b'B ookr eviewBY ROSANNE LINDSAYHealth Freedom The Greatest Freedom of All By Diane Miller (ISBN-13: 978-1663220196; PublisheriUniverse; 2021, paperback, 262 pages; $18.95; E-Book, $3.99)H ealth FreedomThe Greatest Free- EducationAct(DSHEA)waspassedin dom of All is the story of Diane1994, protecting broad access to these prod-Miller,aMinnesotaattorney,ucts. If it were not for these efforts that led whose choices catapulted her from a law- to DSHEAs passage, America would be school graduate into a national leader inlikemanyothercountrieswithgovern-the health-freedom movement. Throughments that callously deny or restrict access her experiences, she shows how humanityto nutritional supplements. is being challenged to protect basic humanHealth Freedom shows the power that rights, freedoms, and survival, as modernAmericanspossessforeffectingchange technologies threaten to undermine gener- foreveryonewhentheycometogether ations of natural health traditions. to assert their inherent rights. There is an The book begins with the story of howurgent need for more protective and proac-Diane Miller, J.D. helped attorney Calvintive change, which must happen now given Johnson defend a Minnesota farmer, Herbthe exploding world of technology and its Saunders, who was criminally charged forimpact on health. No matter where one the practice of medicine without a licensestands on human rights issues, all rational when he offered colostrum from his dairylaws regarding life and health rest upon the cows to sick people. The Saunders case is anexpectation that individuals are inherently introduction to the very simple, straightfor- free to express their right of self-determi-ward legal question in America of whethernation, that is, to have a say in what they the U.S. Constitution supports the conceptThe new world of medicine and tech- experiencewiththeirbodies.AsMiller that individuals have a fundamental andnology is evolving at record speed. Historicconcludes, Freedom is not something just inalienable right to make their own health- and age-old healing knowledge and tradi- to be had but, rather, something to be lived. care decisions, including the right to healtions are thoughtlessly cast aside, forgotten,Freedom is a conversation. themselves and each other in the ways thator marginalized as new allopathic medicalHealth Freedom also explores the many they prefer. technology, pharmaceuticals, and surgicalways that the right of self-determination in Health Freedom continues with the storyprocedures come into use. Along with thehealth matters is affected by the evolution of how the author joined a group of Min- speedy development of technology comeof law in America. In the founding of our nesotans to pass a new law to provide anew laws and policies that do not take intocountry, there was intense debate about the safe-harbor criminal exemption for herb- account the impact that new technologyrole of government in peoples lives. The alists,homeopaths,farmers,andmanywill have on peoples lives. history of personal suffering under British healers. Safe Harbor laws are now beingAmidst these technological and legalrule was spelled out boldly in the Declara-passed in other States. Following these twoshifts,manyAmericansseektoprotecttion of Independence. The very reason for remarkable stories, the book presents thetheir right to stay healthy each day by eat- establishing a brand new form of govern-authors Principles of Health Freedom and theing healthy foods and using dietary sup- ment was to create a country that would many ways in which laws generally impactplements,includingvitamins,minerals,not lead to the oppression of any individ-and shape the wellbeing of people every- and herbs. Access to dietary supplementsual; equal opportunity for life, liberty, and where. Miller stresses not only that healthwas once in jeopardy, but thanks to thethe pursuit of happiness for everyone was freedom is essential for human survival,grass-roots work and efforts of many thou- the stated goal. And yet, today it appears but that it is also in need of protection assands of ordinary citizens, including thethat many people have forgotten the words our World evolves into a technical age thatmembers of the National Health Federa- from that Charter of Freedom.impacts people and Mother Earth. tion, the Dietary Supplement Health andThe author describes the many current 28 H ealtHF reedomN ews /s ummer2021'