The Biggest Mistake in Healthcare

As I was sitting in my Chicago hotel room after I had just finished speaking at a conference, I turned on the news and the new statistics for Autism had come out. I see so many children who have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, so of course, my ears perked up. Not to my surprise, the rates have increased from 1 in 110 to 1 in 88 children are now affected by autism. So I continued to watch the rest of the reporting, and, of course, they had their “experts” giving their opinions, and the theme is ALWAYS genetics.

“We need more genetic research on this disease.” One doctor says. “We have to find what is the major gene that is causing these kids to act this way.” I am sorry, but knowing what I know about autism and how it affects these children, after hearing doctors try to blame our genes, I wanted to shoot myself. Now, I am being a little melodramatic, but lets step back and look at this from a different perspective. This article is not about autism or any specific disease – it’s about the biggest mistake in healthcare.

The reason why we will never reduce the rates of cancer, heart disease, autism or any chronic illness is because we, as a society, are thinking totally wrong. The premise that we are genetically programmed for these diseases is the biggest fallacy that exists. It’s like building a house on quicksand – the foundation of the premise is so weak to begin with and as everything keeps sinking, they have to continue trying to find a way to build the house…when all they have to do is simply start over on solid ground. They have built a whole healthcare (actually should be called sickcare) system around this concept. Please understand that it’s not because we lack technology, cutting-edge hospitals, or drugs that our nation is so sick. It’s because of how the medical profession views the body. That is why, as people get sicker and sicker, they do not look at changing their approach to dealing with people and finding the cause of disease. Instead, they try to blame the one thing that is out of their control or even convince people that it was just bad luck or their destiny.

Well folks, hold onto your hats and put your seatbelts on! We’re going down a trail that will make a lot of sense, but it is a road that is not traveled in healthcare today.

What I am going to explain is what research and logic will show you, and it will lead you to a DIFFERENT way of thinking. In order to lead you to a different way of thinking, first I have to make a couple of statements and then prove them to you.

First, the body is not genetically programmed for disease, it is programmed for homeostasis (balance) and health, and, secondly, if we are genetically programmed for health, how do we live congruently with our genes to keep that homeostatic balance. Here’s the exciting part! If we can figure this out for each individual, we can get them to live a life of health and vitality. So let me break this down for you.

A simple example of this is body temperature, which (in humans) tends to fluctuate right around 98.6° F. Now, we all realize that no two people are the same, and that someone’s normal may be higher or lower than that temperature. So what happens when we exert our bodies? Something in our bodies obviously triggers a cool down response. When the temperature rises above the normal range, corrective reflexes and physiology (sweating) go into action to restore that state of balance. If body temperature drops (by going outside in the winter for example), your body will shiver and do other ‘corrective’ actions in order to bring temperature back to its ‘normal’. The point I am trying to make is that the body is genetically programmed to adapt to its external environment (sensory) and internal environment (infection, stress, foods), and all other systems of the body follow this pattern.

Now that we know that the body has an intrinsic ability to adapt, we need to learn what essential elements our body needs to reach the goal of expressing optimal health. Essential elements are things that your body cannot produce by itself and needs to get from an external source. Just like essential fatty acids or essential vitamins – your body does not produce them…you need to get them from a pure external source. What if I said that your body also has genetic needs that, when met, enable it to express health…and if not met, will cause your health to suffer? Hang in here with me…I will try to explain what I mean.

Imagine your body like a burning candle. (I love analogies!) In order for the candle to burn it needs a chain reaction of oxygen, heat and a wick(or fuel). The candle will keep burning if all these things are present, but if any of these things diminishes, the flame will dim or even go out. So in essence, to keep your body running (burning bright), you need to give it everything it needs!

Now I admit that some of you will not like some of the things I have to say…but it has to be said: If you are making poor lifestyle choices (what you eat, or what you are thinking about for example), it will affect your longevity by reducing your ‘flame’, or health potential. Look at it this way…everything you put into your mouth brings either life and wellness, or death and destruction. The thoughts you think about yourself either promote confidence and wellness, or depression and destruction. Choose Life!

Every time you eat, ask yourself first if this food is bringing life or destruction to my cells.
Be aware of everything you are doing, eating, saying and thinking and ask yourself if it is congruent with your goals of health and longevity.

Your body doesn’t ever take a break…it is in a constant state of repair. The new skin cells you had in the morning are replaced in a matter of minutes. Regardless of age, our bodies are created to heal. If our bodies are always regenerating, by making healthier choices, we can literally prevent chronic illness and disease.

Many of you have been led to believe that because heart disease or cancer are in your family history that you, too, will fall prey to their inevitability. NOT TRUE! Heart disease, cancer, or whatever chronic disease are not inevitable – no matter what age we live to. These illnesses are a result of living a lifestyle that does not meet the genetic needs of our bodies. Just think about how things were done back before processed food and supermarkets existed. People were hunter-gatherers and lived off the land. They were not sedentary – they were active, hunting daily for their food and foraging for nuts, vegetation, berries and other indigenous foods. They stayed in a specific land area their entire lives. And most importantly, studies show they were lean, fit and largely free from signs and symptoms of chronic disease.

But I am sure you are wondering – doesn’t genetics play a part? Well, yes – you can have a specific genetic weakness that is passed down through your family history, but that does not mean it has to manifest in the physical. If your dad died from heart disease at a young age and you chose to eat the same way and follow the same lifestyle patterns, then, yes, you may end up with the exact same result. However, if you consciously change your lifestyle patterns to be different – choosing life-enhancing foods, choosing to be physically fit, and avoiding toxic thoughts, you can and will end up with a different, healthier result.

According to statistics, the number one killer in the US and the world is chronic disease. Chronic diseases are NOT genetic in origin. They are the result of our poor lifestyle choices. Our genes are programmed for health, not sickness. IT’S YOUR CHOICE…WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

I’ve been asked the question, “How do I know where I stand right now? I think I am making good choices…is there some assessment that can determine where my health stands right now?”

We Don’t Guess…We Test!

There is a great test that SpectraCell Labs can do which evaluates where your body stands in regards to overall function, deficiencies and life expectancy. It is a great place to start if your goal is longevity. (Click on test image below for a larger preview)

Once you’ve been tested, your doctor will be able to help you set specific health goals to meet in order to achieve lifelong longevity and wellness.