Types of Disease
By Dr. Luke

TRUTH: Disease affects all of mankind without exception:

It is a rare person who goes through life without suffering from disease in some form. Throughout history, all nations, great and small, and all peoples, past or present, have had to endure the presence of sickness and disease. Even today, though technological miracles continue to further our understanding of the human body, disease is still common place.

So, what is it? And why have we had to endure it since the beginning of time?

Disease alerts us to the presence of something undesirable in the body. Toxins are a good example of this. They come in two different types. One, the bi-product of our own metabolism, is the waste matter from the undigested foods within us. When the many processes of digestion are working poorly, these toxins can literally poison us from the inside out. Therefore, they are called endo-toxins. The other kind are called exo-toxins, and as the name suggests, these are substances from outside of the body, including substances which we voluntarily ingest such as alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, drugs, and sugars of all kinds.

There are many dictionaries, medical or otherwise - which give exacting and precise definitions of what disease is, but they all boil down to one thing: Disease is what becomes of health under altered conditions and is the result of any impairment of normal functions.

What we term diseases, are of three types:

1. Acute Conditions: according to Dorland's Medical Dictionary, mean conditions having a short-lived and relatively severe course, which is self-limiting. An acute condition is the body's natural way of rapidly eliminating accumulated toxins, and it is a natural function of the body which may be expressed as: fever, mucus flow, coughing, diarrhea, inflammation, headaches, loss of appetite, weakness, desire to sleep, sore throat, skin rashes, muscular and joint aches and pain, etc. Not all of the above symptoms are present at any one time. It all depends on the severity, and location of the toxins to be purged. This can generally be considered a cleansing process.

2. Chronic conditions: These, on the other hand, are quite the opposite. They are conditions that last a long time, with deep-seated continuing symptoms. If such a condition is not reversed, you should consult your family physician. It is a lasting illness, developed over a long period of time, often through persistent neglect and abuse of the body. This in turn results in structural damage to cells, glands, tissues, and organs and causes impairment of bodily processes. Chronic conditions can restrict the flow of vital forces throughout the body, resulting in failure of normal healing processes. A chronic pathology is always accompanied by mental depression to some degree, or distorted and disarranged thinking. Examples of chronic disorders include cancer, heart disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, gall stones, obesity, strokes, ruptures, ulcers, tumours, high blood pressure, etc. All of the above happen to a body that is overwhelmed with toxins to the point where the immune system becomes compromised and the body is no longer able to fight such conditions, and because it is often exposed to continued abuse, this can lead to a terminal condition.

Complete recovery to perfect health is not always possible since the chronicity of a condition leaves behind a certain amount of weakness, and residual damage to the body and mind. As well, our environment is so polluted (air, water, food etc.) that perfect health is next to impossible. But we should not let these seemingly insurmountable obstacles turn us from the path to health.

One thing we should all remember is that the body is a self-healing organism. It knows the secrets of its own existence better than we could ever hope to. It takes its own course of healing, in its own time, so therefore we should never be in a rush to get better because it may have taken a very long time for a disease condition to establish itself in the body.

So the good news is, that if given the 'tools' it needs- the body will, in its own time and course, find it's own solutions to restore health. Imagine trying to build a house with only a hammer, a nail, and three pieces of lumber. No matter what the carpenter's skill, it would be an impossible task. The right tools and materials are essential- just as they are to the body. Examples of this include: proper nutrition, proper mental attitude, ample clean air, water, and rest as well as proper hygiene. These habits can help to prevent the body from becoming accumulated with pollutions and poisons, allow it to clean itself out, and ultimately - to heal. Many people also find that deep breathing exercises, meditation and short, single day water fasts, can aid and accelerate this process.

3. Congenital and hereditary diseases: We have very little control over these except as it relates to pregnancy. An expectant mother, aware of these, should be careful in her diet and habits before and during pregnancy, avoiding physical and emotional traumas.

Putting patients back in touch with their own nature has been the aim of medicine for thousands of years. In the west we have been spell bound by scientific medicine, with its strictly physical explanation for disease. Now western medicine is conceding that illness can originate in either the body or the mind. Eastern philosophies might also add "spirit" to that list. For example, a sudden mental jolt such as the death of a loving spouse can create turmoil in the body. Such a shock can cripple the immune system and make way for hidden illness to surface, which may account for the higher death rates among widowers when compared to the general population of the same age and background.

In mind-body medicine, any explanation has its roots in an earlier stage. For example we used to say that pneumonia begins when pneumcosus bacteria invade the lungs and start to multiply uncontrollably. In reality the initial stage was already there, due to a reduced or weakened immune system, possibly because of a genetic weakness of the organ, extreme stress or a prolonged negative mental attitude. The interaction of the mind and the immune system is so fluid that doctors cannot actually pin point the critical moment when negative thoughts compromise the body's white cell (T. lymphocytes) which are the immune cells. But this much we do know - you can literally think yourself into becoming sick.

Ancient texts on classical and holistic medicine say that disease has six distinct phases. The first three are invisible and the last three carry over symptoms that can be detected by both the patient and the doctor.

1. Accumulation: This process begins with the build up of toxins and the beginning of energy imbalance, disharmony and discord.

2. Dissemination: Imbalance of energy spreads through the body.

3. Aggravation: The imbalance of energy spreads to other organs.

4. Localization: The lack of energy settles somewhere it doesn't belong because the organ is weakened either due to extreme stress or generic weakness.

5. Manifestation: Physical symptoms arise at this point, where the organ is attacked due to the body's inability to fight back from lack of immune system.

6. Disruption: At this time a full-blown disease develops. The victim has vague discomfort. This is the sign that the beginning of a serious illness is on the way…

(The views of Dr. Luke are not meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness and are solely his views and not necessarily those of this magazine or any other entity. Consult your family health provider for any health or medical issues.)