Excerpts from "Hygienic Heights", Your Questions Answered

Aftercare

Do most patients carry through on the needed changes when put on a natural health program including nutritional reform?

The attractiveness of going to a doctor for many is putting the responsibility for getting better in the doctors hands. In medical practice this means the patient only needs to take pills or go under a knife... .there is little effort required on the part of the patient if the insurance company pays for it also, the patient just goes along for the ride all the way! All the way into never getting well, taking toxic drugs, evolving into poor health, and never taking control of their future.

In a hygienically oriented practice effort by the patient is required. Causes of impaired health must be identified. Toxic habits e.g. smoking, eating junk foods, drinking alcohol, overeating, etc., have to cease. They must get off the drug train, eat from the bounties of nature while learning to control their appetites and eat to live rather than live to eat. Bad habits are to be faced and conquered.

Their only rewards are well functioning bowels, increased energy, more resistance to disease, happier dispositions, good digestion, clear skin, good concentration, improved vision, longer life, etc. and absence of pain because the causes are gone.

They must suffer the hardships of drinking pure water, eating the bounties of the the earth like sweet fruits, crispy flavorful vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, whole grains, and other nourishment our creator blessed us with, rather than attachment to processed foods that nourish our diseases. They learn to take responsibility of caring for themselves in an effective manner for a lifetime.

The percentage of my patients that carry through on a health building program, with proper testing, undergoing detoxification as needed, changing their diet and hygienic habits, learning about biochemical individuality, and enjoying increased health and vitality I would estimate at 70%.

Most are sick of being sick and are motivated to make the effort and changes to get well. There are some who want to get well without making the needed effort. Those individuals will continue to go from one doctor to another never obtaining the good health they seek.

Doctor Dependencey

In your opinion do we need to be dependent on doctors (of any kind) to stay well?

It is unfortunate that we have created a privileged class of people (doctors) that have generated the notion that the public must rely on them to maintain their health.

In those countries with the most doctors (M.D.'s, D.C.'s, D.D.S's, etc.) there is no evidence that people are healthier. On the contrary, the same countries with the highest number of doctors also have the highest rates of degenerative diseases. ...

To avoid this dependency trap, I work with patients intensively for as little as three weeks to several months, analyzing the patient's health condition as to the causes of their problems. ...

The current modes of standard health care have trained our population to put the responsibility on their physicians for their health. This has not proven successful for two reasons.

Firstly, under such a plan patients generally receive symptomatic care only, whether it be a drug, a spinal adjustment, or an herb, none of which fully address etiological factors involved in health and disease by themselves.

Secondly, the patient learns to be a very passive participant in their health. The doctor gives a drug, the patient passively takes it. The patient lies down passively on a table, the doctor moves a vertebra. The doctor gives a herbal formula, the patient passively takes it.

Nowhere in these procedures does the patient take an active role and learn to take care of themselves. All this results in a very dependent relationship between the practitioner and patient being formed.

This serves the doctors needs very well. The patient is now dependent upon him. The patient must run to the doctor on an ongoing basis for care whether that care is considered corrective or preventive in origin. The patient is at the tender mercy of the doctor henceforth and never becomes a master of their own health. We have taken away one of the individuals most important assets, the ability to care for themselves.

The wise doctor realizes that initially he or she may need to take a active role and the patient a more passive role in the early stages of health restoration, but does everything possible to put the power of self care into the patients hands as soon as possible enabling them to take better care of themselves in the future.

Deficiencies

What is the single greatest deficiency that we have?

Most people asking me this are referring to nutrient deficit and the answer to that questions is folic acid.

Folic acid is found primarily in green leafy plants. Ironically this is one nutrient you never find deficient in other primates that eat abundant amounts of vegetation, but is a common one in Americans. A lack of it can cause severe birth defects in children in the form of spina bifida. A lack also leads to fatigue, anemia, and because of its relationship with homocysteine, heart disease. Ironically, green leafy plants are easily available. They are formed in cooperation with the rays of light from the sun and the development of that beautiful emerald compound called chlorophyll. Green leafy plants contain many nutrients and life giving factors including vitamins, many minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. It is significant that the very source of what should be a major food for us is the number one deficiency in this land of processed foodstuffs.

