# How to manage modern health issues

Modern society has created many benefits (e.g., [insurance](money-insurance.md), [computers](computers.md), [cars](autos.md)), but exchanges the [risks endemic to nature](safety-nature.md) for the risks from mass-produced food-in-a-box and sedentary activity.

This makes [weight management](body-diet.md) far more complicated.

## Toxins/energy

A "toxin", broadly, is anything that the body can't process appropriately, for several possible reasons:

- At least some organs react adversely to the substance (e.g., an allergy).
- There's too much of the substance for the body's organs to process, though the body *does* use it (e.g., water).
- The substance is legitimately dangerous to the body, so the filtering systems (e.g., liver, kidneys, immune system) must get rid of it.

Some carcinogens exist in most food, on surfaces, and even the air, but our liver and kidneys usually filter them out.

- Generally, healthier eating and lifestyle decisions will make your body healthier and cut down on carcinogen intake.
- Microplastics (i.e., less than 500 nanometers in size) which enter the body can cause inflammation in the stomach and brain, but cause no known long-term effects. The smaller the microplastic, the more severe the reaction.

Regular exposure to small amounts of toxins (hormesis) will often make us *stronger*.

- To avoid peanut allergies in children, expose them to peanut butter during [infancy](parenting-babies.md).

However, chronic exposure to some toxins can be *very* devastating.

- Most government exposure tests give a gigantic exposure to animals all at once (e.g., feeding a lab rat the proportional equivalent of 30 years' worth of an artificial sweetener within 3 days), then watching what happens.
  - This *does* track acute exposure, but answers *nothing* about chronic exposure to that chemical.
- Avoid touching powdered plastics directly (e.g., thermal paper for receipts, printer toner), since BPA and BPS disrupt the endocrine system and are absorbed into the body through the skin.
- Most pesticides and weed killers can directly damage the nervous system and genes, and can create issues like cancer and Parkinson's disease.
- Chemicals in the lining of tin cans, cosmetics, Teflon pans, and flame retardants in cushions have a combined soft link to reduced sperm count (and therefore lower fertility rates).
- Herbicides (e.g., Roundup spray) can cause a host of issues, including chronic kidney disease.
- Lead exposure has *many* risks, including a loss in IQ and multiple fatal illnesses.
- PFAS (formerly known as PFCs) is a broad range of perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are chemically resistant to oil, grease, heat, and water, and are used is a wide variety of consumer applications:
  - Cleaning products, nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpet coating, upholstery, textiles, paints/varnishes, and makeup/personal care products
  - They're also for foods that are hot or greasy and prevalent in fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags.
  - They dissolve in water, so they can easily accumulate and persist in blood and tissues.
- Cutting stone generates silica dust, which can develop silicosis in the lungs after enough exposure.

Beyond toxins, concentrated energy can also be dangerous.

- Long-term exposure to x-rays and microwaves are known to cause cancer.
- While the long-term effects haven't been tested, there may be risks to chronic exposure to [radio waves](engineering-radio.md) (e.g., cell phone towers, Wi-Fi signals).

With all the risks from toxins and concentrated energy, [maintaining balance in life](goodlife.md) requires a safe, easy solution when working in any field that directly interacts with dangerous chemicals or energy:

1. Develop a habit of dogmatically using all [safety precautions](safety-riskmgmt.md) without any lapse.
2. Pay *very* close attention to what your body is telling you.
3. Only work in that field for 2--5 years, then [move to a field](jobs-1_why.md) that doesn't have those risks.

## Seek better habits more than treatments

Most of our body's capacity to heal comes through our exposure to resistance, though it can be difficult to remember in [modern society](people-image-modern.md) when we're surrounded by [immaterial engineered objects](engineering.md).

- In Western society, about 1 in 10 people have autoimmune disorders, where their immune system somehow attacks its body.

Extreme medical procedures (e.g., stomach stapling, liposuction) you won't fix [habits](habits.md) that gained that weight, so you'll likely regress back.

You must set specific, intentional [long-term goals](success-3_goals.md) to fight what civilized society brings:

- Most of the time, the convenience of [owning a car](autos.md) means you'll be less efficient if you choose to live a more active lifestyle.
- Your lifestyle will likely be [unfashionable](trends.md) compared to your friends.
- Often, eating healthy is *way* pricier and requires much more [cooking](cooking.md) than boxed meals.

Doctors are usually trustworthy, but they're [specialized](jobs-specialization.md) toward a specific domain.

- Typically, their role is to manage the symptoms of adverse health situations, *not* to give advice on how to prevent it in the future.
- Further, they often have interests that go beyond their patients' best interests (e.g., hospitals, pharmaceutical companies), and many large hospitals practice some level of [medical paternalism](mgmt-badsystems.md).
- Their advice is legitimate and often life-saving, but only in the context that their services and consultation are assisting in what your body is already naturally designed to do.

Many healthcare professionals agree with the holistic and mind-based approach:

- [Dr. Daniel Amen](https://www.amenclinics.com/)
- [Dr. William Walsh](https://www.biobalance.org.au/)
- [Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride](http://doctor-natasha.com/)
- [Dr. Joseph Mercola](https://www.mercola.com/)
- [Dr. Hunter Adams](https://www.patchadams.org/)
- [Dr. Mark Hyman](https://drhyman.com/)

Obviously, you'll need [treatments](body-health-treatments.md) eventually (especially since we are all [on the way to death](hardship-death.md)), but it's in your interests to live in a way that avoids them for as long as possible.

## The solutions to health issues

Most of the solutions are relatively straightforward, and simply involve knowing what solutions apply to what problems.

