Summary of main points.

• The treatment of obesity has had only limited success and attempts at prevention have been a total failure.

• The traditional models for understanding obesity using simple energy balance may be partially responsible for these poor success rates.

• Scientific thinking in this area has evolved from simple physics, to biological and physiological ways of explaining the obesity.

• A new Ideological paradigm is needed to incorporate the influences of biology, the environment and individual behaviour.

• The inclusion of physiological adjustment to changing energy stores in the model is also a key factor in understanding the dynamics of changing body fatness.

• The mediators through which the influences and moderators work are fat intake and fat utilisation in the body.

In spite of the huge personal expenditure on weight control, the burgeoning weight control industry, and the vast media attention given to the problem, it is obvious that all countries in the western world are losing the battle of the bulge. One possible reason for this is that the issue may have been inadequately conceptualized in scientific terms. The failure to even stabilise the growth rate of obesity at the population level has led some health experts to suggest a paradigm shift in thinking about weight control. It has been claimed that all science progresses through ‘paradigm shifts’ in thinking where a paradigm is defined as ‘. . . the collective set of attitudes, values, procedures, techniques etc., that form the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a particular time’. In light of this, it is interesting to consider the evolution of thinking that has occurred in this area and to come up with a possible alternative, more all-encompassing approach on which better program planning—both prevention and treatment—can be based.

*74\186\4*

Laser laparoscopy for endometriosis is surgery which attempts to remove and destroy endometrial implants, cysts and adhesions using a laser beam.

Lasers are fine, highly concentrated beams of light that can be precisely aimed and controlled. They have been used in some branches of medicine for many years. Opthamologists use lasers to treat a variety of eye diseases and dermatologists use them to remove skin cancers and other skin growths.

There are several different types of lasers used in laser laparoscopy and each one has its own particular characteristics and uses. The three types of lasers that are most commonly used in the treatment of endometriosis are the carbon dioxide laser, the argon laser and the Nd:YAG laser. The type of laser used by your gynaecologist will usually depend on which type is available.

Who is suitable for laser laparoscopy

Laser laparoscopy is most suitable for women with minimal to moderate endometriosis. It is not usually suitable for women with severe endometriosis.

Things to discuss before laser laparoscopy

At some stage before the operation you and your gynaecologist should discuss what procedures are proposed and what should be done if a laparotomy is needed.

What happens with laser laparoscopy

A laser laparoscopy involves the same basic routine as that which is used for a diagnostic laparoscopy except that a laser instrument is inserted through a channel in the laparoscope. The laser beam then travels through special fibres known as fibre-optics before being directed onto the relevant tissue in the pelvic cavity.

The laser beam can be used to remove or destroy superficial endometrial implants and endometriomas, and to remove adhesions. The implants, endometriomas and adhesions are removed or destroyed by directing and focussing the laser on to them and using the intense energy of the laser beam to ‘vaporise’ or break up their cells.

Effectiveness of laser laparoscopy

Laser laparoscopy has several advantages over other surgery. It involves less risk of accidentally damaging underlying organs because the gynaecologist is able to precisely control the depth and amount of tissue being destroyed. Similarly, because the laser destroys only the target tissue and leaves the surrounding tissue undamaged, there is likely to be less pain and discomfort and faster healing of the affected area. It is thought that the main advantage of laser laparoscopy is that it may produce less scarring and fewer adhesions than other types of surgery. In addition, because laser surgery usually involves a laparoscopy it has all the advantages associated with having laparoscopic surgery rather than a laparotomy.

The main disadvantage of laser laparoscopy as opposed to conventional laparoscopic surgery is that some women have taken significantly longer to recover from the operation because they were under the general anaesthetic for a greater period of time as laser laparoscopy takes longer to perform.

So far, there are few statistics on the effectiveness of laser laparoscopy. At present there is no evidence to suggest that laser laparoscopy is any more effective than other surgeries in terms of eradicating the disease or relieving the symptoms. Rather, in the hands of an experienced operator, the results of laser laparoscopy appear to be similar to those of other surgical treatments.

Risks and complications of laser laparoscopy

The risks and complications of laser laparoscopy are the same as those associated with a diagnostic laparoscopy.

*64\83\2*

The menstrual cycle involves a series of hormonal events which occur at fairly regular intervals. The average menstrual cycle is approximately 28 days, although this may vary considerably between women. The menstrual cycle involves four distinct phases:

Day 1-5: menstruation (the menstrual period);

Day 3-13: the proliferative or follicular phase;

Day 14: ovulation;

Day 15-28: the luteal or secretory phase.

Although the first day of menstruation is usually referred to as the start of the menstrual cycle, the menstrual period (days 1-5) is actually the culmination of the hormonal changes which make up the menstrual cycle. Therefore, in our explanation of the menstrual cycle we will start by looking at the proliferative phase (days 3-13) and we will use a 28-day cycle to explain the process.

