Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Mar 29, 2016 15:12:19 GMT -5
I've tried several naturopathic cures, including lots of acupuncture. Homeopathy and healing herbs. Faith healing. It's all hokum. I suspect it's a lot like voodoo. If you think you can die, you can actually die. If you think it will cure, you'll feel better. For a little while. Placebo effect, nothing more. My blood work begs to differ... but believe what you will. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
I'm happy and very glad that what you found worked for you! Happy outcomes are always good.
But, I'm assuming your pressing for a "it's worth a try - don't write it all off" thing... versus the "it worked for me -- so it MUST work for you too!" thing.
Cause I suspect trying over and over and over again because it fails -- isn't an issue with not having enough 'faith' or 'belief' in the cure. Or that it wasn't a case of having 'done it wrong' or not having the right 'doctor' do the work/prescription or not having gotten/finding the ' Holy Grail of special herb concoction' that would work. It failed because more than likely it never would have succeeded.
That's part of the problem with this stuff - what works for one person may not work for hundreds/thousands of others.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 29, 2016 15:16:49 GMT -5
If I have a cold, I'm willing to try some herbs/supplements, or whatever. If I have cancer, give me the chemo and radiation.
But the differentiation between the two is what frequently causes the problem. For instance, when I got my hip infection, the only symptoms I had were exhaustion, lack of appetite and a low grade fever. When you add into the picture that we were in the middle of flu season and I worked in a medical center, then this seems like the logical conclusion. The ole when you hear hoof beats, assume horses and not zebras.
Most people *would* get better on their own if this was just the flu. It wasn't until I could no longer bear weight on my hip that a symptom popped up that was NOT on the flu radar. The fact that I could no longer bear weight on a hip that I had no problems on the day before was enough to suggest a CT scan, which found the abscess, which found the hip infection and the septicemia...and the rest of my nightmare.
It took a long time for me to finally wrap my brain around the idea that even had I gone to my doctor with just my first set of symptoms, I very likely would not have gotten diagnosed correctly.
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Post by mojothehelpermonkey on Mar 29, 2016 15:18:54 GMT -5
I used to work in technical support for a company that sold biological materials. We were very clear about our products being for research use only, and you would think that most people would know better than to purchase something off the internet to treat a medical condition without even checking to see if it was meant for that purpose. Apparently not, because a naturopath contacted me wondering why a plant enzyme that she ordered for a patient was 100 mg of powder instead of a tablet. She was going to give it to a patient, and she didn't even notice or care that the datasheet clearly stated it was for research use only and contained sodium azide. This is just a single anecdote, but I would be careful about following the advice of a naturopath without really looking into their qualifications.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 29, 2016 15:38:44 GMT -5
My blood work begs to differ... but believe what you will. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
I'm happy and very glad that what you found worked for you! Happy outcomes are always good.
But, I'm assuming your pressing for a "it's worth a try - don't write it all off" thing... versus the "it worked for me -- so it MUST work for you too!" thing.
Cause I suspect trying over and over and over again because it fails -- isn't an issue with not having enough 'faith' or 'belief' in the cure. Or that it wasn't a case of having 'done it wrong' or not having the right 'doctor' do the work/prescription or not having gotten/finding the ' Holy Grail of special herb concoction' that would work. It failed because more than likely it never would have succeeded.
That's part of the problem with this stuff - what works for one person may not work for hundreds/thousands of others.
