Where and How Does Disease Begin?

And how you can prevent it.

By Dr. Anna Walden, Vital Hematology Department, HealthWalk

We have all had the experience of seeing people who are very, very ill. Usually the persons have logged quite a few decades in the world already. And as they catalog the various ailments which plague their lives, one can mentally turn back the clock and imagine this person young and vibrant. And indeed they probably were. Often we see pictures of their younger, more vital days and imagine that “little did they know” when that picture was being taken how their strong and youthful body would change so drastically.

It gives one pause, since we have to wonder. “Am I, too, so blissfully ignorant of some disastrous process going on in my body that will leave me similarly ravaged?”

If you ask almost anyone where disease begins, they would probably say that it starts with some kind of “bug.” And I would have to agree with them. Pathogens are one of the major stressors on the human body. The microscope reveals an astounding quantity and variety of small creatures, which exist to dismantle that which is no longer viable. They proliferate both in our environment and in our own bodies as our constant companions.

We generally think of infections as being a visible or perceptible phenomenon but actually we can have many smaller, more insidious infections which are raging within our tissues without any identifiable sign. At HealthWalk™ we have a number of modalities to identify and analyze the causes of disease before they manifest as acute illness. Vital Hematology, the study of live blood to determine your health and the appropriate remedies to improve it, is a good example of what we can do to address these issues.

An example of a disease which has a strong connection to microbial infestation is diabetes. The pancreas can harbor an infection which will diminish its function to such a degree that the body is no longer able to produce the proper amount of digestive enzymes, insulin, hormonal regulation or any of the many other functions which this important organ performs. The standard of care in the past has been to intervene with more insulin. Recently it has been shown that the support of the body’s own immune response is a more healing and effective long term approach to this ever-increasing condition.

In practical terms with the numerous microscopic invaders in the body, the body is often in a constant mode of infection- fighting rather than organ repair and rebuilding. So the slow but steady descent into disease ensues. The tendency would be to try to go in and wipe out as many of the invaders as possible. But from a holistic/naturopathic point of view, the better course would be to create an internal environment which is hostile to invaders. This will ensure that your body is prepared to deal with other invaders instead of relying on invasive drugs which oftentimes cause other side effects and offer no protection long term. Since bacteria and other micro-organisms love an acid environment, the body’s pH balance should be kept slightly alkaline. The acid/alkaline balance of the body is most affected by the food we eat and the supplements and pharmaceuticals we ingest.

Although most of us know this, it bears repeating (especially at holiday time) that two of the major acidifiers are refined sugar and refined carbohydrates – watch out for those holiday candies, cookies, cakes and pies. The body loses many minerals in the attempt to maintain proper pH after their consumption.

How do we manage to thrive and enjoy this busy season with our health and wellbeing intact? The body’s balance is delicate and also resilient – when you eat nutritious food, get adequate rest, exercise and reduce the stress load, mostly likely your body will regains its balance. Intuitively we know this and our opportunity this holiday season is to be conscious of our thoughts and actions – do we really want/need that second or third helping or would we rather take a moment to let the tastes linger and savor them before we mindlessly pile more food in? What about a walk, outdoor activity or some game with friends and family instead of sitting around with more food and drink?

Should you overindulge and need some support, please come to HealthWalk™. We are here to work with you and to empower you with the analysis, information and recommendations to help you regain the vitality and well being that you desire.

HealthWalk™ offers many services and products which can address the basic challenge of improper acid/alkaline balance, including Vital Hematology, Nutritional Counseling, and Galvanic Skin Response, GSR biofeedback analysis. I invite you to come see us at HealthWalk™ to partake and benefit from the leading edge modalities and services and some of the best natural supplements and products on the market to support the body in its natural ability to heal itself.