Standing the test of time.

The benefits of Traditional approaches to health care such as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have been used for centuries. The paradigm from which it is applied is based on a thorough, rational, and sensible understanding of our bodies physiology and it's relationship with the environment. This includes diet, exercise and stress relief. In traditional Chinese medicine, food therapy, exercise therapy and even meditation for stress relief are central proponents. The application of herbs and manual therapies like acupuncture could even be viewed as last ditch methods aimed at re-establishing biological norms when things have gotten out of hand. Throughout history, sensible practices that were of definite benefit are still around because they stood the test of time. It is only in recent modern times that common sense approaches to living, like eating and moving in a way that complements our natural living states have to be "proven" to work. Take a look a look at how much money is spent on "healthcare" in America. It's a staggering amount. And what are we getting for all of those precious resources? America ranks dead last in most of the markers of health when compared to most countries in the industrialized world. Our government promotes pharmaceuticals and diets that do not have the interests of the common man in mind. Take a look around you and you will see that we have been bombarded with marketing campaigns, and dogma every where you look. Whether it's foreign relations or the food that we feed our children, interests of corporate money reign king. And even in science, why do we have to have double blind studies to prove that natural ways of living and traditional medical treatments are effective? Why is it that pharmaceutical drugs are deemed safe when most of the trials that analyze their effectiveness and potential harm are only a couple of months long? It is even illegal for us to ask that our children not be vaccinated and to question it even puts at at risk of being seen as anti-social. But these things are deemed safe while their potential harms must be proven in an uphill battle. If our society and culture is being looked after and cared for in a sensible way, why is it that chronic disease is on the rise at an exponential rate? In the year 1900, diabetes could be found in 1 out 100 people, and today it is 1 out of 10. All of the chronic diseases are rising at that rate. If we are getting more and more unhealthy, certain interests may be rejoicing. It is time that we start examining our world in a way that puts the interests of the people, the interests of our children, and even the health of our planet at the forefront of the discussion. Time honored traditions are one of our greatest gifts as they provide a proven template for health and vitality. All we have to do is ask ourselves whether or not our ways of treating ourselves either have been around long enough to show merit, or figure out whether or not they fit into the natural order of things. Do we really have to "prove" that spraying our food supply with poisons that kill the bugs that may eat the crops, won't have a negative effect on the living organisms in our bodies? Do we really have to "prove" that a diet high in processed sugar, which has never been around in the history of man may be causing ill health in the population?