Are You Certain You Are Sick or Just Misinformed?

Contents

Note to the Reader

Foreword

Cholesterol

Diabetes

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Cardiovascular Disease

Body Cleansing: (Cardiovascular Disease)

In writing this book my intention was to show the benefits of a healthy diet (nutrition) The benefits of moderate excercise, and if possible the abstaining from all prescription and over the counter drugs.

I believe the human body to be a marvelous piece of work with all of its organs, and glands and enzymes, and hormones. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made as said by our creator.

Dr. Carey Reams once said if the body is balanced it should be free of disease. How right he was.

With all of the diseases ravaging our Nation my hope and wish for mankind is that we would begin to nourish and strengthen the body and not focus so much on treatment, for if we strengthen the body, then the body would take care of the disease. Scientist Louis Pastuer once said " the germ is nothing the human body is everything. Dr. Carey Reams, Professor Louis Pastuer, President Thomas Jefferson, Dr. Julian Whitaker, and the like, there have been some brilliant minds the Lord has blessed us with, lets learn from these and live out the words of God, Beloved I wish above all things that mayest prosper and be in HEALTH even as thy soul shall prosper.

Note to the Reader

Before You Follow the self-help advice given in this book, please give careful consideration to the nature of your particular health problem. Consult a competent physician or complementary health practitioner if you are in any doubt. This book is not a substitute for professional medical treatment. Although every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, the author and the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any problem arising out of experimentation with the methods described. Should you decide to use these methods, you are prescribing for yourself, which is your constitutional right.

Foreword

This book will be a valuable resource for people everywhere. People now will be able to assess their therapeutic options by having a book at their fingertips rather than just accepting their doctor’s prescription, which may be based only on one (limited) set of theories/beliefs and one therapeutic approach.

Western medicine, i.e. allopathic medicine, does not work for many of the problems it attempts to treat. Its strength is in the acute and crisis care, diagnostic evaluations, and technical surgeries. Its weaknesses is clearly in the treatment and management of chronic disease, the generation of which I believe it contributes to as much as it helps by the regular use or overuse of medicines and chemicals. There is clearly a need for alternative treatments.

Integrated medicine, i.e. complementary medicine as it is referred to blends together conventional (orthodox) practice with traditional (alternative) medical approaches. In my opinion, a more integrated medical path is clearly the answer to the health care crisis and the personal long-term well being of our people.

It is important and imperative that the medical practitioners begin to understand and utilize a larger approach to health care. The managing physician must be able to suggest the safest, most effective therapy for the individual patient, avoiding over treatment, side effects, and excessive costs all so inherent in our medical system’s treatment of both crisis and chronic conditions. Furthermore, Western medicine alone most often does not correct the common chronic conditions, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer, because it does not really address the causes, which are most often found in our lifestyle and exposures to chemicals and toxic agents. Clearly, the more wisdom we gain in how to live will help us prevent some of these chronic conditions, and experience a much more valuable and desirable outcome.

A more integrated way to look at health and illness suggests that our body-our physical functions, energy levels, vitality, mental and emotional balance-is a by-product of our life. Our basic constitution and upbringing, our past problems and how we treated them, our diet, stress levels, relationships, the level of joy in our work or service, and more--all contribute to our overall health.

An integrated approach utilizes multiple systems of healing to allow the best choice to be applied to each specific concern. For simpler and transient problems, milder and subtler forms of treatment that support the body’s healing mechanisms are appropriate, whereas for really serious or intense symptoms or illnesses, stronger interventions that kill germs or suppress overactive systems may be required. And most significantly, an integrated approach interacts with personal illness from a different perspective, whereby your initial question moves from How can I get rid of this? (The attack and conquer approach) to more revealing questions, such as Why do I have this now? Body, what are you telling me? And what can I do to heal?

The application of dietary changes and nutritional supplements, herbs, Chinese medicine to name a few of the treatment modalities can be very useful in helping people resolve many conditions. Each treatment has its strengths and weaknesses.

For example, the reduction of allergies is often greatly aided by nutritional supplements, herbs, homeopathic remedies, as well as some anti-allergy dietary changes where appropriate.

I believe the information given in this book will be a useful tool for your health and the health of your family and friends. Remember what God said concerning you, Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even, as thy soul prosper. 2 John 3 Chapter Verse 2

There has been something of a revolution in recent years concerning the nation’s attitude to health, illness, and treatment. There is intense interest now in complementary medicine, which embraces alternative therapies in conjunction with, rather than as a substitute for, orthodox medicine.

People have become better informed and more responsible for their own health. They recognize not only the value of orthodox medicine, but also for the first time its limitations. No longer will they obey doctor’s orders without question. They realize that it is no longer satisfactory to treat symptoms merely in order to make them disappear. Instead, they expect the underlying cause of the symptoms to be accurately identified and corrected. Finally, and quite rightly, they expect some say in the treatment of their own problems. They know that their lifestyle, their temperament, their relationships, and their entire outlook on life are just as important as their medical history. And they are now more likely to welcome the dispensing of patiently thought-out advice than a hurriedly scribbled prescription for potent medication.