I don't go to a doctor that requires you have faith it will work.. Nor does she suggest things like garlic to cure cancer. The natural supplements are much more complex and based on science. Of course nothing works for everyone... that is across the board. Not everyone gets rid of cancer by chemo, not everyone can take the same prescription medication with the same result because we are all different. But to decide that it is all crap and based on the Placebo effect is categorically false. It would be the same as saying that zyrtec is crap and doesn't work for anyone because it didn't work for me. Anyone who takes it and feels allergy relief only does so because of the Placebo effect. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2016 16:31:44 GMT -5
I do a combo of both... I have a doctor that I love. She has helped me get off some chemical meds by using Natural supplements that gave me no side effect (the prescription stuff gave me horrible side effects) the natural stuff helped me make better progress. My blood work improved by leaps and bounds and I don't have to take any supplements for that issue any more. My dr. also says "if I think you need chemicals, I will tell you!" And she has told me that my allergy meds are my best bet (she takes some too) but she also has helped me with diet and occasional acupuncture when things are really bad to help alleviate the pain. I was anemic for years and my old dr. Never believed that I was taking my iron pills even though I was. My current doctor studied and researched my blood work and after 6 months figured out that my body wasn't processing fat solluable vitamins, change me to a different iron pill that was water solluable and BAM 3 months later I wasn't anemic anymore. I had a similar issue with vitamin D. Which my levels are now ideal and I am on a regimene.to start lowering doses to see if my levels stay stable without the aupplements. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Do you know a naturopathic doctor in Houston that you can recommend? I think you are from Houston if i am not mixing you up with somebody else.
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bean29
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Post by bean29 on Mar 29, 2016 16:37:15 GMT -5
I mix the two. For a while I was having an issue with my Thyroid medication stabilizing. The tests were on a roller coaster and we were adjusting the dosage every 6 weeks. I showed the test results to my chiropractor/naturopath and he added a supplement and the test results leveled right off. We did not need to change the dosage of my medication for 5 or 6 years. He would have be bring in a copy of the test results from my MD and he would review it. The combination of the two worked great for me. I just wish my MD would be as supportive of the naturopath as he is of the MD. The MD just dismisses the supplements and they aren't even noted in the chart. This is very interesting. I had Thyroid Cancer and my Thyroid was removed entirely. I take Synthroid/Levothroxine to make up for the missing hormones. They test my Levels annually. People often tell me to take natural supplements to "Boost" my Thyroid - something I am very wary of as how the heck can my Endocrinologist know what to prescribe/how to adjust if I am taking something on the side? I am also cautious b/c if my levels are off, I end stuck in the bathroom for a long time and I am still working FT, so I just don't have time for that.
Mom is very heavy into Natural herbs and Vitamins. My Endocrinologist wants me to Take a supplement for D and Calcium, so I get them from my Mom. MIL is also into Homeopathic Medicine (I used to privately think of her as a witch doctor). MIL makes rice water and or tea if family members are sick. She babysat my kids when they were little and I was ever so relieved when the Pediatrician told me it would not hurt anything, but would not necessarily help. I was in complete agreement with MIL after a few tries getting Pedialite down my kids. Stuff tasted horrible and they did not want it, but would take the rice water. Dr. said the main thing was to get them hydrated.
I am having my spider veins removed and the Clinic told me to get something called Arnica Gel to reduce bruising. Got it at Meijers and the box indicated it was a "Natural Remedy for Pain".
I think there is some validity in Natural remedies, but you have to be cautious of motivations. My Chiropractor pushes natural remedies too and I think they are pretty legit, but it is an income stream for them too.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 29, 2016 16:43:45 GMT -5
I do a combo of both... I have a doctor that I love. She has helped me get off some chemical meds by using Natural supplements that gave me no side effect (the prescription stuff gave me horrible side effects) the natural stuff helped me make better progress. My blood work improved by leaps and bounds and I don't have to take any supplements for that issue any more. My dr. also says "if I think you need chemicals, I will tell you!" And she has told me that my allergy meds are my best bet (she takes some too) but she also has helped me with diet and occasional acupuncture when things are really bad to help alleviate the pain. I was anemic for years and my old dr. Never believed that I was taking my iron pills even though I was. My current doctor studied and researched my blood work and after 6 months figured out that my body wasn't processing fat solluable vitamins, change me to a different iron pill that was water solluable and BAM 3 months later I wasn't anemic anymore. I had a similar issue with vitamin D. Which my levels are now ideal and I am on a regimene.to start lowering doses to see if my levels stay stable without the aupplements. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Do you know a naturopathic doctor in Houston that you can recommend? I think you are from Houston if i am not mixing you up with somebody else. I am from houston, but live in chicago. Actually, I have been meaning to ask my doctor if she had a recommendation in Houston for my mother. I'll set a reminder since I am seeing her on friday and let you know. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Mar 29, 2016 16:57:47 GMT -5
If you are looking for a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (ND) check here:
www.naturopathic.org/af_memberdirectory.asp?version=2
If you are in or near California, try this link:
www.calnd.org/Custom_MemberDirectory.asp?version=2
If you are in a state that does not license ND's, you may still be able to find someone who is practicing - but with a limited scope (e.g., cannot do invasive procedures, cannot prescribe, etc) because they can't get a state license.
