Hi Susan

I think you should have every right to be cynical about the medical industry. I think after that after that other industry, which creates ever more creative ways of killing people, that being the war/defence industry, the medical industry, which purports to save the lives of people, follows up a close second in terms of overall turnover. There is very little profit in ways of naturopathy. The actual facts are as follows,

The main correlation (in a statistical sense) in determining levels of premature death within a population is the individuals level of income. No one wants to talk about this issue though, no politicians, no doctors, only the actuaries for insurance companies who are bound by company secrecy. Poverty and the unfair distribution of incomes is the determining factor for disease. The rest are just consequences to this main issue.

Example, if you want to cure lung cancer and vascular disease, then ban tobacco smoking or at least make it extremely expensive . But tobacco smoking is a consequence of social stress and poverty. The tobacco industry has to much of a vested political interest for a ban to be put in place. Same with drug abuse and alcohol abuse. Cheap processed food consumption is again determined by income levels leading to obesity, which leads to vascular disease and diabetes and premature death. Social stress caused by poverty and the associated problems such as mental health are just seen by the medical industry as a means to sell their wears, just like the tobacco and alcohol businesses. Stressed out! Hmm what to have, will it be a medically prescribed Valium or 20 Benson and Hedges and a bottle of Vodka or some twinky bars and some Ritalin?

If you want to live a contented and happy healthy life with few medical problems, ask an actuary. He will just tell you not to be poor. Ignorance doesn't help either, but again that is mainly a function of poverty once more.

Healthy cynicism keeps the doctor away, much like an apple a day (if only if it wasn't covered in pesticides).