Two other exceedingly common deficiencies in the U.S. affecting our nutritional status are loneliness and lack of sleep.

Loneliness is a significant source of disease. Even when surrounded by people, many people have few others they can relate to in a significant fashion. It is common to find people with eating disorders, drug addiction, emotional disturbances, and a host of other health problems that stem from a lack of "significant others" . We are designed by nature to be social creatures. A lack of meaningful contact with others contributes to ill health and is a risk factor for many serious diseases. Animals other than humans may also provide health benefits and prevent loneliness such as a dog. The doctor should identify and spend time with patients who are lonely it is why some people look forward to going to see a Doctor, i.e. to have someone to talk to.

Another deficiency is lack of sleep and rest which may lead to much mental and physical illness. We were intended by nature to go to sleep when the sun goes down and rise when the sun comes up ....

There are few things that can lower body efficiency more quickly then a lack of sleep and rest. Sleep is the period for repair and revitalization of body and mind. It is during this period that new tissues are built (anabolism). Even a single night with too little sleep leaves us feeling depleted, worn and unable to meet the demands of life. When we receive too few hours over many years the body ages more quickly, loses its resistance, and becomes susceptible to a host of ills.

Nothing can replace what sleep gives us in the way of balancing our energies and promoting repair. The functional efficiency of our cells depends upon the nutrients that come from food and the electrical energy that comes from sleep. At the deepest levels of sleep, the body releases healing hormones including growth hormone and testosterone. Without adequate sleep the immune system does not function efficiently. Brain function and emotional balance are impaired.

The Aging Process

Does good nutrition slow down the aging process?

Aging involves many factors including genetics. The way in which we lead our lives, however, exerts significant influence on the rate of aging. Our cells are constantly being renewed and need a continuous supply of nutrients. The flow of nutrients and oxygen and the availability of enzymes, along with how rapidly cellular wastes are discarded, are primary factors in the rate of cellular aging. High quality nutrients and oxygen in, waste products out, is the is the basic formula determining cellular aging.
If wastes accumulate faster than cells are able to disperse them, aging is accelerated. Signs of cellular toxicity include fatigue, lethargy, problems in recuperating from stress, bad breath, poorly functioning bowels, skin eruptions, diminished resistance to disease, etc. Cellular wastes accumulate due to overeating, poor quality foods, lack of sleep and rest, emotional stress, over or under-activity, digestive problems, and other hygienic factors.

Young people eating poor quality foods, overeating, engaging in toxic habits, ignoring the need for rest and sleep, etc., may think there will be no repercussions because they feel "good". What they do not understand is that the damage they are doing to their body is cumulative, with affects often not noticed until they reach their late twenties, thirties, or older. A price is paid for our abuses, and it can be a dear one.

Frequently clients tell me, "I wish I had learned about my biochemistry and how to apply Hygienic principles before these problems started". Many of us "get old too soon and smart too late."

If we are eating such an inferior diet of refined foods these days, why are we living longer?

Health and longevity are not tied to any single factor. The primary reason we are living longer today is because of better sanitation. Sanitation began to improve dramatically in the United States in the early part of this century as chlorine was added to the water and sanitation regulations were made and enforced. A variety of other public health advancements such as screened windows, improved methods for reducing infant mortality, and medical technology for keeping people alive by artificial measures have also played a role.

There is today, however, much more degenerative disease with important nutritional implications. Cancer is the number one killer of children after accidents. Diabetes is rampant in the U.S. population. Heart attacks have become increasingly common in forty and fifty year old men, and are seen more often even in twenty and thirty year olds.

We live longer but not healthier.

How much better it would be to take advantage of public health advancements in sanitation, housing, and prenatal care combined with a hygienic way of life. We could have the best of both worlds.

Supplements

Do you believe in taking nutrient supplements?

It is best to obtain nutrients from the diet whenever possible. Eating a variety of natural, fresh, unprocessed foods grown on mineral rich soil, having sound digestion, and keeping stress levels reasonable, limits the need for nutrient supplementation. Many people do not meet these criteria, but this does not warrant haphazardly gulping nutrient supplements.

