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Chapter 8
The True Nature
and Purpose Of Disease
As mentioned in the
previous chapter, the program that is
presented in this book is based on the Nature Cure philosophy of disease.
This is the philosophy that is taught in Naturopathic colleges throughout the
world. The success of most health hydro's and healing sanitariums is largely
attributable to the fact that their treatment programs are structured around
the basic principles of Nature Cure. If you took the trouble to study into the
matter, you would find that Nature Cure is not that far removed from the
philosophy of disease that was held by Hippocrates - the so-called "father of
medicine" who once taught that . . .
`Nature is the
physician of our diseases.' (The Nature of Man, p. 241)
[It is such a pity that so few who
take the Hippocratic oath today have been taught this vital principle.]
Before we contemplate
the Nature Cure approach, however, it is important that we first consider the
various generally accepted categories or `stages' of disease. Certain schools of
thought interpret these various stages slightly differently but, for the sake of
this exercise, the following interpretation will suffice. Please study Figure
10. carefully.
Reading from top to
bottom of the table, we will notice that these stages of disease progress from
the less serious, less deep-seated manifestations which, if treated correctly,
are usually relatively easy to overcome, to the more serious, more deep-seated
manifestations which are life-threatening and which are usually most difficult
to overcome.
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Acute Stage: |
Colds,
boils, pimples, coughs, fevers, etc. |
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Sub-acute Stage: |
Influenza, bronchial disorders, etc. |
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Chronic Stage: |
Hay
fever, psoriasis, pneumonia, etc. |
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Sub-chronic Stage: |
Asthma,
diabetes, etc. |
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Degenerative Stage: |
Cancer,
gangrene, emphysema, etc. |
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Figure 10. The Categories or Stages of Disease
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Until such time as we
again refer to this table, our discussion will focus primarily on the acute
stage of disease - namely, on our colds, boils, pimples, coughs, fevers, etc.
Please take special note of this fact.
In a very general
sense, Nature Cure teaches us that in the great majority of cases we bring our
acute ailments upon ourselves . . .
(1) either as a result of
unwise living and eating habits, and/or
(2) through the unwise
treatment and/or suppression of past ailments.
As one widely
publicized writer puts it . . .
`Disease never comes
without a cause. The way is prepared, and disease invited, by disregard of the
laws of health.' (E.G. White, Ministry of Healing, p.234, my italics)
Unlike the orthodox
view of disease, a view that considers our acute ailments to be the random
attacks of a `deadly enemy,' Nature Cure considers our acute ailments to be
Nature's spontaneous response to a condition within our bodies - a condition
that has most often come about as a result of faulty living and eating habits. In other
words, our colds and coughs etc, are not
"enemies," as such, but the evidence of
Nature's desperate effort to cleanse the system and to correct the imbalances
that have resulted from our unwise choices.
As Dr. Harry Benjamin
confirms, . . .
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The human body has one ability not
possessed by any machine - the ability to repair itself.'
(Dr. George E. Kriley Jr)
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`Disease is nothing
more or less than Nature's blind attempt at cure. It is the system's attempt to
deal as effectively as it can under given conditions with factors which, through
man's ignorance, folly, and self-indulgence, are causing impediment of
function!' (Everybody's Guide to Nature Cure, pp. 18,19)
In the light of this understanding of
disease, therefore, let us consider Nature's purpose for a few of our more common acute ailments . . .
(1) When we have a cough,
Nature is trying to expel unwanted matter from the system.
(2) When we have a cold, the
body is burdened with toxic accumulations and is making a desperate effort to
cleanse the system.
(3) When we sneeze, Nature is
expelling gaseous waste from the lungs and/or eliminating mucous from the
sinus passages and nose.
(4) When we have diarrhea,
Nature is usually attempting to flush toxic matter from the bowels.
(5) When we have pimples,
boils or blackheads, Nature is eliminating impurities through the skin.
