We often hear of astonishing medical breakthroughs against diseases like cancer and heart disease in the media. But these diseases are still killing hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. Even with today's statin drugs and chemotherapy, it never seems as if we're making much progress against our most deadly killers. 

What's worse, it's now increasingly obvious that many drugs that we take for years on end are only managing symptoms. They're not actually dealing with the underlying disease itself. The most obvious example is diabetes. Here is a disease which has a treatment, insulin injections, but is never actually cured by insulin. Insulin just prevents the person from slowly starving to death. 

Dealing with diabetes, however, can only be done holistically. It's about changing one's diet and lifestyle in such a profound and dramatic way that the body's normal metabolism is restored. 

Thanks to the success of what's called holistic, natural, or biological medicine we may have turned a corner. Many institutions and practices are finally introducing it to their patients. This is especially true if you don't live in a country with socialized medicine.

For instance, one of the ways our Western lifestyle affects us all from an early age is through our teeth. We learn that sugar damages your teeth and that we should brush regularly. But even using fluoride toothpaste twice a day sometimes isn't enough. Many young Western children end up with serious tooth decay problems before the age of ten. Why is this? Is it really just because they didn't brush enough, or is it a sign of a more serious problem? 

What's less known is that inflammation and ischaemia below the gum line can also cause our teeth to weaken. That's why holistic treatment of our teeth is becoming more and more popular. Instead of just accepting that you have to have root canal treatment, why not consult with a biological dentist about your other options. Wouldn't it be better if you could get to the root of the problem - if you'll excuse the pun - rather than deal with the symptoms?

A good holistic dentist will take you through the pros and cons of the different options available to you. They'll also discuss with you other aspects of your life and try to improve the health of your teeth through multiple channels. 

I think this approach is best for all areas of our health. Healthy teeth are a sign that you're treating your body well. They're a sign of overall good health. And because most diseases don't have a single cause with a single effect, helping your teeth means helping your overall health. 

If you decide to adopt a multi-level therapeutic approach you stand a much better chance of addressing the real reason for your illness. In a very real sense, it's the difference between treatment and healing. It's not just about avoiding sugary snacks as we're told over and over. It's about making sure you're in good mental health, that you're active and that you have good relationships as well.