It is far better to first improve the diet along with addressing any digestive impairment. Consuming fresh vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, fresh fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains, and other nutrient rich unprocessed foods is the place to start.

It is surprising how many people gulp down handfuls of pills saying they do so because of our depleted soil....yet have diets that include large amounts of refined white flour, sugars, "pastas", and other denatured foods. They not only eat foods that are grown on soil that is less than perfect, but also buy foods that have been highly processed with the life force drained from them.

If digestive processes are impaired, nutrient supplements alone are not the answer... reasons for the digestive impairment must be analyzed and corrected so natural foods can be utilized.

Clients often walk into my office carrying bags of the latest nutrient supplement fads ..... Juice Plus tablets, Metrecs, blue green algae, dehydrated grains, Shaklee, Solar, Aloe Vera, Herblike, Spiraling, protein powders, colloidal mineral solutions, colon cleansers, etc, etc, etc.... whatever is in vogue at the time.

"But Dr. Goldberg," they say, "my product is different... look what the brochure says... look at the video that came with it... look at the list of people with credentials who endorsed it

I've seen a thousand products come and go and seen thousands of patients march in through my office door carrying products, which in excitement desperation they hope will resolve their health problems, with minimal effort their part ... only to be disappointed.

The simplest, most natural foods direct from nature's garden will nourish us if we choose them wisely, understand our individual traits, have good digestion and elimination, and follow a hygienic way of living.

Plant-Based Diet

Can one avoid animal products entirely and still be healthy?

Yes, it is possible as long as the diet is varied and includes plenty of green leafy plants and good sources of proteins such as nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, lentils, and whole grains. The scientific evidence points to the superiority of a plant based diet for human beings. Animal flesh consumption is linked with the major causes of mortality and morbidity in the U.S.

My research in human nutrition and anthropology has lead me to believe that approx. 5% to 8% of the total dietary intake could and in some cases should consist of animal proteins.

The source of those animal proteins is an important topic.

The proteins that were and are consumed in small amounts by our primate cousins such as the chimpanzees consist mostly of insects and perhaps an occasional egg or small mammal. This is a far cry from the animal proteins consumed by westernized man today.

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate mostly a plant based diet with some animal proteins coming from insects and an occasional mammal (the amount of animal flesh consumed by the hunter gatherer was less than is assumed by most people when they visualize the caveman hunter/gatherer). When they did manage to bring down a bison, antelope, or other animal and consume it they were eating a product that had little similarity to the animal flesh purchased in the stores today.

Today's slaughterhouse animal products, are raised far differently than the animals our hunter gatherer ancestors, early pioneers, or the American Indians ate and have a much different chemical composition.

Children

Your children don't eat animal flesh and avoid commercial standard food items. Doesn't that make it hard for them to fit in with others at their schools and in their social activities?

My children have been raised on a mostly vegetarian diet comprised of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and free range eggs. My wife and I try to set a good example for them to the best of our abilities.

Other children ask them why they are not eating a "hot dog" or having a "bologna sandwich" and my kids explain it to them.

My children have learned that it is necessary to be different sometimes. If being different means being kind to animals, not taking drugs, being respectful to others, taking good care of their bodies, being conscious about what they ingest, taking care of the planet they live on, being respectful of other peoples beliefs, etc.... then being different is not only good, it is essential. Interestingly, other children sometimes see the natural foods my kids are eating and start thinking about what they are eating as well.

Doing the right things is not always easy. It is far easier to follow the crowd and do like everybody else does. If we are not willing to be different when it means doing the right things, however, our lives lose meaning and we become little more then sheep.

Hyperactivity

Can my child's hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, poor learning ability, behavioral problems in school, etc. be related to the foods they are consuming?

Yes! It is tragic how parents feed their kids junk at home, the school dietitians give them more junk at school, and then when the kids biochemistry goes out of whack and the kid starts misbehaving out comes the diagnostic titles such as attention deficit disorder and the Ritalin!

Weight Loss

What do you recommend for weight loss?

That the person address their overall health and forget about their weight! When they have undergone appropriate health reform measures their weight will normalize as a direct result of their improved health and health habits.

