“Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing” (Voltaire)
This is the opening quote in a book entitled “What Really Makes You Ill? why everything you thought you knew about disease is wrong”, which was referenced in a 6-week advanced QEC training course “Working with Medical Conditions” I’ve just completed.
It was mind-blowing to discover that what we generally believe about how to prevent disease and be healthy is wrong, incorrect, false, and often harmful. The course was life-changing for me, and as a result I decided to write this blog to share the information I received.
For starters…
The course was prepared and presented by Dr. Melanie Salmon, the founder of QEC, who is a medical doctor and psychotherapist with over 3 decades of practical experience. In addition to her own experience regarding the ineffectiveness of traditional medical practices, the sources of her materials include many world-renowned specialists in their fields (the list of references can be found at the end of the blog). Most references to the medical establishment’s definitions and knowledge base have been obtained from publications by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the establishment’s mouthpiece and the perceived authority on health.
For me the most impressive source of information came from the book referred to above which I purchased. Remarkably, the book was written by non-medical professionals: Dawn Lester, an accountant, and David Parker, an electrical engineer. Both of these professions require an aptitude for logic, which was extremely useful for their continuous research over a period of 10 years. In addition, they are free from the dogma and biases inherent within the medical profession and ‘medical science’. Out of 776 pages, 40 list their references and bibliography. In my view the book is entirely credible and flawless in its conclusions. With reference to the quote from Voltaire, it must be said that the authors do not indict doctors, and neither do I – they simply practice what they’ve been taught. In my experience most medical professionals are well-meaning people with an honest desire to help their patients heal.
Setting the scene…
The human body is a complex self-regulating organism with an innate ability to defeat disease and maintain health (it functions holistically in accordance with the laws of nature). Anything that tends to interfere with the unity of its structure or function becomes a factor in the causation of disease, which represents a disruption to the body’s ability to function properly. Symptoms arise in the presence of harmful substances and influences, and are the body’s action to expel toxins, repair damage, and restore health.
Toxic (poisonous) material can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, skin absorption, and injection. Toxicity is also created internally by stress and trauma, and perpetuated by a dysregulated Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). When toxins accumulate to the point of a menace, the body makes a violent effort to cast it out through pain, inflammation, fever and ‘symptoms’ of an acute illness (this occurs throughout life and includes childhood diseases).
Chronic diseases are a far more serious health problem whose symptoms do not represent efforts of the body to expel toxins – rather they represent the body’s efforts to protect itself, to repair damage, and where possible to restore health.
Modern medicine is based on the core assertion that impaired health can be remedied through the use of medicines that fight diseases and vaccines that prevent them. Despite the vast amount of money invested, illness continues to be on the increase. It’s clear that modern medicine has failed to find the causes and understand the problem, and even worse is using inappropriate measures as solutions – it treats symptoms and not causes. It focuses on disease and not on health. Pharmaceuticals do not remove causes of diseases and therefore cannot solve the problem (in fact they often exacerbate the problem).
Health can be maintained by avoiding exposure to and ingestion of toxins and harmful substances, by attending to nutrition, and by removing stress.
So what really does make us ill?…
Sound and trusted scientific research over the past 20 years shows us that the underlying mechanism responsible for, and the principle causative factor in all disease, is oxidative stress, which is defined as “an imbalance between production of free radicals and reactive metabolites [so-called oxidants or reactive oxygen species (ROS)], and their elimination by protective mechanisms, referred to as antioxidants. This imbalance leads to damage of important biomolecules and cells, with potential impact on the whole organism”.
The body has several mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress, and itself produces antioxidants. In general the body is able to maintain a balance between its own antioxidants and free radicals (this state is called health or homeostasis). As soon as we lose homeostasis our metabolism goes into oxidative stress and we become ill. This state of imbalance or toxic overload first causes acute illness, and if not reduced causes chronic illness and cancer.
