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Sources of Dis-ease
It is accepted that approximately 5% of the
population suffer diseases of genetic origin. This is where a genetic error (mutation)
occurs in our biochemistry adversely affecting a pathway with consequent illness
conditions or physical/mental disabilities. This leaves 95% of the population succumbing
to chronic illness conditions (i.e. lasting 6 months or more) because of cellular
malnutrition and/or internal pollution. The 2004-5 National Health Survey Summary
showed that 78% of Australians are in fact suffering one or more chronic illness
conditions. How many of you are aware that any degree of mal (meaning
bad) digestion must lead to consequent malabsorbtion and cellular malnutrition?
It is interesting to reflect on the terminology "chronic", another term for this may be "habitual". There can be little argument that almost all chronic illness conditions are the result of sustained habits detrimental to good health. It therefore follows that "to change your mind is to change your life".
Malnutrition
To understand malnutrition is to understand dis-ease. Malnutrition exists in tandem
with essential nutrient deficiencies, their imbalance and/or excess of essential nutrients
and other substances AND IS THE MAJOR FACTOR IN THE AGING PROCESS. It may
be fair to say that, barring trauma and some infectious diseases, everyone dies in the end
of cellular malnutrition. For instance, an elderly individual suffers a hip fracture, is
hospitalized and within weeks or months, dies, usually of pneumonia. Cause of death? The death certificate might show "pneumonia", which in fact
is secondary to: Calcium/Magnesium deficiency at a cellular level with consequent hip-fracture. One could
even question the integrity of the immune system succumbing to pneumonia through a lack of
or increased need for vitamin C and diverse other antioxidants,
adaptogens and/or immuno-stimulants.
Chief among the causative factors of illness conditions in our society is overconsumption/undernutrition. We need at least 50 essential nutrients on a daily basis to offset cellular malnutrition. Major reasons for nutrient deficiency include inadequate dietary intake and it has been shown that as many as 90% of the population may be deficient in one or more nutrients. Next we have maldigestion, which may be due to a wide range of causative factors including but not confined to: genetic or acquired digestive problems; mental/emotional disturbances; malabsorbtion with consequent food allergy or sensitivity and lectins intolerance; increased need for one or more nutrients due to unmanaged stressors which may range from menstruation, pregnancy and lactation in the female to any illness condition, toxic-overload or nutrient imbalance.
Nutrient Imbalance
May be due to diverse causes including:
The relative ratios of dietary carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils and fiber.
The ration between different minerals.
The ratio between different vitamins.
The ration between non-essential and essential fatty acids.
The ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
The Remedy
A wholistic program consequent to a
comprehensive search for symptomatology and contributing factors. The program to address the holy
trinity of "mind, body and spirit".
Such a program will pay attention to therapeutic, predictive and preventive strategies and may be time-consuming dependent upon the gravity or chronicity of the illness condition and importantly the outcomes must be as a consequence of information-sharing between patient and practitioner so that the individual is enabled and empowered to make an informed decision regarding treatment and to become an equal partner (with all of the responsibilities of that partnership) in their treatment program.
When such a situation is created and the individual treatment protocols established and diligently applied then, and only then, will predictable and favorable outcomes be achieved.