The End of Illness

Book excerpt: The time has come for us to stop thinking about illnesses like cancer as something the body 'gets' or 'has' but rather to think of them as something the body does. In this landmark work, leading researcher and physician Dr David Agus takes readers on a journey to decode the mystery of health and the human body. Based on his groundbreaking research and clinical trials, Dr Agus has come to the realization that the best way to combat cancer is to prevent it. For decades we've tried to whittle down our understanding of the body and its ailments to a finite point - a mutation, a germ, a deficiency or a number. But this has led us astray from a fundamental basic understanding of our bodies as systems. The End of Illness presents a system's view of the body, urging readers to begin viewing their total health as a complex network of processes that cannot be explained by any single pathway or focal point. In many instances, it does us no good to try and understand a certain disease; we just need to control it, much like an air traffic controller manages planes without knowing how to actually fly one. This radically different perspective on health will not only change how we care for ourselves, but also how we spur the next generation of treatments, and, in some instances, cures. The book also shows readers how to personalize their self-care; much of the advice is surprisingly simple and affordable - such as wearing good shoes and eating lunch at the same time every day.