Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer are now the biggest killers in developed countries with the developing world rapidly catching up. The challenge for developed countries now is decreasing the prevalence of chronic disease, particularly diabetes, CVD and cancer. Lessening the prevalence of these diseases will not only contribute to living longer but will also enable individuals to enjoy an enhanced quality of life.

This is, of course, possible. Research shows our Paleolithic ancestors (100,000 years ago) consuming a hunter-gatherer diet appeared largely free of degenerative cardiovascular disease. If they survived an infection, a storm or an animal attack, they lived long, healthy, and vibrant lives. Similarly, overwhelming research now shows that many chronic conditions can be reversed when patients adopt a healthy diet, lifestyle and environment. In the 1990s, Professor Dean Ornish and his colleagues proved that coronary artery disease, including plaque in the arteries, could be reversed with a healthy, nutritional diet and no cholesterol-lowering drugs. In 2005, Professor Ornish was able to show that you could reverse prostate cancer, which I described earlier, with the same program. Despite this, and the now overwhelming evidence of this, the mainstream medical system continues to scoff and continue with the prescribing of drugs and surgery.

We all have cancers forming in us every day and, due to a stressful event, we might damage our arteries, but at nighttime and with the right conditions, our body heals itself. Our body can deal with just about anything given the right conditions. It does so every day.

This program has the advantage of reversing many of the chronic illnesses that people suffer including hypertension, elevated cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular disease, as well as arthritis and other forms of chronic illness. Taking personal responsibility brings us self-respect, integrity, and a sense of hope. It is an opening up to life. Healing involves dealing with physical, emotional and chemical stresses and can be achieved in many ways—often free or low-cost. However, our expectations, our conditioning and our choices can block our ability to heal. If we don’t believe, we won’t do it, and the healing won’t happen.

The illness we experience is based on our lifestyle and diet, not an absence of drugs or the symptoms we manifest over decades.