There are so many things that impact our health each day and some of them we may not even be aware of. The purpose of this series of articles is to increase your awareness in these emerging and current health risks. In "Part I" your naturopathic physicians discussed the role of nutrition and diet on your health as it relates to your awareness of nutrient intake. Here we want to further your understanding of health risks with information on infectious disease, the health care system, and your personal responsibility in your health. As always we have included some holistic health treatment options to help you start on this path. 

What infectious disease's are on the rise?

Antibiotic resistant bacteria 

You may have heard that the antibiotics we use to overcome bacterial infections may someday no longer work for those same infections. Well that day has come. Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are no longer a thing of myth. They are here to stay and are becoming more and more of a threat to our day-to day living. A once uncommon occurrence, MERSA (methylin resistant staph aureus) is now being seen more frequently outside the hospital setting and in community based clinics. Cases of MERSA in hospitals are also increasing. Currently there are antibiotics to treat MERSA but even these are beginning to show resistance. As this form of bacteria spreads, it too will adapt into even more resistant strains.

MERSA is probably the most prevalent and well known antibiotic resistant bacteria but there are others starting to emerge as well. 

Some emerging Antibiotic-resistant bugs:

• Escherichia coli- Commonly found in the large intestines and part of our normal flora. Some pathogenic strains can be introduced into the digestive tract by ingesting contaminated foods. 
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis - the bacteria responsible for causing tuberculosis.
• Nesseria gonorrhoeae- The bacteria responsible for causing gonorrhea. 
• Salmonella- One of the most common bacterial infections in the intestines. Infected by ingesting contaminated food.

The one true defense against these bugs is preventing more strains from coming about and we do this by testing to make sure the antibiotic we prescribe will kill the bacteria, known as culture and sensitivity. Another effective treatment approach is to take antibacterial herbs and immune stimulating herbs along with the antibiotics. This two prong approach leaves less room for the bacteria to survive any mutation. 

Food borne infectious disease

Food borne infectious diseases are on the rise too. Reported cases of pathogenic strains of E Coli have increased substantially over the last 20 years. E. Coli 0157:H7 is the most common of these but other E. Coli strains have been reported. Most of these E. Coli infections come about through contamination of the food supply with the feces of cows, pigs, and other ruminate animals. The contamination can occur in the factory where the animals are slaughtered or from runoff of fertilizer into vegetables farms. In all cases the problem come about by eating the live bacteria. Ensuring that your food is throughly cooked can go a long way for prevention. It does appear that most instances of contamination come about from more industrialized companies. By eating foods from smaller and local farms you will likely avoid the majority of these food borne issues. 

How does your lifestyle relate to your cancer risk?

Of all the hype about fighting cancer and new research on cancer you rarely hear about the huge impact lifestyle has on it. We won't speculate on why but these statistics should give you something to think about.

The World Health Organization recognizes that over 80% of all cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors. That means diet, exercise, water, air, and exposure to toxins. Of this 80%, about 35% are related to dietary factors. That is a huge number so let's put that another way. You could prevent 35% of all cancers simply through the foods that you eat. Among women this number may be as high as 50%. To me this seems like critical information that you should know about and points to how our health care is failing us. Here is some information that put you on the right track.

So what foods should you eat and which foods should you avoid? The specifics of this are beyond the scope of this article as each type of cancer is associated with different foods to avoid. Here is an abbreviated list of cancer fighting foods you should be eating, however:

• Broccoli (and other cruciferous veggies)

• Onions

• Green Tea

• Dark Berries

• Tomatoes

• Soy

• Dark Leafy Greens

• Beans

• Low Saturated Fats

We always hear about the war on cancer but hear very little about the impact of diet on the risk of getting cancer. Yet according to the World Health Organization we could cut nearly 1/3 of all cancers through diet alone. By bring more awareness of the impact our food and diet choices have on cancer, we could make a huge impact on cancer rates.  

Does your doctor really care?

This is a subjective question that only your doctor can answer but it is clear that the number of family physicians are increasingly frustrated with their jobs (looking after your health). The number of family physicians is decreasing because most doctors don't feel they are valued enough. The result is more and more doctors are going into some form of specialty medicine. Indeed, most family physicians are frustrated with their jobs and this number is growing. A recent study found that in 2011 69% of family doctors said they would choose the same career. The same study the following year (2012) found only 54% would choose the same career. 

The insurance companies keep doctors churning out more and more patients to keep up with their overhead and they become less and less satisfied as they don't have a connection with their patients. The average amount of time doctors spend with patients is 13-15 minutes. As naturopathic physicians practicing integrative family medicine, 13-15 minutes is just not enough. At this pace most people would spend more time getting their car cleaned than interacting with their doctor. To treat someone holistically and really get to the core of their issues, you need more time. You need more time to get to know the person and more time to get all the details of what is really wrong. Many people will hold back what is really bothering them until you really dig deep, ask the right questions, and establish rapport. You can't do that in 10 minutes. 

In this technology driven interconnected world we live in, there is more and more health related research and topics that doctors need to tie into their treatments. Yet they don't have sufficient time. With more time doctors could educate on how diet relates to cancer. With more time doctors could determine which bacteria is sensitive to the antibiotics they are using. With more time doctors could put a little extra "care" in caring for patients. Don't compromise your health with insufficient time with your doctor. More time with patients means more reward for you and the doctor and with more reward comes care.

Family doctors use to be just that, part of the family. This came with the same care and attention that only a caring person would give. Insurance companies and industry has turned the medical care system into another commodity trying to squeeze every last drop of profit out. I'm sure you would agree that your health is not a commodity. In fact it is likely the most valuable thing you have. So why not give it the same care and attention it deserves?

To get more information on naturopathic physicians and health trends effecting your health, click on the link below for a free consult with an integrative medicine Arizona physician.