Lose The Label and Get Real!

Over the holidays, as I attended a few holiday gatherings, I noticed an interesting, ‘funny’ little trend.

The first time it happened, the ridiculous-ness of it didn’t hit me until later in the day. Some parents and I were watching one particular child (no, not mine!) go hog-wild at the sweets table. This kid was getting his annual quota for sugar in one afternoon! The host of the party turned to the parents of this sugar-nut and said, “I know (your child) has lots of food sensitivities and allergies… don’t worry! I checked it all out ahead of time and none of this has any gluten!” There was a little cheer! Yippee!

The kid kept inhaling cookies, cake and other sweets.

This is what got me thinking about my utter disdain for labels.

Somehow, it seems when a label is attached to a health situation, common sense no longer applies. Who cares if it’s ‘gluten-free’??? The kid was overdosing on toxic refined sugar, refined grains, artificial colors, dairy… ‘Geez Louise!

At another gathering I heard, “I have diabetes so I can’t have too many sweets. Do you have any diet pop?” This person almost didn’t live long enough to get their pop! First of all, I could clearly see the end results of the previous choices this individual had been making. Diet pop was not going to be the deciding factor in the person’s much-needed size reduction. Not to mention, what about all the toxic fake chemical sweeteners used in diet pop? I don’t drink pop, but I’d choose ‘full sugar’ over diet any day!

I just can’t stand the notion of receiving a label of a condition and then fully buying into all the baloney that comes along with it. Take your meds and then eat whatever you want… oh, except these 2 or 3 things.” Ridiculous.

For many people I’ve known, being labeled takes some of the responsibility for making healthy choices off their shoulders. I grew up with a girl who was fond of announcing, “I have allergies, so I can’t (eat this, do that, whatever!)”. Looking back, I recall a whole lot of unhealthy intake, but those toxic foods weren’t on the list of things to avoid given to her by her doctor. I rarely saw the girl eat a vegetable and I KNOW that wasn’t on the list of foods to avoid!

Asthma, allergies and sinus problems are an all-too-common label. I’m certainly not saying that people don’t have issues with these things, but those labels make people believe it’s for life. Just because someone is ‘allergic’ to something now doesn’t mean they will always be – especially if they take steps to live a truly healthy life. I choose to say that someone is having an allergic response to some irritant. I’ll assume it’s not a lifetime affliction!

Countless patients of ours have either totally eliminated or drastically reduced their asthmatic and allergic responses, as well as their chronic sinus congestion. Nothing has to be permanent.

At another get-together, I was sitting with a group of parents when one of their kids came up and said, “Daddy, I have a headache.” Dad then said, “She’s been diagnosed with sinusitis.” (oohs and aahs all around). He asked if she had taken her medication. She said yes. He told her to go take a Tylenol. I fell out of my chair. The little girl said she couldn’t reach them, so dad said, “Just go drink a big glass of milk and you’ll feel better.” Since I was already down on the floor, I just crawled to the nearest bathroom and threw up!

Milk for a sinus problem??? Could it be that too much of that might in fact be causing the sinus problem??? Could it also be possible that she doesn’t “have” anything at all, but her sinuses just respond negatively to what she’s eating or breathing in, etc? Give the kid a glass of water, for crying out loud!

Need I go on? How about a kid diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (for which there are still no definitive tests, by the way) who takes their meds, eats less than pure and sufficient foods, eats junk food, fast food, pop, foods riddled with omega 6 fats that put a death grip on the brain, and takes absolutely no omega 3 oil to balance the chemistry of the brain.

But somehow, since the child has been labeled, takes their prescribed drugs and refills the prescriptions in a timely manner… we’re to assume that everything’s OK!?

Where has the common sense gone? Human beings, with or without labeled diagnoses, have specific innate requirements for optimal health. We require purity and sufficiency in the way we eat, move, think and rest. When these areas become toxic and/or deficient, we no longer function in a healthy way… again, regardless of whether or not we’ve been labeled.

My overall point (it took me awhile to get to it today!) is that if you've been diagnosed with some disease or condition, remember that it's not permanent. You can make healthier choices - add more purity and sufficiency, decrease toxicities and deficiencies - and you WILL begin to regain your health.