The best way to find one of these folks is to locate the naturopathic medical school closest to you: aanmc.org/schools/ and ask them to recommend any alumni they have working in your state.
Good luck!
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justme
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Post by justme on Mar 29, 2016 17:47:30 GMT -5
I do some naturopath stuff, but not to the exclusion of western medicine. So like I have hypothyroidism, I'm still going to take my synthroid but I might try some naturopath stuff too. (Though that's a bad example because I don't lol) Oh, here's a good example. I have asthma. I take my meds and have my rescue inhaler. My sil gave me an oil blend that's supposed to help. When I had an attack, after I used my inhaler, I used some oils and felt way better quicker than if I didn't. And another time after that when I could feel I prob wasn't going to have a good asthma day I used the oils and didn't have to use my rescue inhaler. Am I throwing away my inhaler? No. But I also bought more of the oils because they make me feel better. Hm. Guess I am similar in that I take a blended approach and will try ideas from Western or alternative sources. But I differ in that I'm skeptical to the recommendations of either source, so pick and choose what to try.
For my asthma, I still have a rescue inhaler, but declined the prescribed maintenance inhaled meds after reading the studies and cautions. From the alternative side, I wouldn't take any oils without first seeing some very sound studies (not that oils themselves are a particular problem, just that right now they seem to be the new, trendy "natural cure" and I've seen some very irresponsible claims for oils that might actually cause harm), but I've tried some of the natural diet recommendations. For example, many naturopathic sources will claim a diet high in oatmeal and antioxidants can cure asthma. I haven't seen any well-designed studies to support this, but the theory sounds plausible and there's very little risk or downside to trying it, so I eat a lot of (and feed my oldest son who has asthma) oatmeal and antioxidants.
I usually do some research, but these oils are the type of inhaling not ingesting so I was less worried about it as long as the smell didn't make me want to wretch. It's just a couple different oils that I've heard of so wasn't too worried about putting it on my skin.
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justme
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Post by justme on Mar 29, 2016 17:57:35 GMT -5
I do some naturopath stuff, but not to the exclusion of western medicine. So like I have hypothyroidism, I'm still going to take my synthroid but I might try some naturopath stuff too. (Though that's a bad example because I don't lol) Oh, here's a good example. I have asthma. I take my meds and have my rescue inhaler. My sil gave me an oil blend that's supposed to help. When I had an attack, after I used my inhaler, I used some oils and felt way better quicker than if I didn't. And another time after that when I could feel I prob wasn't going to have a good asthma day I used the oils and didn't have to use my rescue inhaler. Am I throwing away my inhaler? No. But I also bought more of the oils because they make me feel better. And it probably wasn't placebo because I laughed when my mom gave it to me and was like WTF this is supposed to be better than my inhaler and she just asked me to try and see. So how much of this could be considered a placebo effect? While asthma is a very real, physiological condition, the intensity can vary considerably due to a lot of outside factors....some psychological. Does you believing the oils help make you perceive them helping? I don't think so cuz I thought my mom was cuckoo for giving them to me. I just stared at her and was like yeah this will do anything for ya know my airways closing, but promised her I'd give it a try. So I wasn't expecting it to help and figured I'd pass it back to her after I tried it. Though I wouldn't put it past the working part more being more that combined smells relax me which then helps. But a couple of the oils are the same that's in vapor rub (just looked it up) and people use that and it's accepted that it helps - not necessarily for asthma but for breathing and coughing and a lot of my asthma attacks have coughing since I'm technically cough variant asthma. So there's some reason why those are in vapor rub so I wouldn't think it's placebo. That said, I'm not stopping any of my asthma meds and just using the oils every day...and I'm betting there's some big oil believers that do just that.