The main factors contributing to toxic overload are 1. Stress and trauma, 2. Poor nutrition, 3. Toxins and Electromagnetic Radiation, and 4. Pharmaceuticals.
1. Stress and Trauma
This is the biggest factor, backed by statistics regarding the global incidence of stress (common causes are money, work, the economy, family responsibilities, relationships, health issues, housing costs, job stability, personal safety).
There is a direct link between adverse (traumatic) childhood experiences and oxidative stress: the greater the number of such experiences, the more likely the person is to develop heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, skeletal fractures, liver disease, addictions, mental health issues, and early death.
Under stress, the body’s metabolism increases and there is a massive increase in free radicals (ROS). Prolonged stress leads to cellular damage through oxidative stress especially in the nervous system and brain. Indicators of stress include fatigue or low energy, sadness or depression, irritability and anger, anxiety, nervousness or worry, physical symptoms such as headaches, indigestion, acid reflux or upset stomach, appetite changes, insomnia, sexual problems, weight changes, diarrhoea or constipation.
QEC facilitates and enables the healing of trauma, the reduction of stress, and the return of the Autonomic Nervous System to homeostasis, thereby removing key causative factors underlying oxidative stress.
2. Poor Nutrition
Nutrition is defined as “the intake of nutrients and the transformation thereof in the body’s biochemical processes that promote health and sustain life…and any substance that cannot be transformed into materials the body can utilise is not a nutrient”. Furthermore, “…any substance that cannot be appropriated by the cells and organised into a living structure is a poison”.
In order to be in balance and remain healthy we need Macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats), and Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements)
Carbohydrates are starches, sugars and fibre found in a wide variety of food and are the body’s main source of energy. The body’s self-regulating mechanisms are disrupted when given “bad carbohydrates” in the form of refined carbohydrates and refined sugars. Good carbohydrates are unrefined: for example, white rice has had all its nutrients removed by removing the husk, bran and germ from the seed. Refining also depletes the grains of roughage which is required for proper digestion.
Many proteins are called essential amino acids and must be acquired through the diet. Animal-based foods such as meat and dairy products are rich sources of protein and believed to be the body’s main, if not only, dietary source of protein. This is untrue – a full plant-based diet is perfectly capable of fulfilling the human requirements for protein. “Plant protein allows for slow but steady synthesis of new proteins which are in fact the healthiest type of proteins for human consumption”.
Fats have been the subject of misleading information, the most important being that raised cholesterol leads to an “increased risk to health” and causes blockages to arteries especially around the heart. Health problems claimed to be caused by “raised/bad cholesterol” are in fact caused by oxidised cholesterol, which means it’s part of the oxidative stress process in general. Replacing fats such as butter, lard and ghee with polyunsaturated fats such as soybean, canola, safflower and sunflower oils is a misconception regarding health; many crops especially soybean are produced by industrial processes with harmful chemicals. Rather find oils that do not involve genetically modified crops or chemical processing and are cold pressed, such as olive and coconut oils – they do not raise blood cholesterol (as claimed) and need not be reduced at all but are healthy in abundance.
Micronutrients, all from plant foods, are our source of antioxidants, protecting us from oxidative stress. Each antioxidant acts in a different place in cells and tissues, so we need variety. The trace elements we need in our diet are iodine, zinc, manganese and silicon. Fluoride, lead, cadmium and mercury are toxic and are not acceptable components in our food and water.
The only real source of nutrients required by the human body is organic fresh food, whole and plant-based, not subjected to toxic chemicals such as pesticides or unnatural processes such as genetic modification
Regarding meat, many societies have abstained from eating animal products, and thrived. The human system has not adapted to a carnivorous/omnivorous diet and cannot easily digest meat. Most meat and poultry commercially available contain antibiotics and hormones, which are toxic to the human system.
Regarding water, chronic cellular dehydration creates oxidative stress which in turn leads to chronic diseases. The body’s requirement is for 6-8 glasses/day of pure water, and is best as the body’s main source of liquid. Generally municipally-supplied water is contaminated and chemically polluted; chemical contaminants from industry cannot be removed by the usual processes employed by municipalities. The solution is filters and filtering systems which remove some or all of the contaminants.
