You Must Know Your Enemy to Defeat Him
Most diseases are directly impacted by lifestyle. We know this because of disease trends comparing the US to other countries and increased disease in people who immigrate to the US. All humans have genetics that may result in disease (being alive incurs risk), and taking care of ourselves allows us to take advantage of whatever good genetics we have. To know how to take care of ourselves, we need to know the facts on health, including nutrition.
Unfortunately, finding out the facts on nutrition can be very difficult. Some diseases are well defined in terms of causes and what to do to reduce risk, such as heart disease. The American Heart Association has done an amazing job putting together scientific reviews for health professionals as well as diet plans and cookbooks. Other diseases, such as cancer, are not addressed in any one clear and complete resource. This leaves Americans in a very difficult situation. Cancer victims are faced with either accepting incomplete information, or they must start a search through research papers, trying to understand the confusion that the scientists themselves are in. This, while they count down the remaining days that their doctors have told them they have to live. This is clearly not acceptable. Needed are lists of facts, some discussion to help make sense of the facts, and a meal plan based on those facts.
The need for simple, factual information is immediate, because mortality statistics are not just a bunch numbers. Behind the numbers lie an indescribable amount of human suffering. My grandmother died of heart disease. I never met either of my grandfathers; one fell victim to stroke, the other to lung cancer. I have had personal friends fall victim to other diseases, such as brain cancer, and have met many people in everyday life who are suffering from disease. Talking to family members of victims, I see the pain in their eyes as they ask me what foods will help their parent, spouse, child or friend. These people deserve nothing but the most concise and valid information possible. Understanding and acting on that kind of information gives a person the best chance of being alive as long as possible for their own sakes and for the sake of their loved ones.
