No one wants to get sick and miserable. At least not consciously. However, the way sickness and disease is perceived and understood in pretty much every human culture leads to faulty reasoning, and therefore faulty approaches to staying healthy.

At face value, the idea of 'preventing disease' seems correct. Prevent it so that it doesn't happen. Deal with disease by staying one step ahead of it - by doing all the things necessary to avoid being "attacked" by disease or "catching" disease.

This appears valid, but a deeper understanding points to a better way.

The Prevention Fad vs. Common Sense

You cannot cure a disease by taking a pill. The only way to cure a disease is to stop causing it. Live healthfully and your disease will disappear.

Living healthfully causes health.
Living unhealthfully causes disease.
It is that simple.

Likewise, the notion of prevention of disease is completely unnecessary, for as long as you live healthfully, according to Natural Hygiene principles and practices, health comes to you automatically. Disease is prevented automatically. No need to worry about it.

Mainstream media has forever touted the latest research that recommends taking this, eating that, doing this and not doing that to prevent various diseases. For example, they suggest coffee for headaches, red wine or aspirin for heart problems, and fish oil for lower cholesterol. They then warn against coffee if you have kidney problems, caution against the use of wine due to liver problems, avoid aspirin if you've got stomach problems, and avoid fish because of mercury poisoning.

Doing that which will make a healthy person sick cannot magically flip around and make a sick person healthy. Aspirin, caffeine, alcohol and all the rest can not and do not make anyone healthy or prevent any diseases. None of these substances belong in a human body. If they do get in, the body must work hard to get rid of them as soon as possible... otherwise disease will result!

On and on it goes. Each season, a new fad begins about what can help you live longer, have better sexual prowess and more beautiful skin. It is conflicting, frustrating and impossible to keep up with the onslaught of recommendations to prevent all the maladies we fear.

If this is your approach to staying well, you will be forever reading the magazines and medical literature, checking for the latest findings. Then you will be frantically scurrying about trying to stock your fridge and pantry with the latest recommended foods, herbs, and supplements that will keep you disease free. And, periodically, you'll have to throw out all the items from last year that the media has changed its mind about. What was a wonder food last year is now dangerous... foods such as soy. Your obsession and worry about whether you are doing enough to prevent disease creates a lot of stress, and stress creates a higher potential for the very diseases you fear!

There is no need to live in fear of disease.

Fasting and Prevention

Fasting keeps the body operating at full capacity and helps to release the internal toxins that create disease. Many people engage in one long fast each year to help maintain health and vitality. Some add a few short fasts as well.

You might argue that by fasting you are preventing disease, but I say that by fasting you are simply doing that which is natural and health-maintaining. This perspective is more empowering, satisfying, accurate and in harmony with the larger picture of healthful living.

Remember, fasting doesn't prevent disease. Fasting does nothing. It is the life force in the body that uses the state of fasting physiology to maximize its cleansing and healing abilities.

It is the life force in the body that runs everything, keeping everything in miraculous, balanced order and integrity, thus automatically maintaining health.

At Vida Clara, we understand that living intelligently will spontaneously prevent disease from occurring, and will rapidly recover health and maintain it if it is lost.

There is no need to even think about preventing anything. This is no great mystery. In fact, this simple and timeless knowledge is and has been available to every human being on Earth since the beginning.

Go forth and live magnificently! Nature has made every provision for a healthy, wonderful life. Natural Hygiene is the study and practice of these natural laws. Apply this truthful wisdom to your life and discover the how wonderful life can become.