Often, we tend to manage small [risks](money-insurance.md) and increase larger ones:

- We'll worry about organic food or the risks of pancreatic cancer, but text at a stop light when [operating a motor vehicle](autos.md) causes tens of thousands of deaths every year.
- More people die each year from falling in the home than from house fires.

The dominant answer is in [eating correctly](body-health-food.md), but there are other habits that can empower you.

### Expose yourself

Our body responds *very* well to [measured hardships](hardship.md), especially when we're [actively choosing](people-decisions.md) to expose ourselves to them.

Expose yourself to occasional diseases wherever you go.

- Exposure to dirt daily can positively affect the bacteria on our skin.
- The filthiest places with the most diseases in modern society are bathroom sinks, restaurant menus, hot-air hand dryers, and [automotive](autos.md) exteriors.
- By contrast, there is comparatively little bacterial growth on many parts of toilets and newly dirtied dishes.

Adverse weather conditions help our bodies get stronger and healthier:

- As long as we're hydrated, hot weather increases blood flow and helps us detox through sweat.
  - Make a habit of using a hot tub, sauna, or taking *extremely* hot showers.
- Except for freezing weather that can kill us, cold temperatures strengthen our body's various systems through [resistance to the elements](people-changes.md) (especially developing brown fat).
  - Make a habit of drinking ice-cold water on an empty stomach, placing ice packs on yourself, or taking cold showers and baths.

Restricting calorie intake (i.e., fasting or severe dieting) builds stronger muscle and stimulates healthy aging.

Consider bloodletting (i.e., donating blood) 1--4 times a month to get rid of excess iron in your blood.

- To get rid of toxins in the blood that store in fat, donate a double portion of plasma and drink a cup of coffee an hour before going in to donate.

### Get active

Dramatically improve your psychosomatic state by practicing 5 minutes of controlled breathing and [meditation](awareness.md) every morning.

Use a treadmill while doing other activities like reading or [the computer](computers.md).

Spend more time [working out](body-exercise.md), which may mean dramatic lifestyle decisions (like an alternative to your [car](autos.md)).

Maintain healthy brain activity by maintaining nimble finger skills (e.g., typing, hand-sewing, model building, video games).

Sitting all day increases the risk of dementia, even if you exercise, so stand up and walk around more often or consider a [career change](jobs-1_why.md).

Frequently sitting or performing repetitive actions can lead to back pain, and stretching exercises (e.g., yoga, Pilates) fix it *far* better than any type of workout, chiropractors, or drugs/treatment.

One of the most important cures for chronic pain is to get moving.

- Physical movement releases dopamine, which deadens pain.
- Opiates can soften pain, but beyond a certain threshold, more opiates will create a feedback loop that strips away *all* motivation to perform basic activities.
- For chronic pain from cancer treatments, get opiates and psychomotor stimulants.
  - You'll either need to find 2 different doctors to get prescriptions for both, or substitute ADD medication (Ritalin) for the psychomotor stimulants.

### Relax

[Stress](mind-feelings-happiness-stress.md) is one of the most significant things that can kill us.

- Stay mindful over any [hardships](hardship.md) you're experiencing.
- Learn to be [happier](mind-feelings-happiness.md).
- [Sleep](sleep.md) 6-9 hours a night, preferably on your side.
- Take regular naps throughout the day whenever you're tired.
- [Exercise](body-exercise.md) at least a few times a week.

Often, our [past trauma](hardship-ptsd.md) can provoke us to constantly obsess about things subconsciously.

- Work to build [awareness](awareness.md) of yourself and the things that [trigger](habits.md) any trauma.

If you need to, *force* yourself to spend more time in silence or relaxation.

If a doctor doesn't ask about your stress levels, they're more serving the role of a drug dealer than a doctor.

### Experience the outdoors more

We synthesize vitamin D from sunlight (along with other benefits to our system), so get outside the house more often (preferably in the afternoon when the sun is brightest).

- Change your routine to spend more time outside, preferably 30-60 minutes daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- To protect your eyes, wear UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Phototherapy had once been a standard medical practice, but it has somehow been forgotten.

We most easily fight nearsightedness by looking at things that are far away.

Declining eyesight can be offset by exposure to deep red light every morning.

Pollution indoors can often be 3-4 times more than outdoors, so open windows whenever you can.

- If there's no wind, put fans in the windows to move air faster.

Even when you can't open windows or go outside, purify the air.

- Keep plenty of houseplants indoors.
- Get an air purifier (e.g., IQ Air) and a dehumidifier.

To electrically ground your body, walk barefoot on the earth every day.

Be careful *what* you're consuming from the environment.

- Plenty of nature has been contaminated by unhealthy chemicals.
- Nearby industrial regions can introduce trace materials like lead and paint into the water.
- Trichloroethylene (TCE) increases the risk of developing Parkinson's Disease.

## Consider your age

It becomes far more difficult to change your lifestyle toward healthy [habits](habits.md) once your systems start failing.

- The best thing to do is adapt to your new situation, reconcile with what comes afterward.
- The pain typically won't disappear, but healthier decisions can definitely mitigate your suffering.

As you get older, your body *will* start deteriorating faster than you can heal.

- The last few years are the worst, and 80% of a person's healthcare will be spent in the final year of their life.
- Eventually, one of your primary organs will fail, and that's effectively [death](hardship-death.md).
- Every surgery, medication, and heavy treatment will harm you more than when you were younger.

## Specific afflictions

If you're losing weight without trying, you may have cancer.

## Additional Reading

[ExRx.net](https://exrx.net/)