“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” Thomas Alva Edison
A century later many are still clueless to Edison’s wise words. Now with health care costs soaring, we need options, not in a better plan, but in caring for ourselves through diet and preventative medicine. Preventative medicine not only reduces our chances of serious illness, but also, significantly/measurably reduces our risks of high, unnecessary medical bills as we age.
In recent years the world has witnessed a burst of interests in alternative health practices. However, it seems the seductive tastes of the standard American diet and fast foods rule out over better judgment. As adults we are responsible for our lives and placement in society. Most of us think what lies in these series of responsibilities is a good health care plan, without taking into consideration it is up to us to also take responsibility for our own health and wellbeing through proper diet, exercise, clean environment and a low stress lifestyle.
The human body is an amazing organism, capable of healing and maintaining itself if given the proper tools to work with. The secret is to maintain a balance with harmony and nature, a process which requires mindfully addressing the body, mind, spirit and environment. Many shun the idea of alternative treatments, unless well respected doctors or authors endorse the alternative treatments. Yet we are all out to discover new treatments and cures, but once they are found unless they come in the form of a prescription, we are often reluctant to embrace their effectiveness.
We are seeing more and more doctors thinking outside the box and taking their Hippocratic Oath to heart. Meaning, if another treatment is proven effective other than mainstream medicine, or what the pharmaceutical companies are pushing at the time, they often act and offer alternatives to their patients. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I consulted a number of doctors, and asked if they were diagnosed with cancer would they personally take chemo and radiation, and over 90% said “NO!” That helped me make my decision to go within, boost my immune system and battle this monster myself. Every friend that had been stricken with the disease before me is now either dead or in a compromising condition. Many that had been labeled cancer free by their doctors returned back to their unhealthy lifestyles and the cancer returned within three to five years. Their immune systems had been compromised from the initial assault on their bodies through chemo and radiation, so the second time around many had little or no chance of beating the disease.
It is a known fact that cancer does not thrive well in an alkaline body. So once we see that cancer has set up camp in our bodies, it is a wise idea to change the terrain inside our bodies in an attempt to ward it off. However, we are all taught that if faced with a disease, the doctor will either cut it out, offer a liquid or a pill to make it go away. It is our duty to look into our origins and access the diet we humans were meant to consume. Doctors can’t improve on nature.
The CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 1/3rd of the U.S. adult population is (35.7%) obese! Obesity is preventable, so now consider its potential threats to one’s health such as, heart disease, stroke, type two diabetes, depression, and mobility, not to mention many types of cancer. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death globally. The medical costs associated with obesity, reported by the CDC in 2008, was a staggering 147 BILLION dollars! Obesity is no longer just a rich man’s disease; it now affects all walks of life, all income levels, all education levels and all age groups.
One hot Texas summer my mother took me to the Marsalis Zoo in Dallas. The year was 1967. I was nine years old, an observant inquisitive child. I noticed the signs posted on many of the animal enclosures that stated, “Do not feed the animals!” I asked my mother why and she patiently explained that each animal had a diet intended for just their species and if fed “People food” they would become ill and die. Well, that got my mental wheels in motion, and from that day forward, I never let it go. I soon became aware of a disturbance in the human/food force! That night at the dinner table, my mom served chicken fried steak, (a hammered breaded beef) mashed potatoes smothered with Texas style gravy and over cooked green peas! I asked my mom if this food was food designed for humans. Her reply was swift and to the point, “Eat your meal!” Later I questioned her about us humans being animals and she could not offer me a viable explanation. I innately knew there was something terribly wrong with the Standard American Diet, (SAD) and set out to find answers.
I have spent the last 46 years, from that Zoo visit attempting to unravel this mystery. It was not until I was diagnosed with what mainstream medical deemed a “terminal disease” that I awakened and took note. I decided that my recovery would largely depend on my diet, and my frame of mind, so back to the garden I graciously embraced! I remembered from my religious upbringing reading Genesis 1:29. “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding that is on the face of the Earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed. To you it shall be for meat.” It made perfect sense to me. Sure it did not mention breaded meats, biscuits, gravy and over cooked vegetables! I finally realized if the Manobo’s primate, our closest relatives could not sustain life on it, then why did I think we humans were any different. I had never witnessed any of the large primates devouring a “Home cooked meal.”
The world we live in today can be a stressful place to exist. All the modern conveniences put into place over the past 100 years to make our lives better have actually complicated our lives and polluted our planet in many cases. It is up to us to take control of our lives, and in turn become responsible stewards to our planet in an attempt to assure a healthy future for our children. It is up to each and every one of us to create a stress free, healthy, wholesome space to dwell, because good health is not only based on a proper diet, but also on a clean environment and clear mind, which go hand in hand.
As we journey into the 21st Century, space is no longer the last frontier, next will be to unlock of the potential of the human brain. To achieve this, man must be of sound body and mind. Personally I think Thomas Edison was an enlightened individual with incredible thinking capabilities. I also believe his insight to the future of the human condition was right on target. As medical costs soar, humans must make wise choices and not rely on entities that, “PRACTICE” medicine. I practiced piano for many years, but was never good at it. Once mastered, then one can claim victory, but until then, it is just practice! So my question is, why let someone practice on us, why not chose a proven route, by letting nature intervene and become our next health insurance policy? The best health care plan is to stay healthy.
Brad Butler
Emerald Forest Properties, CR
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
