CHAPTER 1: ILLNESS AND MEDICINE For the past few days, John has had some difficulty breathing. He was 30 years old, and it was a bit odd for someone of his age to have this symptom. Maybe if he was a smoker, things would make more sense, but John has never smoked a cigarette in his life. He decided to go see his doctor about it. Luckily, he was able to schedule an appointment that very week and get himself checked out. At the doctor's office, there was a considerable waiting period before you could be seen by the physician. John brought a book to read in the waiting room, but he found it hard to focus for very long, given his condition. After 20 minutes, he started to get a splitting headache. In anticipation of such a scenario, he kept over-the-counter pain relievers in his car. Following a quick trip and back, he washed down the pills with water from the water fountain and took a big sigh of relief. The nurse called John back to room 107 and did some routine checkup procedures. She took his blood pressure, measured his height and weight, and asked about his family's history of health problems. John was fortunate enough to not have any hereditary health issues. There was no heart disease, cancer, diabetes, nor arthritis to worry about. The nurse also asked about any and all current drugs he was taking, but he replied that he doesn't take any medication. After John's information was recorded, the nurse left the examination room and told him the doctor would be with him shortly. Just two minutes later, he was finally face to face with the man who could help cure him in no time. Dr. Spetzel was his name, and he was as friendly as could be. The two chatted about John's breathing issue, and John went into more detail about his condition. Chest pains were occurring throughout the day, but there were no heart palpitations. There was a little coughing but no wheezing. The doctor placed his stethoscope on John's chest and asked him to take a couple of deep breaths. With a few subtle nods, it appeared Dr. Spetzel had reached a final diagnosis. It was asthma. He said it was common for adults to develop asthma and not just children. An inhaler would immediately curb his symptoms, but it's a medication he would be required to take for the rest of his life to keep his symptoms at bay. Carrying his prescription from Dr. Spetzel, John headed towards the pharmacy to receive his inhaler. He dropped it off at the customer service desk then started to wander around the store. It would be some time until his prescription was filled, so he browsed the various medicines on the store's shelves. He saw tons of products to treat colds, allergies, and the flu. There were even over-the-counter treatments for constipation and diarrhea. The pharmacist called out to John, for it was time to pick up his prescription and head back home. While out in his car in the parking lot, John took his first dose and instantly felt much better. It became significantly easier to breathe, and his chest pains subsided. He was grateful for the miracle of modern science and medicine. Throughout the ordeal, it occurred to John how important his health and body were to him. Being in a constant state of bad health would make for a very poor quality of life. His diet would be the first place to start making improvements.