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Mar 29, 2016 18:01:51 GMT -5
For those of you who think naturopathic medicine is a bunch of voodoo, here is my doctor (a fully licensed practitioner and prescriber) talking about how he treats fibromyalgia.
There's no great mystery here - there's just a professional willingness to test and treat based on getting to the root of the problem rather than smothering the symptoms with drugs.
The patient he talks about skipping out of the office? That was me
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Mar 29, 2016 21:01:17 GMT -5
To answer OP - I do a combo of both The "problem" with more natural approach that it usually takes longer to work and in some instances there is no time to wait. As an example - while I wouldn't treat an existing infection with garlic, I would use garlic (among other things) to try prevent infections by building better immune system. Another example - my Harvard trained OBFYN sent me to an acupuncturist to turn my baby when he was breached for the entire pregnancy. I will never know if that's what did the trick, but he turned at 40 wks which is usually unheard of as babies will settle in their positions by 36-37th week at the latest. So you eat garlic? That is not exactly witchcraft.... I do other things as well when the kids get sick, but I don't rely solely on garlic alone. I do some "natural" remedies for bad cough and chest congestion, but it doesn't include garlic
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2016 21:30:24 GMT -5
I use garlic too. And Mullen and garlic oil for ear aches. Calendula salve, elderberry syrup, marshmallow root... But I like pills too, lol. If they are needed. Also more of a 'this might prevent it' person, but if it doesn't, and it's bacterial/infected, etc. ok, moving on...
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Mar 30, 2016 0:54:02 GMT -5
I'm happy and very glad that what you found worked for you! Happy outcomes are always good.
But, I'm assuming your pressing for a "it's worth a try - don't write it all off" thing... versus the "it worked for me -- so it MUST work for you too!" thing.
Cause I suspect trying over and over and over again because it fails -- isn't an issue with not having enough 'faith' or 'belief' in the cure. Or that it wasn't a case of having 'done it wrong' or not having the right 'doctor' do the work/prescription or not having gotten/finding the ' Holy Grail of special herb concoction' that would work. It failed because more than likely it never would have succeeded.
That's part of the problem with this stuff - what works for one person may not work for hundreds/thousands of others.
I don't go to a doctor that requires you have faith it will work.. Nor does she suggest things like garlic to cure cancer. The natural supplements are much more complex and based on science. Of course nothing works for everyone... that is across the board. Not everyone gets rid of cancer by chemo, not everyone can take the same prescription medication with the same result because we are all different. But to decide that it is all crap and based on the Placebo effect is categorically false. It would be the same as saying that zyrtec is crap and doesn't work for anyone because it didn't work for me. Anyone who takes it and feels allergy relief only does so because of the Placebo effect. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards IN MY OPINION, it's all crap. I don't care what you do. You can dance naked, rattling chicken bones under the light of a full moon, for all I care. If it makes you feel better, have at it!! Whatever floats your boat.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 30, 2016 6:56:51 GMT -5
I don't go to a doctor that requires you have faith it will work.. Nor does she suggest things like garlic to cure cancer. The natural supplements are much more complex and based on science. Of course nothing works for everyone... that is across the board. Not everyone gets rid of cancer by chemo, not everyone can take the same prescription medication with the same result because we are all different. But to decide that it is all crap and based on the Placebo effect is categorically false. It would be the same as saying that zyrtec is crap and doesn't work for anyone because it didn't work for me. Anyone who takes it and feels allergy relief only does so because of the Placebo effect. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards IN MY OPINION, it's all crap. I don't care what you do. You can dance naked, rattling chicken bones under the light of a full moon, for all I care. If it makes you feel better, have at it!! Whatever floats your boat.
