I spend an abundant amount of time (apart from Bible study and caring for my home and family) studying about nutrition and living a healthier lifestyle and teaching my children what I learn. My son has a peanut allergy (extremely severe) and this has caused me to strive to gain as much knowledge as possible about better health for our family and for anyone else with whom I came in contact. I believe the reason for the high rate of illness in this country is the simple-to-see truth of the diet of the people in this nation - the food we consume is drenched in pesticides, preservatives, and the meat is injected with hormones and antibiotics. For what? The love of money.
A quote from "Prescription for Natural Cures" by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.:
"A century ago, our meals were prepared from fresh, whole foods. Generally, food crops were grown on local land that was considered a valuable commodity. People took time to prepare their food and enjoy the intrinsic flavors and aromas. Today, the combination of technology and globalization has turned much of our food supply into semisynthetic, genetically engineered, nutrient-lacking packaged goods. Take a look at your local supermarket. Most of the food you see is stuffed into boxes or other packages. It contains preservatives that ensure a long shelf life. Many North Americans tend to be overfed, yet simultaneously malnourished. What a paradox!"
While I believe we need doctors and that they have done wonderful things - I don't rely on them solely to treat me. I will allow them to diagnose, but then leave me be while I research how to assist my body with healing itself. I do not wish to be prescribed a "band aide" for my ailment - I wish to find the cause and rid myself of the problem. I believe people in this country have become too dependent on drugs for everything and fail to take responsibility for themselves and their own health.
How does a doctor, who spends all day long dealing with patients, being wined and dined by drug reps, and then goes home to spend time with his/her family have time to spend learning about nutrition and it's healing benefits? I believe there are some that do take the time, but I also believe that most do not. They do not learn this in medical school.
A quote from "The Doctor's Complete Guide to Vitamins and Minerals" by Mary Dan Eades, M.D.:
"... And so my husband (who is also a physician, my partner, and my mentor in the world of nutritional metabolic medicine) and I set about trying to make ourselves knowledgeable in nutrition. The idea of two doctors trying to 'make themselves knowledgeable' in nutrition may seem odd to you, but believe me when I say that the amount of general nutrition offered at most medical schools is appallingly meager (and ours was no exception). Certainly, our medical training paid lip service to the fact that 'good nutrition' (whatever that is) is important in keeping patients healthy. I know most medical schools teach the rudiments of nutrition on that basis, but it's generally slim pickings in nutritional education. In some medical courses, physicians learn about vitamins and minerals and how they work from a biochemical standpoint, but nowhere in our training did anyone ever make clear what a potent weapon against disease food, vitamin, and minerals can be. And how much more cost-effective by comparison to virtually any prescription medication. And so the task of understanding this field fell to us to do ourselves."
