If you're wondering why medical mistakes like the one I recently described are being reported with greater frequency, you'll want to review this first-ever National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance.

Among the benchmarks cited in the report with the correspondingly low U.S. scores:

• Infant mortality = 39 out of 100
• Needless emergency room visits that could've been treated in an office visit = 23 out of 100
• Adults receiving recommended screenings and preventative care = 61 out of 100

The United States spends 16 percent of its gross domestic product on health care, or $2 trillion, every year. Since the CDC and FDA are focusing on crazy treatments and toxic drugs, I can't imagine these scores improving any time soon.

This is why I lost my faith in the modern health care system many years ago.

It is all too obvious that it is focused on the "business of unnecessary medicine" rather than true healing. The belief of quantity over quality is a powerful contributor to the downfall of the traditional medical community. One of the most important and popular articles I've featured on my Web site -- the Modern Health Care System is the Leading Cause of Death series -- illustrates this point very well.

By the end of the decade, health care costs are expected to rise to $3 TRILLION. This is largely due to the costs of drugs and surgery and a reliance on a medical system that does not treat the cause of disease.

The only way to improve the state of health care in America:

You simply must take better responsibility for your own health, address the true cause of your disease and move away from needless drugs and surgical procedures that merely mask your problem.

Fortunately, you have access to many free tools on my site to begin your journey toward optimal health.

Care, not treatment, is the answer.

Drugs, surgery and hospitals are rarely the answer to chronic health problems. Following a healthy diet, as outlined in my health plan, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are the basic pillars of optimal health. Effective interventions for the underlying emotional wounding behind most chronic illness are also key.