If you want to have a wrong opinion, you are welcome to it. An opinion doesn't turn a fact into something other than a FACT. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 7:16:04 GMT -5
I mix naturopathic and homeopathic medicine up although I know they aren't the same. My former deadbeat brother-in-law was a "doctor" of one or the other and sold the stuff from his basement.
Because they are mixed up in my mind, I am skeptical of both.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 30, 2016 8:13:52 GMT -5
I mix naturopathic and homopathic medicine up although I know they aren't the same. My former deadbeat brother-in-law was a "doctor" of one or the other and sold the stuff from his basement. Because they are mixed up in my mind, I am skeptical of both. Homeopathic is a narrower focus than naturopathic... I believe that is what I have read. I certainly wouldn't take anything that wasn't suggested to me by someone with a medical degree. My doctor is a chiropractor with about a billion other certifications. In Illinois Dr of chiro are recognized as general physicians. She does intense research and goes over my blood work with a fine tooth comb. My endocrinologist spent about 5 minutes giving things a cursory glance and saying "well nothing got worse, so the meds are working" Nothing got worse, but nothing got better. That wasn't good enough for me! Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 8:30:12 GMT -5
I mix naturopathic and homopathic medicine up although I know they aren't the same. My former deadbeat brother-in-law was a "doctor" of one or the other and sold the stuff from his basement. Because they are mixed up in my mind, I am skeptical of both. Homeopathic is a narrower focus than naturopathic... I believe that is what I have read. I certainly wouldn't take anything that wasn't suggested to me by someone with a medical degree. My doctor is a chiropractor with about a billion other certifications. In Illinois Dr of chiro are recognized as general physicians. She does intense research and goes over my blood work with a fine tooth comb. My endocrinologist spent about 5 minutes giving things a cursory glance and saying "well nothing got worse, so the meds are working" Nothing got worse, but nothing got better. That wasn't good enough for me! Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards I really didn't mean to ruffle feathers. My former BIL was actually licensed by someone so it isn't like there isn't some oversight. He was a NASA scientist until he was downsized so not a complete idiot. That came later. As far as a chiropractor goes, my husband's diagnosed his abdominal aortic aneurysm that all the other health practitioners somehow missed. Sometimes I think MD and specialists miss the forest by looking at only one tree at a time.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 30, 2016 8:37:10 GMT -5
The problem with any medicine is that people don't do homework they just do what they are told. My DH suffers from "white coat syndrome" and it drives me insane.
The danger with "natural" medicine is that the industry is largely unregulated. Say what you want about the evils of the FDA and big pharma but at least I can go on Google and find an extensive detailed list of what the medicine contains, side effects and potential drug interactions.
Something I get at the natural foods store it's a crap shoot as to whether or not there is any information beyond what is on the bottle. You can put anything you want on the label since it is not FDA regulated. You also do not have to disclose potential side effects or drug interactions. In a lot of cases drug interactions are not known.
I forget which herb it was but if DH had taken it while on Wellbutrin it would have caused kidney failure. St John's Wort renders birth control effective as a tic tac and there have been animal studies showing birth defects.
I wouldn't expect either my Western doctor or a holistic doctor to know that. I would certainly HOPE they do but there are so many products on the market it's impossible for them to know everything.
I rely on a pharmacist since they have four years of education solely on medication. However they can't help you if they don't know what the product is.