I have many people consult me for weight loss, but I never place people on a weight loss program, for that is doomed to fail. Clients must be addressed as individuals with health problems, and total health must be the goal. Obesity is a disease. It is a sign of imbalances in the body, in the metabolism, and in the way of living of the individual. With obesity comes a plethora of problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, spinal problems, fatigue, etc. When a persons health is addressed from a total natural hygienic perspective, weight loss occurs as a welcomed consequence, a side effect, of their new health. This approach has proven enormously successful for my clients. Excess weight comes off and stays off, along with improved vitality and resistance to disease. The rapidity at which this occurs under proper care is amazing to most people despite the fact that we are addressing the health of the individual and not just the weight.

Ninety eight percent of all people in the United States who go on "weight loss programs" will gain back all the weight they lost (or more) within a years time after losing it. That is because they do not address the causes of their problem their disturbed habits, disturbed metabolism, and wrong ways of living .... not just their diet.

Is fasting appropriate for weightloss?

It is appropriate to fast some people who are overweight, with careful experienced supervision, but not with the orientation simply towards weight loss, but rather towards balancing the persons entire health picture.

Learning More

I would like to know more about being a doctor helping people through hygienici nutritional avenues. How can I continue to learn?

For health care students I advise that you first change your own habits and learn to master yourself and your own behaviors.

Those wishing to further advance their knowledge should acquire a graduate degree in a related area e.g. Public Health, Biochemistry, etc. You will not, however, be able to learn how to be a Natural Hygiene Practitioner merely by academic studies alone. Do self-study and arrange an internship with a doctor involved in the practice of Clinical Nutrition and Natural Hygiene.

Become a patient of a Natural Hygiene Practitioner. See what is involved in your own case. ... I am amazed at how many students want to practice Chiropractic, Natural Hygiene, or Clinical Nutrition and yet never went through the experience of having a work up and being under the care of an experienced practitioner themselves.

And read, e.g. the books listed in the book list.

You can read books by old hygienic masters, e.g. Herbert Shelton, at the free Soil and Health Library (choose Health Library/ Alternative Medical Therapies).

Being a patient of an experienced Natural Hygiene practitioner, working with such a practitioner, and reading Hygienic Literature will give you a basis upon which to decide if a Natural Hygiene practice is for you.

A Natural Hygiene practice can be very intense. It requires acquiring a great deal of expertise, giving a generous amount of time to each patient and not being afraid of a lot of hard work. You need to be knowledgeable in many different areas if you are to be of help. It is not just giving dietary and exercise advice. You must educate your patients repeatedly and constantly be exploding misconceptions they have.

The two or three minute office visit seen in many medical and chiropractic offices will not suffice. You will put in three times the work and see perhaps one third the number of patients due to time demands. You will be confronted with more difficult cases than commonly seen in standard practices, be confused with other doctors who merely sell food supplements, often not be covered by insurance policies, be called in the middle of the night by someone with cancer or lupus who heard from someone else with cancer or lupus that they should call you immediately for help, work much harder yet make less income, be under the gun by other doctors who are ignorant or jealous of what you do, work with patients desperate for help and impatient to get out of pain yet wanting to get well without making the necessary effort.

Hygienic Practitioners as well as others who address their patients health through the application of natural laws, spend more time with each patient than in other offices and yet on the average charge no more per visit. One would have to be foolish to enter into a Hygienic practice simply to make more money! Many young practitioners and students have come into my office to discuss how to practice hygienically.
Very few actually do so when they learn of the greater demands upon the practitioner and the generally lower income level to be expected.

Patients seen in a Natural Hygiene practice are more demanding. They will not seek you out just for some low pain, or a headache, or other single problem, they will come to you for all symptoms and expect you to return the outstanding health in total! (and with most patients we can).

Patients seen in a Natural Hygiene Practice frequently come into the office as a last resort having been through medical, chiropractic and other channels without getting better. Many have taken numerous drugs and undergone surgical procedures, all of which have left them weakened and with less vitality to recover with. It is challenging, but of course highly rewarding to help these patients when no one was able to previously.

Knowing the demanding nature of a Natural Hygiene oriented practice (having been in practice well over twenty years), I still would not trade what I do for any other type of practice.

Insurance Concerns

Aren't you concerned that insurance companies do not always pay for the services you perform?

