Why We’re Moving Backwards

During my lifetime, modern medicine has brought about fantastic advances.  100 years ago, infectious disease, water borne diseases, like cholera and pneumonia, were the main causes of early mortality.  With better hygiene, the advent of antibiotics and vaccines, and the reduction in the percentage of smokers in the population, life expectance increased yearly.

Yet while people are living longer there is a plethora of what has become known as Western disease—that is, disease caused by Western lifestyle.  So now heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, strokes, diabetes, kidney disease and more top the list.  A rash of autoimmune diseases has not only shortened people’s life but destroyed their quality of life as well.

We have more medicines than ever, excellent ways to take clear images, and fantastic surgeries and procedures once thought of as impossible. Yet, life expectancy is moving backwards!

  • 60% of adult Americans are on at least one prescription drug
  • Instances of heart disease and cancer are increasing
  • Yearly medical expenses are close to 4 trillion dollars

Despite the industrial superiority of the USA, on quality of health care they fall low on the list.  The USA has the highest burden of chronic disease and lowest life expectancy of all of the industrialized nations. Something is VERY wrong with the approach being taken.  For all the good medicine has to offer, it hasn’t been the answer to address the chronic disease issues which are spiraling out of control.

The plague of Western diseases

What are these diseases that seem to be uniquely Western and especially American?

These diseases are heart disease, the Western cancers (colon, breast, prostate, and pancreatic), type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic kidney disease and chronic constipation are just a few.  Autoimmune diseases that are prominent in the west include: Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, type 1 diabetes, and possibly Parkinson’s. Even allergies are an autoimmune disorder.

How common are these conditions in the Blue Zones or in lands of non-Western diets?  Barely!  People in Africa and the Far East don’t tend to lose their gallbladders, have heart attacks or have ANY of the above diseases.  6 out of the top 10 causes of death in the United States are related to lifestyle.  That means they are preventable! And, guess what?  They are even reversible!

Treating the problem – not the symptoms

In order to eradicate disease, we need to treat the cause and not the symptoms.  If someone gets a strep infection in their throat, we know to treat it with antibiotics.  This is not an approach that works for chronic disease or autoimmune disease.

Throwing more and more medicine at type 2 diabetes doesn’t cure the disease. Stents and bypasses are shown to only be effective in emergencies. Most of the stents and bypasses done DON’T lengthen people’s lives. Pharmaceuticals don’t cure heart disease either.  Classic diets and medication have done nothing to halt the obesity epidemic.

We keep doing the same things over and over, but we need to get to the root causes.  But if drugs and surgeries don’t really work to cure, what does?  And what are the root causes?

The problem is…

Let me give you two statements to digest

  • Eat a Western diet and get Western diseases.
  • Every bite you take is either fighting disease or feeding it.

It may surprise you, but the answer to a longer life and better quality of life is actually very low-tech.

Is it really that simple—change the diet, get some exercise, sleep properly and keep stress under control and I can turn the clock back? YES!!

Dr. Brooke Goldner, MD, was diagnosed with lupus. They told her she wouldn’t have children and to expect to be on dialysis and repeated chemotherapy. She expected to be miserable and only live to age 50. Then Dr. Goldner looked at the research, supercharged her nutrition, stopped eating ultra-processed foods, and got rid of all animal proteins and dairy.  She is perfectly healthy today and as a doctor, is helping others to cure autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Saray Stancic was diagnosed with MS and was supposed to be wheelchair bound by now.  Instead, she has a thriving medical practice, runs marathons, and spends time teaching medical students how to incorporate lifestyle medicine into their practices.

Dr. Dean Ornish proved in his 1990 study published in The Lancet medical journal that heart disease is completely preventable and reversible. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn proved this as well in his article in the Journal of Family Medicine.

Seeing and believing

In my own clinic, I have also succeeded where medicine has not. I have helped clients reverse diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis of the liver, lowered blood pressure and cholesterol. How have we been able to see success? By incorporating a great diet, activity and exercise, and the other lifestyle habits needed.

Yes, it takes changing habits. Once you experience healthy eating and you see the results, you will only want to eat that way.  Best of all, with chronic diseases, the improvement starts very quickly.

Modern medicine has its important place.  Trauma care is another area where it is amazing.  But if you want to be healthy, stay healthy, or reverse a disease to become healthy, it’s all about lifestyle. The data is very clear.  There are more than 10,000 reports, papers, and studies backing up what I have written here.  Don’t’ wait.  Contact THE WELLNESS CLINIC and I can and will help you to learn how to live and happier and healthier life and to add hours to your days, days to your years, and years to your life.” 

2021-06-13T11:59:06+00:00

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