How's your health? Got problems? Concerned about heart disease, cancer, diabetes, AIDS, anthrax?
Good health should be the God given right and blessing of every human and every living creature on earth. After all, didn't God say after He made all the creatures and man and made the foods for them, "Behold, it was very good" (Gen 1:31)?
Why then do some seem to enjoy the blessings of robust and radiant energy, vitality and health, while others are often plagued with fatigue, sickness and disease? And why are some struck down suddenly in the prime of life with debilitating diseases?
Everyone wants to enjoy good health and avoid or overcome debilitating diseases. But as health care costs soar, it is becoming more difficult, especially for those of low to moderate income and for the elderly, to afford good health care.
Incredibly, in the 20 years between 1950 and 1970, health care costs in the U.S. soared from $12 billion ($82 per person) to about $72 billion ($343 per person)--a 6 fold increase! And in the last 30 years, the nation's health expenses have skyrocketed from $72 billion dollars in 1970 to about $1.12 trillion (almost $4,000 per person) by 1998, an additional 15 fold increase or a total 93 fold increase in less than 50 years. Much of this increase is, of course, due to inflation. But the true reality is that in 1950 we spent $1 of every $24 (about 4%) of our GNP (gross national product) on health care costs and now it has escalated to about $1 of every $7 (over 13.5%) or over 3.4 times as much today--the highest in the world--leaving less for food, housing and other living expenses.
Are we healthier as a result of paying over 340% more for medical care? Let's look at the facts and statistics.
The truth is, according to Thomas McKeown M.D., Ph.D., "Modern medicine is not nearly as effective as most people believe" (Determinants of Health, Human Nature, Apr. 1978). In the United States, "the rapid decline of pneumonia (and influenza) death rates (the #2 killer until about 1937 when cancer took that dubious honor) began in New York State before the turn of the century and many years before the 'miracle drugs' were known... The histories of most other common infections, such as whooping cough, measels, and scarlet fever, are similar. In each of these diseases, mortality had fallen to a low level before effective immunization or therapy became available."
Life expectancy from birth increased significantly as a result of decreased infant and childhood mortality from infectious diseases. But for those who survived beyond the most vulnerable years, changes in life expectancy were less significant. For example life expectancy at birth increased 100% plus from about 33/35 years for men/women to about 68 for men and 75 for women between 1900 and 1970, whereas those reaching 40 the life expectancy increased only 14-21% from 63/64 to 72/78 in men and women
For some infections, medical intervention was valuable, "Immunization protected people against smallpox and tetnus (and polio); antitoxin treatment limited deaths from diphtheria..." But the substantial fall in mortality from infections such as cholera, typhoid and tuberculosis began "when basic hygienic measures were introduced: purification of water; efficient sewage disposal; and improved food hygiene..." as well as quarantine, and improved nutrition. According to a recent World Health Organization report on nutrition in developing countries, "the best vaccine against common infectious diseases is an adequate diet."
Heart disease, as a major cause of deaths in the U.S., jumped from about 27% of total deaths in 1940 to a high of 38.7% in 1970, then began to drop and came down to about 31.5% in 1998 as Americans consciously increased consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, grains, fish, poultry and cheeses, and cut back in smoking and the amounts of saturated fats, red meats, sugar and hard liquors in their diets. In 1990 about 230,000 coronary heart bypass surgeries were performed at a cost of about $26,000 each. Studies have shown, however, that for a significant percentage of patients such surgery does not significantly improve their chances of survival over the following six years and that 44% of bypass operations are unnecessary or inappropriate" (Statistical Abstracts of the United States, NVSR 1990-1998, The Universal Almanac, 1991, p 256).
In 1900, cancer accounted for only 3.7 percent of deaths in America, but as deaths from infectious diseases decreased considerably the percent of deaths due to cancer jumped by 1940 to 11.1%, then more than doubled again by 1998 to 23.5% and is still increasing. In 1998 about 1,480 U.S. citizens died every day of cancer--that's 541,000 cancer deaths a year--even after spending many billions on medical research and treatment. Increased cancer rates in some industries have prompted health officials to take a wary look at the thousands of chemicals that have come into commercial use since World War II.
