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Here’s what I hear from my patients. Not all of them have the same symptoms or issues, but these comments represent a significant portion of what my patients tell me is going on in their lives and in their bodies:

Then there’s the question that kind of caps all the questions:

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those questions, or ones like them. You know in your heart there is a better way. You try herbs, vitamins, acupuncture, dieting, miracle cures; you read books, magazines, get on the internet, hear “experts” on talk shows; you do yoga. Some things help more than others, but there does not seem to be one single answer that solves the problems, and there are too many choices to try with too little time before breakdown. Where to start?

I can help. How do I know that? I was trained in traditional allopathic medicine. I set up my practice with a prescription pad in hand, caring in my heart, and a desire to make the world a better place. But in came managed care, with people who had no medical degree telling me how much care I could give my patients, and what was “allowed” and what wasn’t. I had to see more patients in less time to meet my “quota.”

Then there was hospital care and night call. And finally, my neck and back started acting up. Instead of being the doctor with all the answers, I became a patient myself, suffering with almost constant back and neck pain.

I continued practicing medicine, listening to my patients tell me of the amazing things that happened when they tried a certain herb, or eliminated elements from their diets, or started moving again, or changed the way they thought.

My back pains persisted, until one day a friend came over and put a large magnet on my back. I was resistant. I thought it was quackery, but my back pain went away. As I pondered the “double-blind study,” in which I had just been the participant who knew it couldn’t work, as well as the physician who figured it could be worth trying in the name of science (just to prove it wrong), I learned that my medical school training did not encompass all of the possible successful, natural treatments.

A new way of thinking fell into my lap, and I began to realize there are healthy alternatives to drugs and surgery. Since then, finding answers has become my passion.

I practice “principle-based” medicine. Let me share with you some of the core principles upon which I base my practice:

There is another factor that I have not previously shared, one that continues to amaze me. Many of the key, core principles involved in achieving optimal health were known and understood fully more than a hundred years ago! As I have read some of the books that no longer are available, that I have collected through researching sources, I am astounded at the depth of understanding and wisdom demonstrated by people in the late 1890’s and the early 1900’s.

Through the years, as I have listened to my patients and treated them, as well as researched much of the old health literature, I have been able to glean treatment approaches that are healthy and safe, as well as superbly effective.

I have found certain elements that seem to be prevalent in people that are well. Those same elements are not present in people that are sick. It sounds much simpler than it really is, because the way a body works is composed of so many different facets that there is no “one size fits all” treatment; no silver bullet that will magically make everything better. There is no magical answer, but a combination of many core elements creates a whole, or healing.

I’m going to discuss these one by one (I’ve dubbed these “The Habits of Highly Healthy Humans”). Since these need some extensive explanation, and I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much information all at once, I’ll start with the first one in this article. If you can’t stand the suspense of waiting for the sequel, you can go to my new website, www.stangardnermd.com , for the rest of the Habits. I’ll be getting some of them online in the next few days.

Healthy Habit Number One :

Do you remember the old phrase: “you are what you eat”? It’s true! Let me explain.

1. What Do Healthy People Eat?

So you might ask, what constitutes real food? And the answer is rather surprising. Real food is not always easy to locate, and even when we think we have located it, it may be unhealthy food that is mislabeled.

Let’s go into further detail about what real food is, and what it isn’t.

There are levels of real food.

If in reading this you have started stressing, asking the air around you how you are ever going to possibly prepare “real food” for your family with a limited budget and even more limited time, read on. I’ll tell you. There is hope. However, first I’m going to tell you what “real food” isn’t.

Going up and down the aisles usually places you in the processed food area, where canned foods, boxed mixes, and long shelf-life stuff is displayed. “Unreal” food is food that has been processed and is not available to you in a natural state.

Of course, I’m not suggesting that you go over to the nearest potato and start munching on it raw. Nor am I going to tell you to suddenly become a vegetarian. The process of becoming healthier – whether it is through eating or any of the other Habits I describe below – is on a continuum, and there is no one “right way” that is right for everyone all at once.

There are, however, foods that do not benefit your body. Generally speaking, these are the foods you can find in boxes, cans and packages, loaded with sugar, trans-fatty acids/hydrogenated oils, artificial colorings and flavors and other additives and preservatives. Chances are, if you cannot pronounce the ingredients, they aren’t great for your health.

Now, back to those of you who are still puzzling over what to fix for dinner tonight that won’t poison the family: the best food for your family is also the simplest to prepare! Fresh vegetables from the garden, lightly steamed, a baked potato, sliced avocado, small bits of meat if you need them for additional flavor. Salads with a light dressing of olive oil and vinegar, bursting with flavor from homegrown tomatoes, peppers, onions, and other garden delights. These don’t take long to assemble, and if you introduce them slowly and enthusiastically to your family, they will start eating them. Why? Because their bodies will recognize the value in what they are consuming.

Here’s a good test for yourself: Ask yourself how you feel, two minutes after eating something, two hours after eating it, and two days after eating it. You will be interested in what your body tells you!

I have a favor to ask: If you have a healthy, easy recipe that your family (or you) loves, can you please send it to me, either in care of this magazine or to www.stangardnermd.com? Just make a comment after this article, which I’ll post there. Thanks a million! Your suggestions will help many other people who are seeking for good ways to keep themselves and their families healthy.

More on this interesting philosophy next time. Oh, and the next Habit? I’ll give you a hint: it’s related to what we eat.