Proliferative or follicular phase-The proliferative phase extends from the time of menstruation to ovulation. It is known as the proliferative phase because it is the phase during which the endometrium begins to thicken or proliferate in readiness for implantation of the fertilised ovum. It is sometimes also known as the follicular phase.

During the proliferative phase the pituitary gland releases the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) which stimulates the growth and development of several ovarian follicles in the ovary. These follicles enlarge and move towards die surface of the ovary. However, usually only one follicle continues to grow and undergo the full cycle of growth and development.

During the proliferative phase the oestrogen levels in the bloodstream rise progressively until just prior to ovulation. The rising oestrogen levels stimulate the endometrium to proliferate so that it is ready to nourish a fertilised ovum.

*5\83\2*

There are many contributing causes of heart disease: nutritional deficiencies, overconsumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates, lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, coffee drinking, etc. The way all these factors affect the heart is the same, however: they cause oxygen deficiency in the heart muscle, which, in severe, acute cases, results in a heart attack and death.

The heart is a solid muscle which constantly pumps blood to the billions of cells in the body and it never rests, even for a minute, for the duration of life. It depends in its work on a constant, undiminished supply of fresh oxygen. Even the slightest insufficiency of oxygen supply to the cells of the heart will diminish its efficiency and cause permanent damage. An Austrian scientist, Professor W. Hal-den, of the World Health Organization, reported to the World Congress for Nutritional Research recently that anemia, for example, may cause degenerative changes in the heart and blood vessels through an insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues by the red blood corpuscles. Tobacco and coffee (also caffeine-containing cola drinks) can also bring about oxygen deficiency by causing violent fluctuations in blood sugar levels and increasing cholesterol and fat content of the blood. Alcohol has a very similar effect. Fatty deposits in the arteries prevent a sufficient flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and cause an acute oxygen shortage in the heart muscle.

Thus, in the final analysis, oxygen deficiency is a direct cause of heart disease.

*85\58\2*

It started in 1954 with a sore throat followed by tonsillitis. He was treated with various drugs. After awhile he began to have nagging pains, first in his joints and later in his whole body. His doctor in Borlange diagnosed the condition as rheumatoid arthritis. He had a very high sedimentation rate. The doctor prescribed several drugs, 12 tablets a day, but no cortisone.

In February, 1955, Mr. Lindgren went to Bjorkagarden. He was bedridden with agonizing pains and badly swollen joints.

His first fast, on pure water, lasted ten days, followed by a ten-day fast on vegetable and fruit juices. Various baths, massage, vacuum cupping, etc. were included in the program. He fasted a total of 30 days.

After two months in Bjorkagarden Mr. Lindgren was able to return home without the slightest trace of arthritis. During his stay at the clinic he made several visits to his doctor in Borlange (a nearby city), and each time the doctor reported a steady improvement in his condition, which he attributed to the drugs he prescribed. Mr. Lindgren didn’t tell him about his treatments at Bjorkagarden and that he had discontinued the drugs long before. The last examination showed that he was totally free from the disease.

The case has been periodically checked—no relapses in over ten years.

I recently contacted Mr. Lindgren myself to find out if his recovery from arthritis was complete. This is what he wrote to me: “There is nothing wrong with my joints and my general health now. I exercise heavily and feel just great … It is tragic that riot all arthritis sufferers have knowledge of the methods which restored my health.”

*78\58\2*

It is self-evident that the only measures that can be successful in correcting arthritis, bringing it under control and accomplishing a lasting cure, must be ones which are directed at correcting its underlying causes. Prolonged use of drugs, even such “simple” drugs as aspirin, will eventually suppress and break down the body’s own defensive and healing mechanisms and cause severe chemical and hormonal imbalance. The disease will then be pushed further and further toward a condition where it will be completely incurable.

Therefore, in order to obtain lasting results the total withdrawal of all drugs is imperative.

Biological treatments are directed at:

Eradication and correction of abnormal and health-destroying conditions which have led to the development of the disease.

Assisting the body’s own healing forces in normalizing all the metabolic processes; establishing biochemical stability; cleansing the body of accumulated toxins and wastes; strengthening the functions of all the vital organs; revitalizing glandular activity and achieving a hormonal balance—or, in sum total, rebuilding and strengthening the general health of the patient.

When the causative factors are thus eliminated and the body is strengthened and revitalized by proper dietetic, physiotherapeutic and other biological measures, then the organism’s own curative powers are given a chance to take over and bring about the actual cure.

Therapeutic fasting

Almost without exception the treatment of arthritic patients in European biological clinics begins with fasting. Fasting is the one most important curative measure in the treatment of arthritis.

