, habits and time all play a part in bringing it upon us. You have the power to control your own time and habits, and to a lesser extent, your environment. Take the step, however small. You won’t regret it.

By taking these steps, you are personally doing your part to lighten the debt burden of the health care industry. And ultimately, YOU will benefit most of all through vastly improved health.

CHAPTER 17:CONCLUSION

I don’t know whether you are ready to toss this book on the pile with the other 9,999 books about health or to reread it. As I mentioned at the beginning, my purpose in writing this was in the hopes of clearing up some general confusion about health, AND to present some ideas for YOU, the reader, to consider.

I believe that with the introduction of ideas and concepts comes the potential for dialogue and the stimulation of deeper thinking, and subsequently, better understanding. The more people think about things, the more potential there is for NEW thinking on old subjects.

I suspect that some people-that’s assuming there are some people reading this-haven’t made it this far through the book. Emotions, as I mentioned earlier, play a dominant role in our interaction with the health subject, and unfortunately, that includes health professionals.

There is an unspoken assumption, I suspect by most people, including, in some cases, health professionals themselves, that health professionals are of a “superior intellect,” which somehow makes possible their ability to BE health professionals. This, of course, is NOT true. I stood in awe of computers and their programmers only a few years ago. Yet today, I own a computer and understand, at least, the basics of the language. It is not as much a mystery and I WAS able to learn about it. Again, the same could be argued about ANY profession or ability. There is a difference in knowing something about a particular topic or profession, and being a specialist IN that area. That main difference is education and time. Where there is interest in a human mind, there can follow knowledge and understanding, in virtually any subject. The health field is NO different.

Anything we don’t know about or understand is intimidating and frustrating at first. There are two ways to deal with that. One is to avoid the subject. By avoidance, we can supposedly transfer responsibility to another and not have to face the frustration in not knowing or understanding the health subject. Like the ostrich, we assume what we don’t know won’t hurt us. But there are flaws in this approach. WE are the ones who are affected by bad news. The pain, the symptoms and most importantly, the results. Without understanding, or at least some knowledge, we can’t possibly make an informed decision as to what is best for us. The second choice is, obviously, to become informed, to some degree, about WHAT we are and how we operate. Without doing that, we can NEVER know how to perform, on a day by day basis, in a way that is consistent with the RIGHT results. Our health determines, to a large degree, our ability to perform and function in the world around us. Our jobs, our families, our hobbies, our day to day, minute by minute living. Hopefully, this book has been a help in understanding the health subject a little more, and that it will spur you on to do what you can do with what you have. That’s all anyone one of us can do.

Chapter 18

This health questionnaire is for detailing, in writing, what your eating habits are. This requires some brave honesty if you are serious about your health and getting control of any potential health threats you have in your lifestyle. Be detailed in your amounts, times, and EXACT types of foods you eat. Don’t use this like you are taking a test for which someone will grade you. The only one who will grade you is YOU, or your health professional if you wish. If you “cheat” on the numbers, or types of foods, etc., you are only cheating yourself out of better health.

NOTE: You will notice I’ve included a check mark area for noting whether you read the ingredients of the actual food you ate. If you can’t, (restaurant or with friends) be sure to list what you SEE that you are eating and an educated guess as to what it may have in it. The key is to get you into the habit of reading the labels and realizing just how much unhealthy stuff you really eat.

Health Questionnaire.