In a broad and very
general sense, therefore, and making allowance for exceptions, Nature Cure
considers our acute ailments, not as hostile attacks on the body, but as the
beneficial efforts of Nature to rid the system of life-burdening impurities. As
a previously quoted writer puts it, . . .
`Nature, to relieve
herself of poisonous impurities, makes an effort to free the system, which
effort produces fevers and what is termed disease.' (E.G. White, Healthful
Living, p. 211)
Now if this is the
first time that you have been confronted with this philosophy of disease, I can
understand if it sounds a little strange, yet it is no more strange than any of
the other self-healing and self-protecting mechanisms that play such a vital
role in preserving our lives. For example:
(1) When we cut ourselves -
the blood coagulates at the cut, the skin grows together, and Nature heals the
cut.
(2) When we burn ourselves -
Nature covers the burn with a protective blister.
(3) When we break a bone -
Nature knits the bone together.
(4) When a germ or a virus
enters the bloodstream - then, by the brilliant design of Nature, a marvelous army of
powerful little internal `friends' come to our support and overwhelm the
intruder.
(5) When we damage an area -
the blood rushes to that area to supply healing energy and nutrients, to
protect the area, and to carry away toxins and waste.
(6) When, after many years of
physical abuse, we switch to a more healthy way of living, Nature immediately
responds by mustering all of her healing energies.
Clearly, all of these
protective and restorative mechanisms are part of a brilliant Master design -
one that includes self-healing, self-regeneration, and self-protection as vital
components in an overall strategy that is aimed at preserving the living
organism.
Once we recognize how
Nature is constantly working to keep us well, we can readily discern that there
is nothing strange about a philosophy of disease that views our acute ailments
as the beneficial, healing, cleansing efforts of Nature. As Dr. Stanley Lief
explains:
`The process of acute
disease is one which actually saves life. It enables the body to cleanse
itself of dangerous excesses of impurities that the depurating organs [lungs,
bowels, kidneys, skin etc.] have been unable to eliminate in the normal way.
The situation has become one in which the body is full of filth (toxins) and
so the body must seek some way by which to throw it off, or death will ensue.
The most usual way is by means of a fever - a burning up, a feverish cold,
etc. These processes are produced by the body in an effort to purify and
soothe itself. If the purpose of disease were universally understood from this
standpoint, it would quickly loose its terrors, and instead be regarded as a
friend in disguise.' (Dr. Stanley Lief, N.D., D.O., D.C., Health For All,
Volume 36.6)
We have seen so many people
benefited when they stopped using drugs to suppress their acute ailments, and we
have seen so many others severely handicapped through the unwise and ongoing
suppression of those same acute ailments, that I can only urge the reader to
consider the remainder of this book in a very serious light - the next
chapter in particular. As I hope to
prove to you, the interpretation of the role that our acute diseases are
intended to play is not just a matter of opinion, but a matter of life and
death.
Supporting Statements
`It is incongruous that in this modern age of sophistication, of
development, of sheer scientific genius, society is still not able to
control, understand or remove the incidence of disease. In our present
fantastic century of scientific discoveries, man still fails to understand
the nature of disease, and the means to cure disease. There is virtually
a
blind spot in science in relation to disease.' (Dr. Boris Chaitow,
My Healing
Secrets,
pp.11,12)
`Disease
is the life principle at war with an enemy. It is the defender and
protector of the living organism. It is a process of purification. It is
an effort to remove foreign and offensive materials from the system, and
repair damage the vital machinery has suffered.' (Dr Russell D. Trall, How
to Live, p. ix)
To Repeat: In my opinion this chapter and the
one following are the highpoints of this book - throwing light on every
other chapter. Please read them together and please read them with careful
reflection.
Proceed To
Chapter 9: In the next
chapter we will be considering the tragedy of all tragedies - the global and
constant suppression of Nature's kindly attempts to heal us - and this by the
self-acclaimed custodians of our health.
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