If done right, the development of a health care system that focuses on personalized health planning will be every bit as transformational as the coupling of science to medicine was in the 20th century.
R.S. Williams, MD
This is why, in the story of healing, getting rid of symptoms is not the end of the story but just the beginning.
In part two, we will look at how this new theory applies to nutrition and wellness.
Optimal Health
This is why, in the story of healing, getting rid of symptoms is not the end of the story but just the beginning.
Disease is not manifest in our body until there is a significant drop in function of an organ or organ system. That means that, by the time a symptom appears, there is already significant damage to the organ or system.
To use an analogy from the home, lets consider an AC unit. Lets begin when the AC unit is brand new and working at 100% of capacity. Over time, wear and tear began to mount and the unit works less and less less efficiently.
When the AC unit drops from 100% function to 98% function, it is such a small change (2%) that it is hardly noticeable. As it continues to drop, perhaps below 80%, you begin to notice that it doesn’t cool down quite as quickly on those hot hot summer days, but other wise it works “fine”.
Over time, you adjust to this new normal, and although the AC doesn’t work perfectly, you learn to live with it.
Eventually, there comes a day, as the performance level continues to drop, that you diagnose the problem ( “I think the AC is broken!”) and begin treatment (call the AC repair man).
This is what symptoms are like in the body. They are the overt, obvious signs of a subtle longer term problem.
When a symptom finally presents itself, this is just a more obvious sign of a longer term decrease in function.
To Restore Health
So, to restore optimal health and function, not only do we have to handle the symptoms, but we also have to reverse the longer term process that created this state.
To do this, we not only have to give the body enough nutrients to reverse the symptoms present, but also to replenish the body’s reserves for each of these vital nutrients.
To do this requires time.
On a timeline, the healing process looks like this:
Step 1 Get rid of the bad – Start the therapy to improve / reverse the symptom
Step 2 Address the cause – Continue the therapy to address the underlying cause
Step 3 Optimize Health – Continue the therapy to optimize health back to 100%
Step three also lowers the risk for long term degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
So why take nutritional supplements?
Not only can high quality nutrient dense foods (and high quality supplements), improve your health immediately but also they have long term benefits as well.
Over time, eating more nutrient dense foods and increasing your micronutrient intake is reversing these short term changes, allowing your body to transform from short term crisis care to longer term rebuilding and repair.
As you do, you will be reversing your risk factors for long term degenerative diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer while optimizing your health, vitality, ease and fitness along with your gene expression.
Nutrigenemoics
Nutrigenomics is the science measuring the effect of diet on the expression of our genes.
Simply put, what we eat has the power to turn on and off our genes to either promote health and prevent disease, or predispose to illness and disease — depending on the food.
Also, in the presence of a healthy diet with optimum levels of minerals and vitamins, you are also able to change your genes to express a healthier pattern.
In short, eating healthy foods can actually CHANGE your gene expression to more healthy patterns, resulting in better health, more vitality and increased longevity.
While many people come to see me seeking natural ways to treat symptoms, such as bringing high blood pressure back into the normal range or getting rid of headaches, the real value of a nutrient rich diet and supplement program will be realized over 5, 10 even 20 years as you are maximizing your health, ease, vitality and fitness.
As a side benefit of this, you are also decreasing your risk for chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer and positively changing your gene expression.