There were two additional points of interest for me relevant to nutrition and physical health.
Regarding obesity, the WHO claims that it is the result of an intake of calories in excess of those expended, and that calorie reduction and physical exercise should solve the problem – this is yet another medical misconception. One of the main factors causing overweight and obesity is a diet consisting almost entirely of processed food with very few essential nutrients; attention to the root cause is required, which is invariably stress and trauma (the ACE study showed that 100% of women with obesity who were unable to maintain weight loss had been sexually abused as children).
Regarding physical exercise, the WHO claims that physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for death world-wide, and that it increases the risk of developing and dying from chronic diseases, however there is absolutely no evidence that physical inactivity produces oxidative stress and chronic ill-health. No doubt there are benefits to be gained from exercise such as increased mobility, flexibility and stamina and overall improvement to well-being, but it is misleading to equate physical activity with health.
Healing is a biological process, solely formed by the body, whose innate self-healing mechanisms are supported by the nutrients obtained from food. To avoid ill-health, we need to maximise our intake of nutrients especially antioxidants; a diet comprising mostly of local fresh whole organically plant-based foods is one that will maximise the intake of nutrients and minimise the intake of toxins used in almost all agricultural practices. And if you want to detoxify your body, it is preferable and safer to allow the body to detoxify naturally with a change of diet, at its own pace, respecting that it is already compromised (drastic fasting diets are not good to begin with).
3. Toxins & Electromagnetic Radiation
The huge amount of chemicals and compounds synthesized by the chemical industry, as well as a number of naturally occurring substances that have been exposed or brought to the surface from deep underground by the activities of various industries, are inherently toxic. These chemicals and substances are incompatible with the human body’s biochemical processes that sustain life, and should NEVER be ingested, inhaled, injected or otherwise absorbed into the body at any dose.
The cause of death of a huge number of farmers in the U.S.A. (as published in 2020) was poisoning – most of these cases are attributable to Roundup, a weed-killer containing glyphosate, which is now detected in many foods, water supplies, soft drinks, and even in vaccines. Growing industrialisation has significantly increased the volume and concentration of environmental pollutants, many of which are carcinogenic.
Toxins, the majority being untested for their use in combination, are present in a wide range of products commonly used in the home and in the workplace.
The impact of air pollution on health is fairly well-known – this too introduces toxins into our bodies via inhalation. From the WHO’s publication on the topic, “Breathing in these pollutants (such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide) leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, and mutagenicity in cells throughout our body, impacting the lungs, heart, brain among other organs and ultimately leading to disease.”
Detoxification is the body’s ability to expel toxins and regenerate the liver, allowing the body to withstand a certain level of toxic exposure. However, toxic substances evoke oxidative stress, impacting the gut and liver, the two primary detoxification organs.
In order to avoid ill-health, we need to minimise our exposure to toxic substances (it is therefore essential to know about products containing harmful substances, especially those that are ingested, inhaled or applied to the body); useful resources are https://www.ewg.org and https://www.thegoodtrade.com.
Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) is a form of energy that extends over a range of frequencies and wavelengths, collectively known as the electromagnetic spectrum.
All forms are categorised as either ionising or non-ionising according to the intensity of energy they possess. The Earth has always existed in the presence of low level ionising radiation from the sun and stars; this background was profoundly altered in the mid-20th century as a result of the development of nuclear energy, which still continues to increase globally. Nuclear radiation was further added to by unnatural non-ionising radiation created by the introduction of alternating current (AC) electricity as the main power source of everything on the planet.
The amount of EMR we are exposed to has been further increased by the telecommunications industry with mobile phones, wireless communication and now 5G. “Today we swim in a sea of energy that is almost totally man-made”; the problem with this is that it interferes with the function of the natural electrical systems of living organisms, especially humans.