In 1940, the U.S. produced about 1.3 billion pounds of synthetic organic chemicals (not including chemical fertilizers). Production increased to about 97 billion pounds by 1960 and 307 billion pounds by 1977 when about 60,00 to 70,000 different chemical compounds, which helped account for much of America's economic growth, were in use. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health listed some 1,500 of these chemicals as agents suspected of causing cancer. To complicate matters, it's now recognized that a combination of one or more substances working together can cause or greatly enhance carcinogenic risks. This is called "synergy." "Every day at least one new chemical is added to the environment." A major obstacle in establishing the necessary regulations and controls over potentially hazadous chemicals have been the overriding concerns over the nation's economy by successive government administrations (U.S. News & World Report, Feb. 5, 1979).
Dr. Samuel Epstein, author of "The Politics of Cancer" believes that the majority of all human cancers are environmentally induced and thus preventable. He states, "We have more than enough information which, if implemented, would achieve a massive decrease in the rate of incidence of cancer."
Though many infectious diseases such as TB, smallpox, diphtheria, polio, etc. have been greatly reduced or practically eliminated because of better nutrition, sanitation, vaccination programs, etc.--that is through preventive medicine--new infectious diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, etc. have appeared and are becoming almost epidemic. And now many degenerative and debilitating diseases, such as diabetes, arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer's and numerous autoimmune disorders are increasing at an unprecedented rate. It appears that, as a Blue Cross official noted, "What we have in this country isn't a health-care system; it's a sickness care system."
Want to take charge of your own health, life and health care costs? Need help to understand your health alternatives? Don't know where to go for answers? Check the Health Connection Files and forthcoming Reports. Serf Publishing is a research and education foundation dedicated to providing answers from science and the Bible! There are causes for every effect--causes of health and causes of disease. That is the basis of all true science and it is the basis of all biblical truth.
What can you do to avoid the causes of disease and increased health care costs to live a healthier, happier, more successful life?
Achieving and maintaining GOOD HEALTH is one of the KEYS necessary for success. Successful people as a rule enjoy relatively good health compared to the average of the population. Achieving and maintaining good health should be a primary goal for anyone who wants to be successful. Good health is a necessary part of continued motivation, energy and drive. Success in sports as well as business and home and family life is highly dependent on good health. (See the "Seven Keys for Success" in the "Keys for Successful Living Menu")
Unfortunately most tend to take good health for granted until it begins to fail. Some use poor health as a reason or excuse for failure. But you don't have to let that happen to you. You can learn what causes good and bad health and do something about it!
HEALTH or the lack of it is GOVERNED BY Natural Physical, Chemical, Biological and Spiritual LAWS. The great majority of people, even the highly educated, have little or no knowledge of many of the basic causes of health or of sickness and disease. We often disregard the laws of heath and then expect the medical practitioners to remove the effects of our neglect.
Our bodies and minds are very complex biological systems that must be properly cared for. Health begins with the formation of the sperm and ovum within the parents. Each individuals' GENETIC POTENTIAL is SET at conception.
The DEVELOPMENT of ones genetic potential into a healthy individual DEPENDS UPON proper NUTRITION and a suitable ENVIRONMENT. An unborn fetus may develop congenital defects if the mother is careless in her health and nutritional habits or uses drugs or other potentially harmful substances. In cases of severe abuse, the fetus may die and be aborted or be born with severe defects.
