DEMYSTIFYING DISEASE

When most of think of DISEASE, we think of viral flu’s or bacterial infections. We don’t think about heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer or obesity. We classify these “terms” as “CONDITIONS” rather than diseases.

Taber’s medical dictionary defines DISEASE as:

“A condition marked by subjective complaints, a specific history, clinical signs and symptoms, and laboratory or radiographic findings.”

Dictionary.com defines DISEASE as:

“a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY or IMBALANCE, TOXICITY, or unfavorable environmental factors.”

Isn’t it interesting the medical definition excludes nutrition (deficiency and/or imbalance,) environmental factors and toxicity in favor of defining disease ONLY WHEN SUBJECTIVE COMPLAINTS (SYMPTOMS) CORRESPOND WITH OBJECTIVE FINDINGS (LAB VALUES AND OHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING.)

If we take high blood pressure as an example, it is a condition that frequently has NO SUBJECTIVE SYMPTOMS. Are we to believe high blood pressure “is not a disease” unless the patient suffers dizziness, headaches, visual abnormalities, or more serious symptoms including heart attack or stroke? Wouldn’t elevated blood pressure demonstrate some form of SUB PAR FUNCTION AND IMBALANCE  in the body as a result of genetic or developmental errors, infection, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY, TOXICITY, or unfavorable environmental factors and/or LIFESTYLE? Waiting for SYMPTOMS has given HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE the nickname “THE SILENT KILLER!”

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If we look at this one simple example, it can apply to basically every other “named disease” (“condition.”)

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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

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It proves that DISEASE can (and DOES) exist prior to awareness and prior to SYMPTOMS. Whether it’s the measles, the flu, diabetes or cancer these diseased states of IMBALANCE are best addressed PRIOR to the onset of ANY SUBJECTIVE or OBJECTIVE evidence through PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE.

The medical definition of disease (as it relates to HEALTH) doesn’t show any correlation with nutrition, exercise, sleep, water intake, stress reduction or social interaction with family and friends. The medical definition seems to imply disease causes symptoms and that good health becomes evident in the absence of subjective symptoms and objective clinical findings. As you can see, the World Health Organization (dating back to 1948) has offered a very different view of Health and Disease.

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WHY IS THE MEDICAL DEFINITION WRONG AND DANGEROUS?

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Cancer is often discovered WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. Diabetes is often discovered WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. Elevated cholesterol is often discovered WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. Measles, on the other hand, is usually discovered WITH SYMPTOMS. It can take between 7 and 18 days (most commonly 10-12 days) to develop symptoms of measles after being infected. Do you believe measles is only a disease after the skin rash begins to show? Do you believe Diabetes is only a disease after laboratory confirmation? Is cancer only a disease after, it too, is discovered through diagnostic testing?

Diseased or DIS-EASED states of health are sub par states of health that many people “suffer from” without realizing it (early in the process.) Until SYMPTOMS are experienced, people do not ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE to support the physical and mental needs of their bodies.

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WHY?

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1. In many cases, health care providers do NOT reinforce this message the way it needs to be reinforced. Whether office visits are too limited in allotted time or disbelief that patients will comply with recommendations, the doctor does NOT emphasize strongly enough the important role the patient must play in PREVENTING DISEASE and MAINTAINING good health.

2. The patient develops an apathetic attitude convincing themselves they can live destructive LIFESTYLES without compromising their HEALTH. This belief is based on satisfying emotional “wants” while blinding themselves to a diseased REALITY that awaits them in the future. It is an attitude expressed with, “I’ll deal with it when it happens!”

3. Lack of proper and thorough education for children growing up.

There are plenty of people that comment on this blog site confirming the health concepts I share with my readers. Many of these people have lived this dangerous lifestyle I’ve discussed and have succumbed to various DISEASES/CONDITIONS.  It is (commonly) only after cardiac disease, diabetes or cancer is diagnosed that attitudes change and attempts are made to “UNDO” the harms they’ve caused.  (This does not mean every person with a disease has brought it on themselves.) It means a majority of people have made the conscious decision to take their chances and “roll the dice.”

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DON’T SAY, “IT WON’T HAPPEN TO ME”

unless you’re willing to take ACTIVE STEPS to significantly reduce the chances. DISEASE doesn’t usually “just happen.” Go back and review the two definitions of DISEASE at the beginning of this post. Now that you’ve had a chance to see “disease” from the perspective I’ve shared, which definition makes more sense to you (the medical definition or dictionary.com’s definition?

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IF YOU SEE A WEAKNESS IN THE MEDICAL DEFINITION OF DISEASE, CAN YOU SEE THE WEAKNESS IN THEIR APPROACH TO GOOD HEALTH AS WELL?

Tags: accountability, alternatives, attitude, disease, health, lifestyle, motivation, Quality of living, responsibility