I wish to add here that most clinics employ repeated juice fasts for patients with arthritis; for example, one week of fasting followed by one week on a special diet, then a two-week long fast followed by two weeks of dieting, and so on. At the famous Buchinger Clinic in Germany, the usual length of fasting is 14 to 21 days. The longest recommended fast for therapeutic purposes is 40 days.

*70\58\2*

“Give me a chance to create fever and I will cure any disease,” said the great physician Parmenides two thousand years ago.

“High temperature during infection helps combat the growth of virus. Therefore, fever should be not brought down with drugs,” said a great modern healer, Nobel prize winner, famous French virologist and professor of medicine, Dr. A. Lwoff.

Why then do mothers get so anxious when Junior suddenly develops a slight fever? They run to the family doctor and with the help of many modern fever-suppressing drugs quickly bring the fever down “to normal.”

Fever has been too long a misunderstood and mistreated symptom. Most medical doctors try to combat and suppress fever. They see in fever a negative, pathological condition which must be eliminated as fast as possible. The biological doctor or nature-cure practitioner considers fever to be a constructive, healing-promoting symptom, created by the body in its effort to fight infection or other diseased conditions and restore health.

*61\58\2*

There is no better way than the empirical way to prove any given nutritional theory. Our knowledge of intricate body chemistry and metabolism is rudimental and new facts are discovered daily. But if we can put the theory into practice and see what results it has produced through centuries or even millenniums of use, then it is worth more than bookshelves full of scientific reasoning.

The secret of the Hunzaluu

There is one particular nation which is generally considered “the healthiest people on earth”—the Hunza people. First “discovered” by Sir Robert McCarrison, famous British physician, in the beginning of this century, Hunza has been visited since that time by many researchers, attracted there by the Hunza people’s remarkably good health and freedom from all diseases common to the “civilized world.” Hunza is located in the Himalayas and is a quiet, isolated kingdom of about 25,000 inhabitants.

Cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, rheumatic diseases and many other diseases common in western countries are unknown in Hunza. Do not try to discount this by the usual “they-don’t-have-proper-diagnosis” argument. A very competent physician, Dr. McCarrison, lived among them for 11 years and tried hard to find traces of these diseases. “They know no sickness,” he said. They live up to 90, 100 and over 100 years of age; are virile, strong and active long after they reach the usual three score and ten.

The researchers who studied Hunza agree that their diet is the major factor in their unusual health and longevity. Primitive life and healthful mountainous climate are, of course, contributing factors; but some other tribes in the same area, but with different eating habits, do not demonstrate nearly as good health as the Hunzakuts do. The Hunza diet is a high natural carbohydrate—low animal protein diet! Their staple foods are grains, such as wheat, barley, millet, and buckwheat; fruits, mostly apricots, apples, and grapes; assorted vegetables, generally eaten raw; and very little milk, largely goat milk. They eat few eggs and very little meat, only on festive occasions and not more than once a month. Needless to say, because of their isolated and inaccessible position in the Himalaya mountains, they have no access to refined, civilized foods made from white flour, white sugar, canned foods, etc. The Hunzas are a living proof that an unrefined, simple diet, rich in natural carbohydrates and low in animal proteins is superior to our over-refined, devitalized protein-rich diet.

Yemenites

A few years ago, a tribe of Semitic origin was discovered in the mountains of Yemen. Several thousand people were living high in the mountains in an area isolated from the rest of the world for over 2,000 years, with customs and living and eating habits of the pre-Christian era. Of course, the sensational news was publicized in the world press. Many scientists from all over the world immediately rushed to Yemen to study these people, their way of life, their health conditions, eating habits, etc. They discovered that these Yemenites were specimens of perfect health who lived to a very old age and knew practically no diseases. And what did they eat? You’ve guessed it! Yes, theirs was a low animal protein—high natural carbohydrate diet!

Russians

Russians are known for their endurance and good health. They have seven times more centenarians per million than the United States. Russians are a low-protein people. Their staples are black whole-grain bread with lots of vegetables (mostly cabbage, onions and potatoes) and grains like millet and buckwheat. Russian sour black rye bread,* borsch (vegetable soup) and kasha* (millet or buckwheat porridge) are world-famous. They seldom eat meat more than once a week. 74.5 percent of their protein need is derived from vegetable sources and only 25.5 percent from animal sources (as compared with the United States figures of 29 percent vegetable and 71 percent animal!). Of course, the greatest number of Russia’s 21,000 centenarians are vegetarians, or nearly vegetarians. During the war many of their armed units lived on meatless diets for months and demonstrated remarkable stamina and endurance.