Everyone needs to learn and understand the Fundamental CAUSES--the laws, principles and guidelines--essential for achieving and maintaining GOOD HEALTH which apply to all from conception through old age. For convenience of study, we have catagorized the principles and guidelines under the following eight major headings. But keep in mind that each catagory is only part of the whole (hence the holistic concept of The Health Connection) and that your health is the sum of how all of the following principles and guidelines are applied in your life:
The first basic factor affecting the potential and limitations for your health is your HEREDITARY makeup--the genetic BLUEPRINTS you received from your parents contained in every cell of your body--and the physical, chemical, biological, genetic, ecological and environmental laws of the Creator that govern and regulate all functions of life;
A second factor essential for building and maintaining a healthy body and mind and promoting healing and resistance to disease includes providing for your specific NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS through a BALANCED DIET of properly prepared VARIETY of QUALITY foods free of toxic substances, and all foods should be eaten in MODERATION;
Acquiring right EDUCATION, purpose, meaning and GOALS in life, learning and maintaining right MENTAL, EMOTIONAL and MORAL thinking and attitudes and staying mentally active is a third factor essential to a long healthy life;
Maintaining and living in a HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT with plenty with FRESH CLEAN AIR and SUNSHINE or full-spectrum light, and stimulation, but avoiding excesses is a fourth factor;
Maintaining good HYGIENE and CLEANLINESS to avoid and prevent infectious and parasitic agents from causing diseases is a fifth factor;
Getting enough regular EXERCISE and staying physically active to build an maintain strength, coordination, agility and promote good circulation and elimination of wastes, but avoiding excessive or damaging stresses is a sixth factor;
Getting sufficient REST, RELAXATION, RECREATION and SLEEP for the mind and body to recouperate and maintain health and alertness is a seventh factor;
AVOIDING INJURY and disease from accidents, toxic chemicals and pollutants, damaging radiation, etc. is an eight principle essential for maintaining health and longevity of life.
Accidents (all types) are the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause for those between the ages of 1 and 37.
Poor health, sickness and disease are caused by disregarding any of the above principles and guidelines essential for maintaining good health. Medical books and literature are filled with the knowledge and research of what can go wrong with our health when these principles are ignored.
How does ignoring the above health principles cause disease? An abundance of scientific and medical research can give us many clues, but even medical researchers are in the dark as to the cause of many diseases and how to cure them. As incredible as it may seem to many, the Bible, written 2000-3500 years ago, gives the foundation for understanding and finding the answers! And why not? It was inspired by the very Creator of all living things, the Giver of life (Gen 1:11-12,20-27; Acts 17:25; 1 Tim 3:16).
Scientists have discovered the genetic code of life and laws of genetics--God designed and created them (Prov 25:2). By this we understand that every individual is different genetically, that is except for identical twins naturally cloned in the womb. Because of genetic, biochemical, environmental, educational and emotional individuality not everyone is affected exactly the same by various environmental factors.
Everyone does not have the same capacity or tolerance for the same things. That is why some are more sensitive to and affected more easily by pathogenic agents than others. These individuals are like the canaries coal miners took with them into the mines to detect poisonous gases or low oxygen. The canaries would show the effects first giving miners warning of danger.
Prolonged DEFICIENCIES, STRESSES, OVERINDULGENCE, gluttony, junk foods, excessive drinking, drugs and other poisonous substances, WRONG THINKING, UNCLEANNESS, INFECTIONS and parasites, LACK of EXERCISE and lack of REST eventially RESULT IN a condition of TOXEMIA (accumulation of toxic wastes) in the body. Toxemia CAUSES DAMAGE to body cells, tissues and organs weakening one's resistance RESULTING IN SICKNESS, disease and even death. An unhealthy individual is much more susceptible to infectious and parasitic agents, cardiovascular disease and circulatory failure, cancer, diabetes and a host of autoimmune and degenerative diseases.
Those with deficiencies and toxicities--physical, nutritional, chemical, intellectual and emotional--usually develop cravings and sometimes addictive behaviors.
Consider this! The number one cause or reason for suffering, sickness, degenerative diseases, and early death is ignorance of and/or failure to live within scientifically discovered and spiritually revealed health laws that, if followed, would prevent most disease and even speed recovery and healing. The cost of ignorance is more than just high health care costs. It is also in much unnecessary suffering, hoplessness, dispair and death. Truly, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Prevention begins with right education.
Learning and taking reasonable care in following proper health habits can greatly increase your resistance to sickness and disease conditions. In most cases good HEALTH CAN BE RESTORED to a great degree by correcting the improper health habits. However, when the early warnings (symptoms) of disease are ignored, additional therapeutic measures may be necessary and in some cases therapeutics may not even be adequate to restore health.
Diagnosis and treatment of disease is generally considered the domain of the medical profession. They have legislated regulations to exclude all unlicensed practioneers from offering medical assistance and in some cases even taking away the rights of parents to care for their own children according to their beliefs. In such cases parents should be careful to be fully knowledgable of the causes of health and disease and act in the best interests of their children, for they are accountable to both God and man.
