Terrain Model of Health

The Terrain Model of Health, also referred to as Natural Hygiene and Life Science, is a health system that recognizes the human body as an infinitely intelligent, self-sufficient organism capable of healing itself and functioning in superb order—completely free of disease—when the conditions of health are provided.

Terrain Model, Natural Hygiene, and Life Science are rooted in these fundamental truths:

  • The body is self-healing. We see this in many ways. Cuts and abrasions, bruises, and broken bones all heal on their own.

  • Health is the normal state of all living organisms and health is maintained through natural, self-initiating, self-healing processes.

  • There is one cause of all disease: TOXEMIA. Toxemia is the saturation of toxins at the cellular level of bodily tissues, bloodstream, and fluids brought on by toxic living habits and depletion of nerve energy.  

  • Symptoms created by the body are the body’s way of cleaning its cells and circulatory system of toxic materials that clog and create dysfunction. When your body creates mucus that you then cough up, this is an example of your body encasing toxins in the mucus and expelling it to help cleanse your cells. 

  • When we experience symptoms, the body is fully capable of alleviating those symptoms on its own through fasting, returning to our natural diet, and living healthfully as long as disease hasn’t progressed too far. 

  • We are natural beings designed to eat our natural diet and live a natural lifestyle in accordance with the laws of nature. Every species has a natural diet that’s appropriate for their anatomy, physiology, and aesthetic disposition (what they’re naturally attracted to). Humans are no different. 

  • When we violate the laws of nature, such as when we consume unnatural foods for our body, we accumulate toxic buildup in the body and experience symptoms; these symptoms often build and build over time resulting in poor health and all manner of diseases. 

“Squandering our own self-healing power is a tragic mistake made too often by too many. We only delay healing and prolong suffering when we attempt to fix or treat the body with modalities. The body heals not because of, but in spite of, such interventions. Allowing our innate power to do its work, while we patiently ride out the health restoration process, is a beautiful experience; it is always the most prudent approach. Best of all, it's free.”

Dr. David Klein

Author of Self-Healing Colitis + Crohn’s

Terrain Model is antithetic to the Allopathic Model, the modern medical system, which is rooted in the Germ Theory of Disease. Germ Theory operates on the fallacious idea that outside “germs” are the cause of symptoms and treats those symptoms as “mistakes” to be corrected with external chemicals. 

Using toxic poisons to “cure” symptoms is actually the mistake because the symptoms themselves are the curing processes. To try to cure a curing process is wrong and oftentimes causes untold misery. It adds injury to injury. Here’s a helpful illustration:

If a man is repairing a lawnmower and you hit him with a bat, he not only has to stop fixing the lawnmower, he must also contend with a new and more life-threatening enemy. 

This is what’s happening when symptoms are suppressed by drugs and any type of outside intervention. Instead of cleansing and healing, the body must deal with a new harmful substance that’s a greater danger.

The Terrain Model proves this is true.

The truth is that when the body creates symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, fever, skin rashes, headaches, pain, inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhea, the body is in the process of cleansing and healing. Those symptoms send you the message that your body is attempting to heal accumulated toxins that have overburdened the body. By allowing those healing symptoms to continue and run their course, and by removing the causes of the symptoms, the body naturally and reliably returns to a state of health. There are thousands, if not millions, of personal testimonies attesting to this truth.

When obstructions to healing are lifted, the body is able to heal. The most effective way to heal is through water fasting and returning to our natural diet of mostly fruit and leafy greens. By doing this, we significantly lift the digestive burden so the body is able to shift much more energy to cleansing and healing. Digesting food—particularly unnatural foods—takes around 60% of our body’s energy in any given day.  

In addition to eating an optimal diet of foods we’re biologically designed for, it’s vital to also support other needs the body has for vibrant health. These include:

  • Proper hydration with pure water

  • Clean, fresh air

  • Sufficient sleep

  • Rest and relaxation

  • Exercise and movement

  • Sunshine and natural light

  • Emotional poise and stability

  • Positive self-image and sense of self-worth

  • Pleasant environment

  • Thought, cogitation, and meditation

  • Love and appreciation

  • Inspiration, motivation, and purpose

  • Creative, useful work and pursuit of interests

  • Friendships, companionship, and connection with others

  • Peace, harmony, serenity, and tranquility

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY’S TERRAIN AND HOW THE CELLS IN YOUR BODY WORK

Specifically, the word “terrain” refers to the body’s internal conditions. 

Inside your body are trillions of cells. Each of those cells bathe in intracellular fluid. When the train is clean, the intracellular fluid is clean and flows freely. The individual cells are able to function as they are designed and intended to function.

When the terrain is dirty, the cells’ intracellular fluid is loaded and bogged down with cellular waste. All cells must eat (take in nutrients) and poop (eliminate waste). When waste builds up, the intracellular fluid becomes stagnant, thick, and unable to flow properly meaning the cells are now sitting in their own waste and unable to function properly. 

Think of the difference between a crystal clear river and a clogged up sewer pipe. For proper functioning, our cells need to bathe in a crystal clear river.

When we eat foods that are unnatural and inappropriate for our biology and physiology, we create excess work for the cells’ metabolism, which, in turn, creates excess waste.

When we create excess waste, the cells then aren't able to function as effectively, which then leads to even more waste building up. Eventually the terrain becomes so dirty that symptoms of disease appear.

Health is restored by cleaning the terrain.

To clean the terrain and move toward optimal health, one thing we can do right now is stop consuming inappropriate foods, which will dramatically reduce the body’s burden and give it more energy to use for eliminating the excessive waste.

What the medical systems calls “diseases” are simply collections of symptoms of a dirty terrain and a body attempting to free itself of toxic matter and remediate its uncomfortable, dysfunctional condition. 

When we return to the natural diet for our species, we remove the cause of the overwork and the cause of the excess. The body is then able to return to its natural state: A state of vibrant health.

By deeply delving into the simple yet mind-challenging teachings of the Terrain Model of Health, you’ll become empowered to heal, live free of fear of disease, and live an abundant life filled with health, beauty, and happiness.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TERRAIN MODEL:

Link to the TM Facebook group.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURAL HYGIENE:

Link to various books and the TENETS OF NATURAL HYGIENE. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFE SCIENCE:

Link to the LS course. 

* Note: Although Terrain Model, Natural Hygiene, and Life Science share many of the same tenets, each is presented a bit differently. I encourage you to spend some time along the way researching each one as you’ll undoubtedly discover nuggets of brilliance and valuable, practical information from them all.