If the only reason a patient is going to come is because their insurance company will pay for it, I don't want them as a patient. There has to be more motivation than that. I felt the same way when I limited my practice to standard chiropractic care. The patient needed to appreciate the benefits of what they were receiving and not make their decision on the type of care based on insurance reimbursement.

The benefits both short and long term a patient receives from working through a program of care with myself or other hygienic practitioner, in addition to the money they will save by reducing their risks for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, etc., is more than worth the investment. If they want to go to a medical doctor and take drugs and surgery for their symptoms and do nothing for their health, while having some of their medical bills reimbursed - if that is the determining factor, then they should have their symptoms treated by a medical physician rather than have their vitality and health returned through hygienic measures.

With laboratory testing, office visits, and supplies combined, the average client under a hygienic program of care spends far less then they would with the average medical or chiropractic practitioner. This is because we do not keep the patient coming back for ongoing care after he or she has been returned to health, and because proper hygienic care lessens their risk of ending up in the hospital for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer, etc. where the costs are astronomical and the outcomes are grim.

If we understand the value of our health, we will feel secure in spending for natural care and health education the amount others spend for a vacation or a stereo TV. We will understand that competent natural care more than pays for itself in recovering good health and preventing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. It helps prevent ending up in hospitals with bills in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, and importantly, increases the quality of life for by giving us greater vitality, energy, a spark for life, and resistance to disease.

Priorities need to be set!

Cancer

What do you think about early medical detection methods for cancer?

Based on having worked at the University of Texas Medical Center/ M.D. Anderson Tumor Institute, and my own work with patients who have had cancer, my opinion is that the main advantage to early medical detection of cancer is to the hospitals and physicians who can "treat" patients for a longer period and thereby generate more revenue.

Current "therapies" do not treat the cause of cancer, they are focused on killing cancer cells. Extremely toxic drugs are employed along with radiation. Notably, many of the medical methods used to treat cancer will cause cancer in a healthy individual.

Viewed objectively, cancer statistics lend little support to the benefits of early medical detection. Medical detection methods require the patient to have cancer before it can be detected. The patient would be better off learning how to lower their risks and prevent cancer development. General hygienic education can be most helpful in this regard.

Why Have Better Health?

Why Have Better Health?

Our motivation for attaining physical health and long life through proper nutrition and a Hygienic Lifestyle should not be only to look more youthful, have greater freedom from pain, more strength, mental clarity, sexual appeal and vitality. These are worthy goals, but should not overshadow higher objectives.

Our endeavors toward attaining better health would be misguided were they not to have a higher purpose. Our lives on this earth are not just for the building of big biceps. I have witnessed numerous young people over the years become singly focused on their physical appearance, strength and/or athletic pursuits. Their days become devoted to hours in the gym, running miles, lifting weights, admiring themselves in the mirror, stuffing their bodies with excessive food to build more muscles. They become addicted to the seeking of what they perceive to be physical perfection.

There is a serious downside to this fixation.

The body eventually degenerates and returns to the earth no matter what steps we take. For the person centered on physical perfection and strength, eventual disappointment is guaranteed.

As the physically obsessed person ages with inevitable loss of youth, physical beauty, vitality, and strength, they will be at a loss. There will be depression, withdrawal, and great frustration.

This need not be the case. The wise individual takes appropriate measures to safeguard health, and prolong vitality, while maintaining balance in their lives. They focus on service, spiritual development, and intellectual growth. By achieving a balance, the transition into middle and old age can be a smooth one. What is lost in physical strength and appearance is gained in inner strength, wisdom, love, and the satisfaction of making a positive contribution to the earth and its inhabitants.

The best motivation for achieving good health and building a strong, healthy, disease resistant, body is to allow us to better serve others and pave the path for spiritual growth. We should never wait until the day that we have good health to get started serving others.... the time is now.

A body racked with pain has difficulty pursuing life's higher callings for service and personal development. Freedom from disease allows us to better pursue perfection of our spirits which are not tied to physical decay. When efforts to improve physical health are appropriately focused, they contribute to fulfillment in our lives and make us capable of being of greater service to others.

The full text - the booklet "Hygienic Heights" can be ordered from the Goldberg Clinic.