The Physiology Of Faith - Class 3 Series

V. What Causes Sickness And Disease?

Good health is more than the absence of disease. It is a state of complete physical, emotional, and mental well-being on all levels.

It has been estimated that approximately 33% of those living in the United States have a chronic illness.

Virtually all people will get injured or sick, eventually dying from some kind of disease. For the human body to maintain its bio-equilibrium (the positive state of efficient functioning according to its design), it is essential to understand the roots of what causes disease.

Disease is defined as “an illness that affects a person, animal, or plant: a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally.”

When a person has ‘symptoms’ such as feeling like they are coming down with something or an organ isn’t functioning correctly, they indicate an abnormal condition within the body, producing a state of possible illness or disease.

For example, ‘catching a cold’ is the body's way of eliminating toxins by increasing the mucous from the mucous membranes to free the toxins. Toxin elimination is imperative for the body to stay healthy. Because of its inherent positive design, the body will try to restore itself to a state of good health.

All diseases are dysfunctions of the body and its cellular systems. It results from cells not functioning at 100% of their designed duty, whether due to trauma, toxicity, lack of cellular communication, or a combination.

There are two major kinds of diseases. The first is infectious, caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. These pathogens can enter the body through the air, food, and fluids consumed or through openings in the skin, such as a cut or lesion.

The second is non-infectious diseases caused by multiple factors, such as the toxic pollutants in the environment, air, water, chemicals, and medications.

Poor food and dietary choices can lead to diabetes, the fourth leading cause of death. Obesity accounts for almost 300,000 deaths each year in the USA. A lack of proper exercise, inadequate sleep habits, and the lack of essential nutrients also contribute to the body's susceptibility to illness and disease.

Thanks to the immune system, not every pathogen that enters the body can cause an illness. However, some pathogens can evade the immune system by hiding within healthy cells.

Over 15% of the population in the United States has one or more auto-immune diseases. Cases of immune system diseases have increased by over 200% in less than five years.

A. The Root of Chronic Diseases

Researchers have estimated that as much as 90% of chronic diseases are not inherited and are either caused or complicated by stress.

It has been estimated that 75% to 90% of all visits to a primary care physician are due to stress-related symptoms and issues.

How a person reacts to emotional and physical stress is one of the most significant factors in the causes of disease and immune system function. Physical and emotional strain or tension, frustration, worry, heartache, and pain can cause the immune system to become less effective in resisting bacteria and viruses. The stress of psychological pain and suffering affects just about every system and organ of the body.

Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, chronic physical and emotional stress, and tension are some of the significant risk factors in cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke), which is the leading killer for both men and women among all racial and ethnic groups. It accounts for more than 42% of all deaths in the USA annually. It can play a role in exacerbating the symptoms of a wide variety of other disorders and illnesses as well.

Over 100 million people take some form of medication for stress-related symptoms.

Drugs are used to fight illness, disease, and psychological disturbances such as depression, but they can’t cure a person because they are designed only to treat a symptom.

The average American takes 13 medications per year!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in 20 Americans are depressed, so over 230 million prescriptions for antidepressants are filled each year!

Approximately 90% of the medications prescribed can only help suppress the symptoms of the disease, with no ability to kill or fix the disease, according to data released by the CDC. Prescription drugs are killing far more people than illegal drugs, and while the most significant causes of preventable deaths are declining, those from prescription drug use are increasing. Legally prescribed prescription drugs are now the fourth cause of death in the USA!

B. The Effects of Excess

A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine noted that prolonged stress could also exacerbate existing medical conditions. High stress causes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels to fall, so there is less stimulation of the thyroid gland. Cortisol affects the thyroid hormones causing rapid heartbeat, sweating, hyperactivity, shortened attention span, fatigue, weight gain, depression, low body temperature, dry skin, headaches, constipation, recurrent infections, sensitivity to the cold, irritability, poor concentration, inflammation, rapid aging and the risk of degenerative diseases. People who are vulnerable to certain infections may experience more flare-ups.