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 Neela Sakaria: Please tell our readers about your background and your organization, Beyond Health Corp.
Raymond Francis: I'm a chemist with a master's degree from MIT, and I have been internationally recognized as a leader in the emerging field of optimal health maintenance. I have consulted for major corporations worldwide, including the vitamin industry. After having difficulty during my own wellness process in finding accurate health information, supplements and other products, I recognized the need for a company with high integrity to supply cutting-edge health information and world-class, health-supporting products. That is why I founded and Beyond Health Corp. and that is exactly what it does. I also publish a newsletter, Beyond Health News, and I am author of the book Never Be Sick Again and of the Pathways to Health newspaper columns. I host and produce a weekly syndicated radio talk show, An Ounce of Prevention. I'm also president of Health-e-America Foundation whose mission is to end the epidemic of chronic disease in America by supplying health education to our children, thereby averting an impending economic and social crisis in the U.S.
Neela: The title of your book suggests that people can choose to be healthy. Can you briefly tell us about this concept of choice, in terms of health?
RF: Health is a choice, and it is literally possible to never be sick in your lifetime. To be healthy, all we need to do is give our cells all the nutrients they need and protect them from the toxins they don’t need. Everyday we make choices that affect our health. One of the most important choices we can make is the food we choose to eat on a daily basis. Most Americans are choosing the wrong foods. Another factor affecting our health is toxins. While we can’t avoid toxins entirely, there are choices we can make to minimize our toxic exposures, such as the brand of toothpaste, deodorant or shampoo we use, and the water we drink.
Neela: Can you tell our readers about the six pathways that you discuss in the book?
RF: There is only one disease, malfunctioning cells. And, by the way, this concept of one disease has been called “the most important medical discovery in 200 years.” This one disease concept obsoletes most of modern medicine. The two causes of disease are deficiency (insufficient nutrients) and toxicity (excessive toxins). Six pathways exist between health and disease through which the health of our cells can change for the better or worse. The first pathway is nutrition. You are what you eat. Learn how to select and prepare the types of foods that will enable your cells to function at their best. The second pathway is toxins. A toxin is a substance that interferes with normal cellular function, thereby causing malfunction, which is disease. In my book I explain where toxins are found and how you can avoid them. The third pathway is psychological. The body and mind are inseparably connected. The ways we react to life events and respond to our thoughts and emotions directly affect our cells. Just as we are what we eat, we are what we think. The fourth pathway is physical. Our cells and bodies need physical maintenance, just like an automobile. We need to give ourselves enough exercise, rest, sunlight and fresh air, and learn how to avoid physical damage, such as from X-rays. Pathway five is genetic. Genes affect our health, but not nearly as much as modern medicine would have us believe. My book teaches you how to optimize your genetic potential and avoid genetic damage. The sixth pathway is medical. Studies show that modern medicine kills and injures millions of people every year. My book will help you make educated decisions about which treatments you need and which you do not.
Neela: What are some of the most common misconceptions that people have regarding their health?
RF: I think the most common misconception people have is that as they eat whatever they want and lead sedentary and stressful lives, they are healthy simply because they are able to function reasonably well and have not, at least yet, become incapacitated by disease. In fact, if a significant number of cells in your body malfunction, you are sick. When enough cells malfunction, symptoms appear and a disease may be diagnosed, but you are sick long before you get to that point. Healthy people do not get sick, not even a cold.
Another misconception people have is that if they do get sick, there is some kind of magic pill or medical treatment that will “fix” them. However, this is not the case. Modern medicine does not prevent or cure disease; it manages symptoms. The prescription drugs you take may make you feel better, but in fact, their so-called side effects are indications of cellular malfunction – which, again, is the very definition of disease.
Neela: You mention that it is difficult for our bodies to digest proteins and starches at the same time – i.e. fish and rice. But isn't it true that it is better for your hormone balance, to eat proteins and carbohydrates together? What do you suggest?
RF: Your question probably refers to Barry Sears’ “Zone Diet.” I don’t agree that each meal and snack needs to be perfectly balanced in the ratios of carbohydrate to protein to fat that he suggests. In fact, there is a whole study of metabolic typing which suggests that optimal ratios of these macronutrients differ considerably from person to person. Most people cannot properly digest proteins together with carbohydrates. If digestion is impaired, you will produce toxins, and, of course, cellular malfunction and disease.
Neela: What advice do you have for people when they are choosing dietary supplements?
RF: At a minimum, everyone should be taking a high quality daily multivitamin and extra vitamin C, even if they are eating a good diet. However be aware that there is a huge range of quality in today’s market and that almost half of all vitamins sold don’t even dissolve soon enough to be absorbed and be of any use in the human body. Don’t think you’re getting a bargain when you find a cheap vitamin. A low price generally indicates low quality because it costs more to purchase pure ingredients in the more bioactive forms. Another common mistake is comparing labels to see, for example, how many milligrams of a given nutrient each brand contains. Labels do not necessarily disclose the purity and chemistry of the ingredients, or the way they have been shipped, stored and handled, all of which affect the biological activity of the final product. In my book I outline specific guidelines for choosing supplements. For example, some cheap ingredients to check for – if these are included it’s a good indication that the remainder of the product is of low quality. I also include in the appendix a list of products I recommend and use myself.
Neela: What are some simple, first steps that a busy, working person, can take to improve the future of their health?
RF: Take a look at your diet. Don’t buy anything with an ingredient label. Make sure you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, preferably organic and usually raw. Raw foods will provide the most nutrients to your cells. Make sure you are getting your daily essential fatty acids from good fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Eliminate what I call “the Big Four” – sugar, white flour, processed food and oils, and milk products. Get adequate sleep and exercise every day, even if that means just taking a nice brisk walk during your lunch hour. A high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement is an essential part of a good diet today.
Neela: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
RF: Read my book, Never Be Sick Again. It’s available at local bookstores, online at Amazon.com, or call Beyond Health at 800-250-3063 for an autographed copy.
Remember this: Health is a choice, but you can’t choose it if you don’t know how. I wrote this book to provide you with the knowledge you need.
Never Be Sick Again
ISBN: 1558749543
Publisher: Health Communications Inc.
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