By Dr. Joseph Mercola
     with Rachael Droege

You’ve likely seen it in the news: health care costs are rising to astronomical levels, Americans are taking more and more drugs in an attempt to stay "healthy," increasing numbers of people are expressing their discontent with the current medical system and chronic diseases are reaching epidemic proportions. Health care costs have risen in double-digit increments for three straight years, with the most recent being a 13.9 percent jump in health-care premiums in employer-sponsored plans in 2003. This represents the biggest increase since 1990.

Meanwhile, consumers are convinced that they have no choice but to pay the increasing costs, and it’s no wonder when you consider that in 2002 more than 80 percent of U.S. adults took at least one drug per week. Quite simply, doctors are prescribing more drugs--prescribing rates rose 34 percent between 1985 and 1999--and Americans are taking them.

So amidst all this spending on drugs and telltale signs that the current medical system is near collapse, why am I saying that the future looks bright?

Well, it is my vision and my mission to transform the existing medical paradigm from one focused on pharmaceuticals, surgeries and other methods that only conceal or remove specific symptoms to one focused on treating and preventing the underlying causes of disease. This Web site, which was founded on the basic principle of providing the public with honest, comprehensive, and well-researched guidance on the best nutrition, medicine, emotional therapy and lifestyle choices that you can make to achieve total health and wellness, has become increasingly popular as more and more people become aware of the dangerous habits and techniques used by the traditional medical system.

Already, many people have begun to see through the dishonorable motives, usually greed, that plague the current system’s methods. You will notice that Mercola.com is not home to any sponsors, advertisers, investors or any other financial backers looking to make a quick buck. The products that I do offer to you are offered with my most sincere recommendation, because I have researched their benefits and believe they are truly useful on your journey to health. As it has been since the day this site was started, all profits from the site go right back into building the site and expanding the flow of honest and useful ideas and information.

That said, we will soon be forming an alliance with other groups that have similar missions and share our desire to take control of our own health and no longer want to rely on drugs and surgery to survive, and a major step for this alliance will occur next month.

This is because in the beginning of December my entire dietary and lifestyle health program will be released in the form of my newest book: "Dr. Mercola's Total Health Program: 150 Delicious Grain-Free Recipes & The Proven Plan to Prevent Disease, Optimize Weight and Live Longer."

This will be the culmination of my last 20 years of work, and everything, from A to Z, will be included. You will get everything you need to know to prevent disease, optimize weight, look younger, feel better, and live longer. Plus, it will provide you with the ability to assess your general metabolic type and give you a full plan to start eating the right macronutrients--proteins, carbs and fats--for your type.

Also included in the book are 150 delicious and original grain-free recipes for all types of meals, created by a nutrition expert in collaboration with my program.

Again, you can expect the book to be out in the beginning of December. Not only will this book give you everything you need to take control of your own health, but proceeds from the book will go toward building the alliance of trustworthy groups that are dedicated to arming the public with information to prevent disease and achieve optimum health.

So the future of health care looks bright indeed. We are making great strides and with this forthcoming alliance that will give increasing numbers of people the power to take control of their own health, we are changing the currently devastated system, one person at a time.

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