For a long time I have been wondering about the boundaries that separate knowledge from fear. I have given up on the news media because they generate fear and by not giving factual knowledge.  In general the egocentric commentators are no longer fact- investigative reporters. I can also apply this to our presidential candidates unfortunately. Having health information is really important but  it too can create scare tactics crossing the line of health to illness? We are just inundated with information about toxicity of foods, heavy metals, phatalates, etc..( See my blogs or read my book Emotional Vampires and Your Hormones: an holistic physician’s view of how stress affects your well – being and what you can do about it).  We are told that we should do this or take that  for our health or else. Yes it is necessary to have knowledge about how to protect our health. I just wonder how many of us due to this information end up with depression, anxiety & stress from being told that we are drowning in our environment (our foods, water, air).  All this stress can negate the good energies of trying to be healthy at each meal, in the grocery store or even drinking a glass of water. Maybe one of the solutions is what I am still learning; that there is no way of avoiding all of our environment toxicities & therefore stress from the environment (news media); and also some of the holistic healers that  preach doomsday if we are not taking  specific supplements (of which they sell the best).  One of these known holistic physicians I analyzed: all that he says he does with shopping and preparing healthy foods and then the exercises for his body and brain each day. I figured that he would need to be awake at least 24 hours/day; and then have another 7 – 8 hours to his day since he proclaims each individual should sleep 7-8 hours/day. Then start his day with meditation of some sort. Maybe he is not a parent raising children or having unexpected crises pop up! Also, onw must recognize that a lot of the suggestions of physicians and healers are good to know about, but each person is an individual. Generalizations are just that – generalizations. Most people know the basics of good health: exercise, nutritional live foods, stress relief programs that build a good self-image of oneself.  Yes, I know the last of these is difficult in these stressful times and that is one reason I wrote my book, because the last part of the title is so important:  ……..what you can do about it.

Remember it is not always the stress but how we respond to the stress. I try to surround myself with positive people and try to avoid the emotional vampires both human and external.  As far as environmental toxicities I do what I can by using organics within our economic means, and avoid buying Chinese products as much as we can (which saves a lot of money since most USA products come from China). If one did every health option presented by health experts we would be bankrupt, have more stress and no guarantee that we would not have an illness, disease, or accident. There are no guarantees in life (except taxes, death & political mayhem). Watching funny films & laughing is a great antidote. Each day I try to write down 3 positive things that I did well or that happened to me.

Alan J. Sault MD, ABHM-Diplomat

Author: Emotional Vampires and Your Hormones: an holistic physician’s view of how stress affects your well-being and what you can do about it.

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