People tend to fall into the trap of holistic medicine being "natural" which to them automatically means it must be safer and more effective than traditional medicine that comes from a lab. That's not true, nature can kill you just as easily as a manufactured drug.
There is also the challenge of understanding what you are reading, especially on the internet.
I can create a study very easily showing that eating Crest toothpaste cures cancer. Then I can pay a few bucks to get it published in a shady online journal that sounds legit to the outside world. If I blog about it enough I'll probably end up picked up by Dr. Oz or some other celebrity and off it goes.
Doesn't make me right.
Again say what you want about the evils of "Big Pharma" but at least I can go on Pubmed and find legtimate peer reviewed journal articles about Western Medicine. Yes I am going to have to weigh the evidence for and the evidence against whatever it is they want me to do. That's part of being my own advocate.
But at least it's there. That's not true when it comes to a large portion of natural supplements on the market. Some ingredients in those products are researched such as St John's Wort but all the other crap in that essential oils pill you're being handed may not have been and the person handing it to you is under no legal obligation to tell you that fact either.
That doesn't mean all holistic doctors are shysters. However keep the above in mind when a lady selling essential oils door to door wants you to purchase her product.
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buystoys
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Post by buystoys on Mar 30, 2016 8:58:12 GMT -5
I do a combo of both... I have a doctor that I love. She has helped me get off some chemical meds by using Natural supplements that gave me no side effect (the prescription stuff gave me horrible side effects) the natural stuff helped me make better progress. My blood work improved by leaps and bounds and I don't have to take any supplements for that issue any more. My dr. also says "if I think you need chemicals, I will tell you!" And she has told me that my allergy meds are my best bet (she takes some too) but she also has helped me with diet and occasional acupuncture when things are really bad to help alleviate the pain. I was anemic for years and my old dr. Never believed that I was taking my iron pills even though I was. My current doctor studied and researched my blood work and after 6 months figured out that my body wasn't processing fat solluable vitamins, change me to a different iron pill that was water solluable and BAM 3 months later I wasn't anemic anymore. I had a similar issue with vitamin D. Which my levels are now ideal and I am on a regimene.to start lowering doses to see if my levels stay stable without the aupplements. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Do you know a naturopathic doctor in Houston that you can recommend? I think you are from Houston if i am not mixing you up with somebody else. You can also look for someone who specializes in Functional Medicine. Our PCP will prescribe medications, but she also prescribes a lot of supplements. She will recommend specific brands as she researches their processing prior to telling any of her patients to use a specific product. While she does have some supplements in her office for sale, she doesn't really care if they are purchased directly from her or on-line. One of the things I love and hate about her is that an appointment always lasts at least 1 1/2 hours. If you have the first morning or afternoon appointment, it's not too bad. If you have one of the last ones, though, expect to wait for several hours.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 30, 2016 9:31:09 GMT -5
Homeopathic is a narrower focus than naturopathic... I believe that is what I have read. I certainly wouldn't take anything that wasn't suggested to me by someone with a medical degree. My doctor is a chiropractor with about a billion other certifications. In Illinois Dr of chiro are recognized as general physicians. She does intense research and goes over my blood work with a fine tooth comb. My endocrinologist spent about 5 minutes giving things a cursory glance and saying "well nothing got worse, so the meds are working" Nothing got worse, but nothing got better. That wasn't good enough for me! Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards I really didn't mean to ruffle feathers. My former BIL was actually licensed by someone so it isn't like there isn't some oversight. He was a NASA scientist until he was downsized so not a complete idiot. That came later. As far as a chiropractor goes, my husband's diagnosed his abdominal aortic aneurysm that all the other health practitioners somehow missed. Sometimes I think MD and specialists miss the forest by looking at only one tree at a time. no feathers ruffled here. I was just trying to clarify that I'm not advocating buying random natural supplements from the internet or some random seller after self diagnosing. I agree with you about some MDs... Of course I know some chiropractors who operate in the same manner. It is really difficult to find a doctor who spends the time listening and researching patient issues.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Mar 30, 2016 9:40:36 GMT -5