What does a diagnosis mean? Diagnosis is defined as "the art of naming a disease or condition," and it is the "identification of such named disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs, symptoms, history, laboratory tests and procedures" (Mosby's Medical Dictionary). The ideal of diagnosis is to discover the causes of disease, but unfortunately the names given to disease conditions are often misleading and sometimes meaningless--discriptions of symptoms or lesions, name of the someone who discovered it or just scientific sounding jargon.
You may spend a small fortune to get a diagnosis or name for how you feel, but what is the cause and what can you do to get rid of the problem and avoid it in the future? Today's highly specialized medical approach of diagnosis and treatment often ignores the basic underlying causes relating to what the patient is doing wrong and what they need to change to prevent the problem or its reoccurance. Many have had lifesaving therapy for conditions such as heart disease and cancer only to have it reoccur because they were not told what they needed to do to prevent it's reoccurance. Unfortunately many medical schools don't even teach good courses in environmental, preventative or holistic health and nutrition. That is up to you, the patient, to learn on your own.
A complete program for effective treatment should include these three aspects: (They will be covered in more detail in specific Health Connection Reports)
Keep in mind that GOOD HEALTH is no accident! It is not just a matter of chance. You can protect and maintain it by learning and following good health principles. Without it you may be greatly handicapped if not totally cut off from achieving many goals. Good health should be a primary goal of everyone.
Learn how agricultural practices, food processing and cooking can affect your health and what you can do to avoid the adverse effects to your health. Don't be ignorant of the occupational health hazards in your work place and pollutants in your own home, they can make your life miserable. So can contention and strife in the workplace or home. Think about the proverbs, "As [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov 23:7), and, "The curse causeless shall not come (Prov 26:2).
Take the mystery and fear out of health and disease and begin to educate yourself on the living laws that govern, regulate and maintain the health of your body, mind and emotions. Learn basic FIRST-AID techniques. Also learn how spiritual laws and FAITH can help you overcome your fears and guide you to better health and a long, happy and successful life.
Can FAITH heal? How? As you advance in age or when you find you are beyond medical help, you may find the spiritual guidelines helpful and encouraging for the hope they offer. If the thought of death keeps you in fear, check the "Mystery of Salvation Menu" and "Hope of the Resurrection". Read the Holy Scriptures, they can lead you to the source of eternal life.
Serf Publishing is a research and education foundation dedicated to help those who want to help themselves and others by providing answers from science and the Bible! Please be patient with us as we endeavor to make the research and educational materials available through the Health Connection Files and Reports to help you learn and apply them in your life.
The Health Connection Files and Reports by Serf Publishing are not intended as medical advise. The intent is solely informational and educational.
However we caution you not to be careless with new knowledge. Keep in mind that:
Sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous to the health of you and your family and friends if incorrectly understood and misapplied.
We at Serf Publishing are endeavoring to be as accurate and comprehensive as possible in our research and writing while scanning and summarizing much information, but none of the knowledge quoted or presented here is complete by itself and neither the accuracy of the sources of the research and knowledge, nor are we infallible and we make no such claims.
You are responsible for planning and choosing your own health program. Every individual is genetically, biochemically, mentally and emotionally distinct and different from other individuals and how they will respond to specific information, ideas, environments, nutrients, chemicals, drugs and other agents affecting health. You must take time to determine how this information and these factors apply to you when acting on them. We are emdeavoring to provide you with knowledge to increase your understanding and options.
It is your responsibility to seek out and use the help of qualified and reliable health professionals. We do not advise stopping or changing your medical treatments or nutritional programs without consulting with your health professionals.
Serf Publishing has no financial involvement with any of the sources of information or materials mentioned in these reports and no one is paying us to recommend any products or services unless it is so stated in the reports. We do not own any stock or options in any health, medical, pharmaceutical, nutritional or herbal products firms.
Our purpose is solely to provide educational information and support to encourage and help those who want to be responsible and take charge of their own health and life.
Please consult a health professional should the need for one be indicated.
Sincerely and good health to you,
©Copyright: 2001 Serf Publishing, Inc. 12/24/01