Research has shown that cellphones are a potential source of cancer, in particular in people who start using cellphones in early childhood years: the developing nervous system of children is more conducive to and absorbs more electromagnetic energies that that of adults. And it is now widely accepted that ionising radiation (in many x-ray sources) is extremely dangerous and is linked to cancer: it has been shown to cause chromosomal damage and birth defects.
In common with all other harmful substances and influences, EMR exerts its effects through the mechanism of oxidative stress, causing damage at the cellular level. EMR is particularly detrimental to the heart, which operates through a subtle and delicate electrical control system itself which can easily be disrupted.
The amount of EMR we are each exposed to depends on where we live and work, and on the nature and number of devices and equipment we use and are exposed to. Obviously people living in urban areas have a higher exposure to EMR.
A resource for information on how to reduce exposure to EMR can be found at https://www.powerwatch.org.uk.
Two suggestions for minimising the harmful impact of EMR are to maintain electrical homeostasis by connecting with nature often, and to use devices which minimise or nullify the impact of EMR in your home and on your body.
4. Pharmaceuticals
One class of toxins known to cause liver damage and death are pharmaceuticals (ref. Dr. Peter C. Gotzsche who wrote “Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime: How Big Pharma has Corrupted Healthcare”). A source of toxins, first started in 18th century England, was inoculations (injecting matter from a sick person into a healthy person in small doses based on the belief that people become immune as a result). The practice was made a penal offence and discontinued in 1840 after the smallpox epidemic, which was in fact caused by the inoculations. Not long after, inoculations were replaced by vaccinations based on the same unproven theory; the only difference was that the inoculations used matter from humans whereas vaccinations used matter from cows.
Today there is still no scientific basis or justification for the practice of vaccination (a pharmaceutical product); on the contrary, there is now abundant evidence demonstrating that they are all fundamentally harmful:
- They do not confer immunity to disease
- They are neither safe nor life-saving
- They are not effective.
Research has shown that certain vaccine ingredients are carcinogenic (viz. mercury and formaldehyde). “Interestingly”, vaccine manufacturers are exonerated from all liability for vaccine injury.
A study in 2012 showed that statins and all anti-hypertensives and other “risk-lowering” drug regimes are very toxic and increase the oxidative stress load already in the system. Chemotherapy is carcinogenic and only exacerbates the burden of toxins on the body, contributing to a worsening of the problems and a return of the disease as metastases.
Everyday products such as soaps, talcum powders, creams, etc. contain a Group B carcinogen contaminant called 1.4 dioxane; personal care products such as tampons, wipes and deodorants contain toxic and potentially carcinogenic ingredients.
Although Methanol is not pharmaceutical product per sé, it is worthy of note here. A connection between Multiple Sclerosis (an auto-immune disease) and Aspartame (Nutri-sweet) was shown by recent research: Methanol, present in Aspartame, is a known neurotoxic agent which damages neural sheaths. Methanol is also a key component of hundreds of chemicals that are present in our daily lives, such as diet drinks and chewing gum, and is also found in many pharmaceutical products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. recently issued warnings regarding 75 hand-sanitisers that contain toxic Methanol.
The consistent theme underlying the medical establishment’s ‘knowledge’ of chronic diseases is that causation is unknown. Information regarding the risks of the prescribed drugs is poorly investigated and inaccurate; despite this they advise a range of pharmaceuticals as treatment, which carry a further risk of toxicity. This situation goes to the heart of the problem: “The pharmaceutical industry is in the business of making profits for its shareholders, not producing healthcare to benefit the public”.
My take-aways…
Fortunately I live in the countryside with an organic vegetable farm in close proximity, so my exposure to environmental EMR and air pollution, and my intake of toxins in my diet, are already reasonably low. I have an EMR protection device in my home, and am well-versed in the QEC process for stress reduction and elimination. And when I need a healthcare professional, I’m very fortunate to have a plethora of competent alternative health practitioners in the area.
