Health vs Disease is a Dimmer Switch

Modern medicine thinks in terms of health and disease. Like a regular switch. You are either healthy or have a disorder.

You either are healthy as established by having normal lab values and having no symptoms. This goes on for a while and then the next thing we know is there is a diagnosis. But what’s in between these two states? There are subtle changes slowly building up disease. There are “borderline” lab values - the doctor tells you everything is ok since there are no asterisks on your report, huh? And you are an inch away from tipping into the abnormal level. And because no one tells you this, sure enough you will tip over since, lacking a warning, you are not making changes and continue doing things that got you here. The problem with modern medicine is that it is not picking up on these “subclinical” changes and therefore does not prevent full blown disease from developing.

Health and a diagnosed disease are parts of a spectrum that has maximum vitality and death at the two end of the spectrum. And everything in between. It is a dimmer switch!

The sequence can go like this:

Wellness -> biochemical dysfunction -> symptomatic dysfunction -> diagnosis -> irreversible degeneration -> disability

Picture your health continuously moving along that spectrum either towards health or diseases. With every bite of food, every breath, every step you take (or don’t take), every night of good night’s sleep that you get (or don’t get) you move either towards health or disease.

Hence the importance of lifestyle! It is never too late to turn directions and start working your way towards maximum possible health. And start turning that dimmer switch into the right direction.

Also, people usually feel that there is something wrong way before they land in my office. Trust your body. Seek help early! The earlier you seek help, the easier the process is to reverse.