Dragonfly News

The Official Monthly Newsletter of Song of Health
May, 2007

April 07 Newsletter
June 07 Newsletter

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GREETINGS
By Dr. Jared Zeff, N.D., L.AC

Greetings to the Subscribers of Song of Health.
 
After 4 years of naturopathic medical school, and two years in practice, I had decided that I needed more knowledge. I just did not really know how to restore people to health. I did not know how to treat really sick people. I had decided to return to medical school and pursue an MD degree in order to become a better naturopath. I thought that IV delivery of vitamins might be more powerful than simply oral dosages. (This was almost 30 years ago, when naturopaths did not do IV vitamin therapy.) I thought I would learn more about medicine. I had begun the application process to the University of Oregon medical school, and was on track to enter there in a few months.

A few weeks later, I happened to hear an older doctor speak at a conference, Dr. Harold Dick. As he told it, treating the difficult cases and restoring them to health was easy. It was the impossible cases that were the challenge. Well, either he was full of hot air, or perhaps he really knew something.  Soon after that, I had a man call me with a terminal kidney disease. He was under the care of the doctors at the University of Southern California medical school, one of the most prestigious on the west coast. They had told him there was no cure for his terminal disease. Could I help him? I told him I did not know how, but there was an old doctor in Spokane who might be able to, Dr. Harold Dick. So I arranged to take this man to see Dr. Dick, and I would spend the day with the doctor following him in his clinic.

At Dr. Dick’s I was amazed by what I saw. The first three cases I encountered were all people with incurable disease, and they were recovering! That day, I began a study with Dr. Dick that continued for many years. I stopped my application to the University of Oregon. I slowly learned the old naturopathy, something I had not encountered in school. The man with the kidney disease began to recover, and his doctors were amazed. All he had done was adopt a new diet, based upon Dr. Dick’s “allergy test”, begin hydrotherapy, and take a kidney tonic. It seemed so simple, but it was working.  I asked Dr. Dick to explain it, to teach me.  He told me that it was the hydrotherapy.

I began to adopt these methods in my clinic, but at first I saw no real success. I was doing the hydrotherapy, using the herbal formulas, but nothing was happening. I traveled to Dr. Dick's clinic each month for a few days, then went back to my own to continue my work with my patients. I just wasn't getting the results I saw him getting. Finally, I realized that each case began with a specific dietary change, based on an old test that Dr. Dick had learned from Dr. O. G. Carroll. The diet was really the key, not the hydrotherapy.

It took me three years with Dr. Dick to really learn that testing method, which is the cornerstone of my practice to this day. I learned the hydrotherapy. I studied his approach to herbal medicine and homeopathy. As I adopted his techniques of dietary testing and advice, I began to see these “impossible” cases turn around. I have watched this happen for over 25 years now, each time amazed. It has been my joy and my privilege to have studied with this great man, and to help preserve and continue these techniques that were almost lost. We see impossible cases heal now on a daily basis. I praise God and give Him thanks for leading me to Dr. Dick and allowing me to learn from him.

I am thankful to Sandy Strom for creating this website to make it easier for people to adopt this approach to a healthier diet.
 
Jared Zeff, ND

SHARING EXPERIENCES
By Sandra Strom, CEO

HEALTH AND FINANCES – WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY COST?

Recently, an acquaintance of mine was sharing how she was ill and had been to specialist after specialist, all who were attempting to diagnose her condition and then to determine how to treat her. Each time she visited a doctor and/or had tests taken she contributed a co-payment of $25.00 per visit. Treatment always included prescribing medication, which was only partially covered by her insurance company. She had already spent hundreds of dollars for diagnoses, lab tests and drugs and she was still feeling lousy.

My first impulse, of course, was to suggest that she be tested for food intolerances and to seek a naturopathic resource. Her response, however, was that she knew what she shouldn’t be eating. Dairy products sometimes gave her indigestion; she had wheat gluten intolerance and probably had celiac disease although she had never been tested for either. So she attempted to stay off those foods she could identify but had little success. She also thought she was a fairly healthy eater, I guess because she ate protein and vegetables. Never mind the starchy and sugary foods consumed on a daily basis. She didn’t see herself as an over-eater, yet she was considerably overweight.

Needless to say, she found herself back in the medical doctor’s office, subjected to more tests and medications, antibiotics, painkillers and things with long, unpronounceable names.

At first glance the alternative philosophy of living a healthy, natural lifestyle would appear to be a sure way of financing oneself straight to the poorhouse.

Purchasing organic foods and other items is generally (though not always) more expensive than non-organic products.
Trying to locate health foods and health care products may sometimes increase expenses, time and travel.
Most insurance companies refuse to cover alternative methods of healing.

When comparing the actual costs of preventive and maintenance care versus professional health care, we need to ask ourselves, “What are we willing, or required to pay for relief and for how long?” Add up out-of-pocket expenses for office, hospital and pharmacy visits. Did we obtain the ultimate relief from pain and suffering that we were searching for?

This is not meant to be a bashing of medical doctors and their methods of treatment. They perform the treatments they are schooled to do. They are not generally trained to minister nutritional counseling. So, when seeking help with nutritional lifestyle changes, it would be wise to consult a naturopathic physician, but if a liver transplant were needed, then a surgeon would be a more likely expert to visit.

There’s little value in me preaching. I do share what works for me. When someone tells me they can’t afford to buy organic, I share with them the opportunity costs of not. I keep the explanations simple of how eating foods we are intolerant to affects us, and if they show a peaked interest I continue to share. What is most convincing is to be a walking example of how living and eating healthy and getting exercise works to maintain vitality.

Here is my challenge to the skeptic: Compare
the cost of eating natural and organic foods while reducing the consumption of packaged and pre-made foods, and purchasing natural household cleaning and natural self-care products instead of chemically derived goods with
the cost of medical bills incurred for the last year. (If you filed a Schedule A form with your federal income taxes then you have probably already added up the costs of medical and dental care.)
Assess the condition of you and your family’s well being. Then ask yourself, is the opportunity cost worth it?

NEW RECIPES

Condiments

GOOEY CHEESE
(Contributed by Cheryl Haynes, Subscriber)

1 Cup Tahini
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. golden flax meal ( golden flax seeds ground in a coffee grinder)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut (not sweetened)
1 tsp. white onion (minced)
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Use on crackers or a crust for pizza.  Keep in the refrigerator.
 

SALADS

MOCK CHICKEN SALAD
(Contributed by Cheryl Haynes, Subscriber)

1 cup cashews
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 green onions, cut into smaller pieces
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 celery stick, cut into chunks
1 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. curry powder
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse chop until everything is chopped medium to fine.

DESSERTS

BROWNIES
(Contributed by Cheryl Haynes, Subscriber)

2 cups Medjool dates
2 cups walnuts
1/2 Cup Cacao powder

Blend dates and walnuts in food processor until it is just starting to hold together.  Add the Cacao powder and continue processing until it holds together when squished. Press down into a Pyrex pan and refrigerate to set.  Cut into pieces.

A special thanks to all our contributors this month.

Together, we strive for. . .
GREAT HEALTH - GREAT LIFE!

Song of Health Webmaster