I was reading in the Oregonian the other day about a new treatment for high blood pressure (hypertension). The article was talking about how there is an increased number of people with high blood pressure who are not responding to their pharmaceutical medications. The new treatment is centered around cutting the nerve that innervates (stimulates) the kidney to control the “fight or flight” response. The goal of this treatment will be to stop the kidney from creating high blood pressure during “fight or flight” which in essence means stopping the body from responding to stress. In medicine, if we continue to fight against the body’s own natural responses to its environment, we will continue to see increased rates of cancer. Cancer is a disease of our culture. We create so much suppression within our body’s (both physical and emotional) that we can no longer maintain the balance needed for optimal health. There needs to be a change in the way we approach the “cause” of disease. By simply “cutting” out the problem, it solves nothing long term. It will only prolong the inevitable.
I continue to be amazed at the direction our health care system is going when it comes to treating people with chronic illness. We need to take the time to educate people on why things are happening in their body’s and help them create associations on cause and effect. This is the only way for change to occur and the only way to prevent our health care system from becoming completely unmanageable.
Do your part, continue to get informed and educated on your health. Take control of your health.
Dr. Buttler