External Causes of Disease
Poisons, viral and bacterial infections: There are some things we can't control such as food poisoning or catching a cold. However, the severity with which you are affected will be determined by how healthy your body and immune system is.
Environmental pollution: The incidence of asthma is increasing nationwide and it is commonly believed that it is due to environmental pollution. We can all do our part to lessen polluting our planet, however your response to pollution will be governed by your general state of health.
Iatrogenic Disease: One of the most common causes of disease is that caused by medical treatments (iatrogenic disease). How many times have you been given medication by your doctor to find that there is a whole long list of side effects? It is not uncommon for people to be prescribed one drug to medicate a symptom and then another drug to counteract the side effects.
One of the problems with prescribing medication is that it only deals with symptoms, it does not sort out the cause of the problem! Death from medical intervention is reaching staggering numbers, both in this country and the U.S. Before taking medication, ask yourself "is there another way that I could deal with this problem that I am experiencing?"
Doctors are not trained to be life counsellors. They are only taught to prescribe drugs or to surgically intervene. They rarely take time to examine a person’s lifestyle or to find out what may be contributing to their health problem.
All too often, drugs such as seroxat and prozac are prescribed for anxiety and depression, with no attempt to help the patient find another way of helping him/herself.
There are times when it is appropriate to take medication, indeed it can be life saving. But before you do, read through this book, check to see if you really are living a healthy lifestyle, and if what you are doing may be having an adverse effect on your health.