But there’s always room for improvement, and I have made some life changes as a result of what I learned on the course.
Regarding diet, I have eliminated dairy products, sugar and gluten, and am eating more foods high in antioxidants. I realised I don’t know much about which foods contain what, so I’ve embarked on a self-educational project which will probably result in more dietary changes. If I think that it may be of value to others I will publish a blog on my findings
Regarding pharmaceuticals, I will think twice before taking an anti-inflammatory or a pain killer as I have done for many years. I will be much more conscious about the personal care products I use as well as the household products I purchase in an effort to minimise or eliminate the toxins to which I am exposed.
In ending…
This is the first blog I’ve written, and so have no idea what the average or recommended length is. It already seems pretty long, nonetheless I want to add a last note, a personal bigger picture perspective which has grown larger in my mind as a result of the course.
I lived in South Africa in the years 1992 to 2019, and both witnessed and experienced the initial euphoria of a Nelson Mandela-led government, followed by a slow but steady decline into mismanagement and corruption. The term ‘state capture’ was coined: the state (government) had been ‘captured’ by capitalist forces seeking profit, who used bribery as the means to influence government officials to pass laws, award tenders, etc. to further their own interests. So the government ends up not serving the people – the purpose for which it was elected – but themselves.
As a result of the course, and even more so as a result of what I’ve read so far from Lester and Parker’s book (it’s huge and I still have a way to go), it seems evident that the World “Health” Organisation has been ‘captured’ by the pharmaceutical industry, and does not operate in the best interests of its constituents – humanity. In their own publications they state that the causes of most diseases are unknown, yet they recommend drugs which purportedly either prevent and/or cure the disease. “Nothing could be further from the truth”, a phrase Lester and Parker repeat over and over in their book; in fact, the contrary is true: ALL drugs are toxic and cause more ill-health, resulting in prescription of even more drugs. The beneficiaries of drugs are the pharmaceutical companies: the more drugs they sell, the more profits they make.
We have been taught and conditioned to trust and believe in medical “science”, yet it is evident that much of the “science” is based on flawed and unproven theories (the “germ” theory, the theories about viruses, the theories about infectious diseases, the theories supporting vaccines, to name just a few). So-called medical “science” can therefore more accurately be portrayed as a religion which spreads dogma, and not as a discipline which systematically reaches conclusions based on empirically proven and indisputable facts. “Trust me, I’m a doctor”… (but we can’t blame the doctors, they’re just doing what they were taught by medical “science”).
The known history of mankind is essentially patriarchal and authoritarian in nature. We have been taught to bow down to authorities who ‘know better than us’ and who supposedly have our best interests at heart. My life experience, and perhaps in particular world events over the past 3 years, have led to me to stop giving my power away and to rather empower myself, by educating myself and by changing my beliefs, thoughts and attitudes. I am responsible for all aspects of my life, including my health and well-being. I am a sovereign individual.
“All truths pass through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Secondly it is violently opposed.
Third it is accepted as being self-evident.”
(Arthur Schopenhauer 1788-1860)
Till next time…
References
Batmanghelidi M.D.: Your Body’s Many Cries for Water
Beddow Bayly, M.D.: The Case Against Vaccines
Robert Becker, M.D.: Cross Currents
Russel M. Blaylock M.D.: Health and Nutrition Secrets
Centers for Disease Control (CDC): Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) study
Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.: Toxic Beauty
Peter C. Gotzsche: Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime (How big pharma has corrupted healthcare)
Thijs Launspach: How Stress Is Killing Us (TEDx Amsterdam 2019)
Lester & Parker: What Really Makes You Ill?
Bruce H. Lipton, PhD.: The Biology of Belief
Gabor Maté M.D.: When the Body Says No (Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection)
Neurology Journal: Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Children (2020)
NIH, National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information
Herbert M. Shelton: Natural Hygiene
The Bioinitiative Working Group: Report on EMF and Health
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Various
World Health Organisation (WHO): Various
Zach Bush, M.D.: Various