Placebo effect is awesome for some things, though. Pain management comes to mind. Not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment, but can be awesome. Like amber teething necklaces
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 30, 2016 9:41:25 GMT -5
The problem with any medicine is that people don't do homework they just do what they are told. My DH suffers from "white coat syndrome" and it drives me insane. The danger with "natural" medicine is that the industry is largely unregulated. Say what you want about the evils of the FDA and big pharma but at least I can go on Google and find an extensive detailed list of what the medicine contains, side effects and potential drug interactions. Something I get at the natural foods store it's a crap shoot as to whether or not there is any information beyond what is on the bottle. You can put anything you want on the label since it is not FDA regulated. You also do not have to disclose potential side effects or drug interactions. In a lot of cases drug interactions are not known. I forget which herb it was but if DH had taken it while on Wellbutrin it would have caused kidney failure. St John's Wort renders birth control effective as a tic tac and there have been animal studies showing birth defects. I wouldn't expect either my Western doctor or a holistic doctor to know that. I would certainly HOPE they do but there are so many products on the market it's impossible for them to know everything. I rely on a pharmacist since they have four years of education solely on medication. However they can't help you if they don't know what the product is. People tend to fall into the trap of holistic medicine being "natural" which to them automatically means it must be safer and more effective than traditional medicine that comes from a lab. That's not true, nature can kill you just as easily as a manufactured drug. There is also the challenge of understanding what you are reading, especially on the internet. I can create a study very easily showing that eating Crest toothpaste cures cancer. Then I can pay a few bucks to get it published in a shady online journal that sounds legit to the outside world. If I blog about it enough I'll probably end up picked up by Dr. Oz or some other celebrity and off it goes. Doesn't make me right. Again say what you want about the evils of "Big Pharma" but at least I can go on Pubmed and find legtimate peer reviewed journal articles about Western Medicine. Yes I am going to have to weigh the evidence for and the evidence against whatever it is they want me to do. That's part of being my own advocate. But at least it's there. That's not true when it comes to a large portion of natural supplements on the market. Some ingredients in those products are researched such as St John's Wort but all the other crap in that essential oils pill you're being handed may not have been and the person handing it to you is under no legal obligation to tell you that fact either. That doesn't mean all holistic doctors are shysters. However keep the above in mind when a lady selling essential oils door to door wants you to purchase her product. This is absolutely true. A lot of the supplements out there are filled with junk and some interact with chemical medicines. Same with vitamins... sometimes you are just paying for expensive urine. That is why if you are interested in natural supplements I'd advise going to someone with a medical degree. Do not self diagnose and pick up supplements at the health food store all on your own. My mother does this and it makes me crazy. She is on several medications for being diabetic and her blood pressure and I am always afraid she's going to take something that counteracts one of these medications. If you are interested in trying natural supplements, find a doctor that will research thoroughly before making recommendations and doesn't require you to buy supplements from their office.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 9:44:41 GMT -5
Do you know a naturopathic doctor in Houston that you can recommend? I think you are from Houston if i am not mixing you up with somebody else. I am from houston, but live in chicago. Actually, I have been meaning to ask my doctor if she had a recommendation in Houston for my mother. I'll set a reminder since I am seeing her on friday and let you know. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Thank you
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 30, 2016 9:53:29 GMT -5
I advise talking to a pharmacist. A doctor doesn't spend as much time as you'd think or like learning about all the drugs on the market and their various interactions. Pharmacists spend four YEARS learning nothing but that.
Also last time I heard here they are adding a class about 'natural' supplements since it's becoming so popular. Pharmacists need to be able to tell people what these things are and what they interact with.
Of course that depends on the people making these natural supplements to be upfront with what is in their products and depends on people being honest about what they are taking.