Complementary medicine is here to stay. Most conventionally trained physicians who retain open minds have accepted it. Even diehard surgeons whose former motto was, If in doubt, cut it out have changed their tune. And they have realized that a holistic approach to their patients—treating them as whole people, not just as a collection of body parts can bear both physical and psychological rewards.

Importantly, the true scientific value of complementary medicine has been proven in carefully structured clinical trials. Many orthodox doctors have subsequently widened the scope of the treatments they offer their patients, and have learned new skills such as homeopathy, chiropractic, and acupuncture. Prevention quite logically comes first, followed by self-help in the form of various complementary therapies.

People are seeing how talking with a lifestyle counselor can offer considerable advantages over tranquilizers in the treatment of stress. People are beginning to see how massage, and chiropractic can complement chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer, and how art therapy and light therapy can be helpful in depression and mental illness. As a result, I believe treatment can be more effective, less invasive, and safer. Patients no longer want medication or surgery for every little thing; instead, I believe they want a kinder, gentler method of treatment.

The last twenty to thirty years have seen significant changes in the types of treatment and health advice available. Not so long ago, complementary practitioners, such as homeopaths, massage therapist, chiropractors, and herbalists were regarded disdainfully as back-street quacks. Even the links between diet, exercise, and good health were considered suspect. But today practitioners of complementary medicine are respectably established in hospitals and clinics. Nutritional recommendations have become part and parcel of mainstream medical practice, and scientific evidence has proven the benefits of exercise.

During this time the emphasis in health care (in both complementary and orthodox medicine) has moved toward the prevention of illness and the exploration of self-help through gentle, noninvasive methods. More and more people are seeking out information about how to protect themselves from life-threatening diseases, and increasing numbers are opting for complementary treatments to remedy chronic health problems.

The result has been an explosion of different attitudes, techniques, and information about how to prevent, treat, or deal with different ailments.

Everyday a new discovery is being made. In writing this book my aim has been to bring together through extensive research as much of this varied and often conflicting information in an easy-to-use reference book. The result is an encyclopedia of common health problems. Each with a wide range of preventive measures and complementary treatments, most of which you can carry out at home. They range from simple dietary and exercise recommendations, to tried and tested homeopathic and herbal remedies, and even include the health enhancing properties of visualization and meditation. In this book you will also find what orthodox medicine or Western medicine recommends for treatment for certain ailments. This combination of preventive measures, complementary treatments, and orthodox advice reflects the holistic nature of today’s health care and provides an opportunity for a more informed choice of treatment.

Presenting a holistic approach can be a complex task. Approximately one hundred different therapies are practiced in Britain and the United States, Also because of constant changes and ongoing controversies in the fields of complementary medicine.

The information in this book is not in any way intended to replace a medical diagnosis, and I strongly recommend that you seek out a professional assessment of your symptoms. Once you are aware of the nature of your ailment, this book may provide you with the means to explore different approaches to prevention and treatment. It may guide you toward the type of complementary therapy that will be most beneficial; it may empower you with the means to take control of your own health.

Cholesterol

What Is Cholesterol and How Does It Affect Me?

You’ve heard about cholesterol and know that you have to watch it to stay healthy. But what is cholesterol, and what exactly are you watching?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that your body needs to function. In fact, it is essential for life. You need cholesterol to form cell membranes, many hormones and bile acids (which digest fat), to name just a few. Without cholesterol, you couldn’t live. But, as is so often the case, too much cholesterol can hurt you.

When there’s too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the inside walls of your arteries. Over time, the cholesterol buildup, called plague, can narrow the space for blood to flow through. This can happen in the arteries everywhere in the body but is most dangerous in the arteries that feed the heart and other vital organs.

When plague buildup narrows the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart, chest pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms of coronary heart disease occur. If a coronary artery is blocked completely, a heart attack results. Decreased blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke.

The higher your cholesterol levels, the greater your risk of heart disease and stroke. Given that heart disease is a top killer of men and women in the United States, this isn’t a risk that you should ignore. However, eating in a heart-healthy way, being physically active and losing weight are things everyone can do to lower their cholesterol levels and their risks.

What’s being measured when your cholesterol is checked? Why should some cholesterol be referred to as good , putting people at lower risk for heart disease, and another bad?

Types of Cholesterol

Your doctor may order tests to check your blood levels of cholesterol. Since cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood (it’s not water-soluble), it doesn’t circulate by itself. Instead, cholesterol travels through the bloodstream linked to carriers called lipoproteins.

There are three different types of lipoproteins. The two that are most important to remember in terms of your possible risk of heart disease are high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL)

Cholesterol that is carried on low-density lipoproteins is called LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Higher levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol molecules that are linked to high-density lipoproteins are called HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). If you have higher levels of HDL cholesterol, you’re at lower risk for heart disease.

Can’t remember which cholesterol is bad and which is good? Try this as a way to remind yourself: LDL cholesterol (bad) is low-down. HDL cholesterol (good) comes highly recommended.

Good and bad Cholesterol

Why should one type of cholesterol be labeled good, putting people at lower risk for heart disease, and another labeled bad? Because LDL is the main carrier of cholesterol to body tissues, and HDL carries cholesterol away from body tissues.

When you have a lot of LDL cholesterol, there is a greater danger that too much may be deposited in artery walls, which may then become damaged. The arteries may develop a