Physician Challenges Medical Industry Terminology, Highlights Diet's Role in Longevity
TL;DR
Adopting Ellen White's plant-based diet principles could provide a longevity advantage, as seen in Loma Linda residents living seven years longer than other non-smoking groups.
Studies show adverse drug reactions cause hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, with a 2.7-fold increase from 1998-2005, making medical care a leading cause of death.
Shifting focus from pharmaceutical treatments to preventive nutrition and healthy habits could save millions of lives and create a healthier society for future generations.
Ellen White warned about tobacco's dangers in 1864, a century before science confirmed the link to cancer, highlighting her foresight in health advocacy.
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Physician Richard Ruhling, who taught Health Science at Loma Linda University, distinguishes between healthcare and medical care, stating that the latter focuses on disease diagnosis and pharmaceutical treatment rather than promoting health through lifestyle. Ruhling points to his former teacher, cardiac surgeon Ellsworth Wareham, who lived to 104 and attributed his longevity to a plant-based diet recommended by Loma Linda University founder Ellen White. The university received $40 million from the National Institutes of Health to study why the community lived seven years longer than other non-smoking groups, which Ruhling credits to White's health writings.
White, who was 100 years ahead of the U.S. Surgeon General in declaring tobacco a 'malignant poison' in 1864, opposed teaching drugs in her school, but pharmacology was added to gain American Medical Association accreditation. She wrote in 1905 that "drugs do not cure disease" but often change its form and location. Ruhling experienced this firsthand when his wife died from complications after taking an antibiotic for a bladder infection, a scenario he says is more common than people realize, as evidenced by a Journal of the American Medical Association study reporting 106,000 hospital deaths annually from adverse drug reactions.
Combining that study with a Western Journal of Medicine report of 199,000 outpatient deaths from adverse drug events totals 305,000 deaths, making medical care the third leading cause of death. An Archives of Internal Medicine study from 1998-2005 showed deaths increasing 2.7-fold, potentially making medical care the top cause of death in the U.S., though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not include these figures in its annual list. Ruhling contends that pharmaceutical companies began calling medical care "healthcare" in the mid-1970s as an advertising strategy, misleading the public about the importance of healthy habits that can add years to life.
Ruhling, board-certified in Internal Medicine since 1973, notes that doctors receive little training in nutrition or herbs, and drug companies cannot patent natural products for profit. He visited U.S. Senate offices with medical journal articles until one senator admitted that pharmaceutical donations influence politics. If the 2.7-fold increase in deaths has continued since 2005, millions may die annually from properly prescribed drugs, whereas dietary changes could improve health within days. Ruhling also warns against eating the main meal in the evening, which can lead to weight gain, and cites a New England Journal of Medicine study linking coffee to pancreatic cancer.
For further information, Ruhling's book Health Happiness and Destiny has received positive reviews, and historical context on Ellen White's warnings about tea, coffee, and narcotics can be found at EGWWritings.org. The implications of this perspective challenge conventional medical practices and highlight the potential for diet-based approaches to reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals and improve public health outcomes.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
