Americans are a perfect example of an overfed & undernourished country. We are constantly bombarded by information on diets from food companies, current faddists, and diet cultists, yet the picture is very incomplete. According to the Chinese point of view, the body is looked at as a whole, working together in harmony. Just as every little screw & bolt on a machine has an important purpose, if one part is broken the whole suffers. Our body is a very intricate machine that works together as a whole.

Western medicine tends to focus only on the diseased part of the body. It tries to attack & kill the diseased cells, not taking into account why those cells are diseased to begin with. It is not just because the cells are exposed to viruses and bacteria. We are constantly exposed to these; our mouth is full of bacteria. Yet why is it that some people break down and get sick and others do not, when both are exposed to the same pathogens?

Our body is equipped with a healing mechanism that is greater than any invention. It is so unique that it has this system that can repair the body's disharmonies, given the right chance to do so. Through inappropriate lifestyle, diet, thoughts & actions, we abuse the workings of this delicate system. Always keep in mind that the body's own healing system is very powerful. Suppressing a headache with aspirin does not take away the underlying cause. The headache is a warning of some disharmony. Thus, we should work on the underlying cause and use natural healing methods to enhance the immune system so the body can heal itself.

Also see: Garlic may repel prostate cancer (From the BBC)