I think there is definitely a place for surgery to repair something like a torn cartilage if there is no way it can heal properly on its own. I have had "bum knees" since my teens (they misalign when I kneel) but rather than tamper with them I just don't kneel without a soft pillow. I wouldn't dream of lifting things from bended knee position. (My son may have inherited the knee problem, as he had to use pillows to kneel at the altar when he got married!) I know many women who have had knee surgery and a surprising lot of them are suffering from endless infections as a result. Overweight seems a strong factor in knee pain developing.

See - I tried to post on the last message board about not all drugs being aweful, but it wasn't allowed.  Here's a good example - Some surgeries do help - they are not all unnecessary, with results that create other problems.  Certainly, I would research and avoid any surgery if at all possible, particularly if something natural would work.   I broke my leg last year and the surgeons first reaction was to put a rod in my leg.  Fortunately my husband was lucid enough (I was under the influence of heavy meds) to ask a few good questions and determined the breaks were clean and could be easy to set easily (non-invasively).  The surgeon was not pleased with his (my husband's) choice, but did as requested.  I have little problems, no rod in my leg and no second surgery pending to remove a rod....

JFB,

There is science behind the EFT. Most physical ill health comes from emotional ill health. If you knew more about how stress affects the hormones on the adrenals, which in turn affects digestion, which in turn produces toxins, which in turn leak into the bloodstream and go to joints and degenerate them, you would not be so dismissive of regaining health through getting control over damaging biochemical thoughts. Chech out the new science of psycho-neuro-imunology. Mind and body ARE related, they are not separate. Kind regards

I'm with you Alexis - but you have to let go - when the student is ready the teacher will come.  While it's difficult to watch, it is the law of allowing.  At some point this mother and child will be ready to understand.   It can be muchmore difficult when you watch it happen within your own family - those that you are very closely involved with......

Qualitygeek, some insurance companies do offer discounts for those with gym memberships, or taking other steps to a healthier lifestyle. At least, here in Europe - not in the US?

Lifestyle changes may take more time, effort, and research to get it right, but the end result is still cheaper for you and society as a whole than drugs and surgery.  Just think how much cheaper health insurance premiums would be if people made preventative lifestlye changes.

Calm down Dr. Rik - this is an education process for those of us who are not doctors.   Correct us when necessary.  All of us are getting our information from many sources, and I would bet some of those sources are not always correct.  We (or at least I do) rely on people such as you to guide us.  Thanks for all you input. I and many others are making big decisions about our health based on lots of peoples'information - some that is considered proven and some that is not.