What Really Causes Disease?

This is a great quote from Bob Wright. It reminds me of something that I had heard in January of 1982, during my first week attending New York Chiropractic College. Dr. Frank DiGiacomo told our class “The only thing a doctor has ever cured is a ham, because the body cures itself.” This concept stuck with me and I think that it is very profound. It is in direct contrast to many western doctors, who prescribe the pill for the ill.

The human body is the most perfect piece of engineering that we know of. The human body has a life force, or an innate intelligence that strives to get us healthy and to keep us healthy. Unfortunately there are excesses and deficiencies that can prevent that from occurring.

The Excesses that can cause disease and prevent 100% of optimal health:

1. The inefficiency to deal with stress

2. Traumas, both macro traumas and repetitive micro traumas. Chiropractic adjustments can help your innate intelligence to heal your body more efficiently from these traumas.

3. Toxins, both chemical and electromagnetic. This include anything that you swallow, breathe or gets absorbed through your skin.

4. A chronic or acute infection in the body. Infections by in large won’t occur with a well functioning immune system. An infection could come from a puncture wound, a gash or laceration that isn’t properly cleaned, or through poor hygiene.

The Deficiencies that can cause disease and prevent 100% of optimal health:

1. Lack of proper nutritional intake. This includes food, supplements and good quality water.

2. Lack of a gene. Bad genes can be turned off and good genes can be turned on through diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications, but if you are missing a gene that you need, that is a problem.

3. Another deficiency can occur when an organ, gland or body part is missing, has been surgically removed or has been permanently damaged. In chiropractic, we call this “limitation of matter”. The individual is no longer able to regain the full function of this body component.

4. Lack of proper sleep.

5. Lack of proper physical activity and exercise.

6. Lack of sunshine. According to Scientific American, 75% of teens and adults in America are vitamin D deficient. There are also a number of other physiological and emotional benefits derived from exposure to sunshine, some of which I believe are yet to be discovered.

7. Lack of contact to the earth. Being in physical contact with the earth makes us healthier. We have too many positive ions in our bodies and the earth is more negatively charged. Earthing or grounding has been known to many “primitive” cultures. Modern man is now embracing this ancient concept.

8. A deficiency of proper hygiene, both oral and body. Poor oral hygiene can cause dental and gum issues, which can lead to chronic inflammation, a key factor with many chronic diseases. Poor body hygiene can lead to an excessive proliferation of pathogens.

Are you wondering why pathogens themselves, including bacteria and viruses are not on this list? After all, don’t they cause disease? The answer is yes and no. The inability of the immune system to fight off the pathogen is what really causes the disease, not the pathogen itself. The pathogens in a average house are potent enough to kill thousands of people if they had no immunity. If a hundred people are exposed to a pathogen, only a percentage would contract the illness. That percentage depends on the virulence of the pathogen and the strength of the immune systems of the individuals exposed.

In my opinion, the best strategy for a long and healthy life is a simple one. Minimize those 4 potential excesses and maximize the 8 potential deficiencies. Your life force or innate intelligence will take care of the rest.

May you live long and prosper.