Bulgarians

Bulgarians are among the healthiest races in Europe. They are, along with the Scandinavians, the tallest people in Europe and they possess great vitality and longevity. There are more centenarians in Bulgaria than in any other civilized country. They are known to retain the characteristics of youth to an advanced age. The virility of their “old” men is legendary. According to the 1930 census, Bulgarians had 1,600 centenarians to every million of population as compared to nine persons of 100 years old or older per million in the United States.

The diet of the Bulgarians consists largely of black bread (mostly whole rye and barley), vegetables and soured milk in the form of yogurt or kefir. They eat relatively little meat.

Seventh-Day Adventists

A grand-scale scientific evidence supporting the low animal protein diet is presented in the health statistics from a religious group, the Seventh-Day Adventists.

A study conducted by Dr. Frank R. Lemon and Dr. Richard T. Walden, of the Loma Linda School of Medicine, reveals that the Seventh-Day Adventists, as a group, have better health and live longer than the general population. Their rate of lung cancer is practically zero, 1000 percent or ten times less than among the general population. This is true even among those Adventists who live in the heavy-smogged Los Angeles area! The rate of coronary disease among them is 40 percent less than in the general population. Studies reveal low mortality and low morbidity among Seventh-Day Adventists from all cancers of the respiratory tract and esophagus, emphysema and bronchitis, and from coronary artery disease.

The Seventh-Day Adventist mortality rate from all causes is two times lower, and from respiratory diseases four times lower, than among the general population.

Now, here we have an extraordinarily remarkable scientific study made by reputable medical men and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which shows that a certain group of people, living in the United States seemingly under the same conditions as the rest of us, possesses vastly superior health. Wouldn’t this study be worth looking into in our multibillion-dollar quest for ways of improving the catastrophic state of our health?

The answer to the superior health of the Seventh-Day Adventists lies in the health program advocated by their Church. They look upon their bodies as the Temples of the Spirit and, as such, keep it clean and in good repair. They are lacto-vegetarians; they eat no meat. They do not smoke, drink no alcohol, nor do they use coffee, tea or other caffein-containing beverages such as cola drinks. They are also advised to abstain from the consumption of sugar and refined starches. A recent study made by the Colorado State Health Department reveals that Seventh-Day Adventist children have about 50 percent fewer cavities than the other children in the area.

*52\58\2*

Practically all conditions which lead to chronic diseases are the result of accumulated impurities (toxins) in the body. Constipation is one of the most common ailments of civilized man. As a consequence of long-standing constipation, the digestive tract, particularly in the lower bowels and colon, becomes slack and stagnant, with hardened residues clinging to the walls of the colon and filling its many pockets and folds. Also, excrements tend to collect and remain too long in the sigmoid (the S-looking curve just above the rectum). This results in putrefaction and gas, forming a source of slow poisoning of the whole body.

Therefore, it is essential that the digestive and eliminative system is restored to a normal condition if positive results of the change-over to the Waerland diet are to be expected. Enemas can do much to restore effective elimination.

To take an enema, you must have an enema can with a rubber hose and a nozzle; it can be obtained at any drug store. First, take one pint of luke warm water (about 99° F) with a few drops of lemon juice. The best position for taking an enema is on your knees, head down to the floor, with a can standing or hanging two to three feet above the anus to get sufficient pressure in the flow of water. The flow can be regulated by squeezing the tube with your fingers. Be sure that no air is left in the tube before inserting the nozzle into the anus. Use some vaseline on the nozzle to make insertion easier.

After emptying the bowel, a second enema, this time of one quart, may be taken. This larger enema will penetrate higher in the colon and accomplish a more thorough cleansing.

Warning: Enemas are intended only as a temporary measure during change-over period and are not intended to be a regular routine, or a habit. Although small one-pint enemas are perfectly harmless, larger enemas may slacken the bowel and damage the mucous membranes if used too frequently. When constipation is relieved and normal bowel movements achieved (as they will usually be on the Waerland-diet), then all enemas should be discontinued.

*44\58\2*

There is a growing conviction among people and practitioners that “living,” sun-drenched water from fast-flowing streams and lakes, replenished by rainfall and irradiated by sunlight, has a special curative property—in both internal and external use.

There are many theories as to why living water is better for health and healing. One is that sunlight has an enriching effect on water, which absorbs solar energy. This energy influences the growth and reproduction of beneficial microorganisms which exercise a destructive influence on disease-causing organisms that pollute water. Another theory for the curative power of living water is that rain water and water from open springs, pools and rivers is a potent source of oxygen and beneficial microorganisms from the air in addition to the vital solar energy. When man began drinking underground water he lost some of his hereditary resistance to disease, which is still possessed by wild animals who drink living water.

The great ancient physicians Hippocrates and Galen believed in the healing power of living water. The Greeks cured themselves by drinking water from the healing fountains in the temples, where running water was given the maximum of aeration and exposure to sunlight.

*36\58\2*