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I went to my mechanic two months ago because the oil light was on; he promptly placed duct tape over the bright light on my dashboard that was causing an irritation to my eyes. A few weeks later my engine started to make these noises so he told me to just ignore them, that it was all in my mind, that I was just imaging it. I figured he was the expert so I just started listening to more classic rock and roll where I could turn the tunes up a little louder. Well the other day my engine seized up on me. They now want to replace the whole oil circulation system along with the heart of my automobile, the engine. You know, I should have known better. The last time this happened to me they charged me lots of money to pump a cleaner through the whole oil circulatory system to increase the thick old oil to actually flow through the worn and narrowed tubes and hoses and injectors. They called getting the engine sludge to flow, “thinning the oil out”.

I feel so foolish because today I was told about this thing called “preventive maintenance”. I was told that if I spent a little time and energy now and kept my vital fluids flowing by changing the oil every 3000 miles and avoided this thickening and sludging of the fluids, the hoses and the valves wouldn’t get all gunked up. The heart of my vehicle wouldn’t break down and leave me stranded and DEAD.

I knew there had to be a better way. I was caught in the rut of waiting for a problem to occur, then patching it together, then waiting for the next thing to occur and patching it, instead of doing the common sense thing called preventive maintenance. Even if there is an extra up front cost and the time to do these maintenance checks and procedures it will be well worth it in the long run, and I won’t be wishing that I should have, could have, or would have.

This has been a lot of what I have been hearing the last week with the “Doctors With A Heart” program we have been doing. To summarize, February is heart awareness month and for the past 9 years we offer a lipid panel test for a donation to the heart association. People get their triglyceride, cholesterol, and HDL and LDL tests done and then meet with a doctor for a consultation. It is amazingly scary how so many individuals have so many health issues going on. Those dash lights are on full brightness and yet people choose to ignore all the signs or symptoms, or, they feel like they have a Lipitor or Cumidin deficiency. In all my years of medical schooling I never heard about deficiencies of these drugs. I have heard and read over and over about how the American lifestyle and diet will kill you, but never that drugs are an essential part of aging. Now don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for everything. It is just that drugs are prescribed ALL TOO FREQUENTLY without altering and addressing the diets, lifestyles and multitude of extraneous data that I feel is imperative to evaluate before using the third largest killer in this country on yourself. (Please note: I encourage anyone on any prescription medication to read the Physicians Desk Reference regarding his/her particular drug. You need to realize what these medications may be doing to your body. Please take the time and regain as much control as you possibly can and research what you put into your body, mind and spirit).

Everything has a cause. Question authority. Ask them WHY? Search out answers and they shall be found. Treating the symptoms of our country’s #1 cause of death will only get you symptomatic relief; it does not cure or get to the root or cause of the problem.

According to the 10th edition of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, “The only effective treatment of atherosclerosis appears to be prevention by diet and lifestyle modification. This contention is supported by the well accepted fact that the major risk factors of atherosclerosis (elevated blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and diabetes) are all induced by the western diet and lifestyle (genetic factors, obesity, stress, diet, personality type, and physical inactivity).”

In cases of hypertension The Annals of Internal Medicine states, “Most case of hypertension can be brought under control through changes in lifestyle”. The American Journal of Cardiology states, “Although behavior patterns and stress play an important part, hypertension is most closely related to dietary factors. Hypertension is another of many diseases or syndromes associated with the western lifestyle and diet, and is found almost entirely in developed countries. People living in remote areas of China, The Solomon Islands, New Guinea, Panama, Brazil, and Africa show virtually no evidence of essential hypertension, nor do they experience a rise in blood pressure with advancing age. Furthermore, when racially identical members of these societies migrate to less remote areas and adopt a more ‘ civilized’ diet the incidence of hypertension dramatically increases.”

We must always remain aware and open to what the truth is. The real truth shall set you free, not the truth that stands to profit from conditioned insatiable appetites, or fear, or others misfortune. Always beware of lies and deceptions for they abound. The snake oil salesmen of the past have just become a little slicker and now own a few more politicians. Money can buy false truths. Always think, think, think and follow your heart.

The doctor of the future will give no medicine,
but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet,
and in the cause and prevention of disease.
(Thomas Edison)




© 2001 Dr. Paul Mach Design: Sotelo Design