That's the tricky part.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Mar 30, 2016 9:54:38 GMT -5
I would only do it after I have exhausted Western style proven and scientific based medical approaches. That said, I have done acupuncture and have seen a chiro, etc. For some reason I was surprised to read this coming from you. I thought of you as more "crunchy" Damn it, this is the second time this week that I've been wrong! LOL!!! I'm crunchy, but I'm also solidly grounded in scientific medicine. I work in health care, so ... I may sprinkle chia seeds on my granola, I still want my kids vaccinated and only use alternative medicine pathways as a last resort. (FWIW, I 'stayed' pregnant the time I used acupuncture). And Drama very nicely describes mostly how I feel. Lack of regulation, lack of 'science', etc. That is what bothers me most.
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milee
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Post by milee on Mar 30, 2016 9:59:47 GMT -5
People tend to fall into the trap of holistic medicine being "natural" which to them automatically means it must be safer and more effective than traditional medicine that comes from a lab. That's not true, nature can kill you just as easily as a manufactured drug. .... Again say what you want about the evils of "Big Pharma" but at least I can go on Pubmed and find legtimate peer reviewed journal articles about Western Medicine. Yes I am going to have to weigh the evidence for and the evidence against whatever it is they want me to do. That's part of being my own advocate. But at least it's there. That's not true when it comes to a large portion of natural supplements on the market. Some ingredients in those products are researched such as St John's Wort but all the other crap in that essential oils pill you're being handed may not have been and the person handing it to you is under no legal obligation to tell you that fact either. IMHO, an even larger problem is that even for herbal supplements that have had legitimate studies and research, like St John's Wort, when you buy a bottle marked "St John's Wort", you can't be sure that the bottle actually contains that product. The manufacture of herbal supplements is not regulated and there is no active government oversight program that tests or monitors these products. Scores of studies and exposes have been done on dozens of herbal supplements that have shown anything from the product not containing a shred of the advertised herb to containing wildly varying strengths of the advertised herb to even containing poisons like heavy metals or biological contaminants.
In other words, you conclude based on the legit studies that St John's Wort would be beneficial to you. But because the herbal supplement industry is largely unregulated, you have no idea what is actually in that bottle labeled "St John's Wort." Very, very scary.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
Community Leader
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 30, 2016 10:03:03 GMT -5
They are not obligated to tell you the amount in the bottle either. Nor is it verified by any outside agency when they do provide that information.
X mg of St John's Wort may be safe for you to take. Y mg of St John's Wort may kill you.
You can't figure that out if you don't know what you are dosing yourself with.
By federal law traditional drugs have to contain and be verified to contain the amount of active drug they claim on the label.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Mar 30, 2016 10:41:50 GMT -5
People tend to fall into the trap of holistic medicine being "natural" which to them automatically means it must be safer and more effective than traditional medicine that comes from a lab. That's not true, nature can kill you just as easily as a manufactured drug. .... Again say what you want about the evils of "Big Pharma" but at least I can go on Pubmed and find legtimate peer reviewed journal articles about Western Medicine. Yes I am going to have to weigh the evidence for and the evidence against whatever it is they want me to do. That's part of being my own advocate. But at least it's there. That's not true when it comes to a large portion of natural supplements on the market. Some ingredients in those products are researched such as St John's Wort but all the other crap in that essential oils pill you're being handed may not have been and the person handing it to you is under no legal obligation to tell you that fact either. IMHO, an even larger problem is that even for herbal supplements that have had legitimate studies and research, like St John's Wort, when you buy a bottle marked "St John's Wort", you can't be sure that the bottle actually contains that product. The manufacture of herbal supplements is not regulated and there is no active government oversight program that tests or monitors these products. Scores of studies and exposes have been done on dozens of herbal supplements that have shown anything from the product not containing a shred of the advertised herb to containing wildly varying strengths of the advertised herb to even containing poisons like heavy metals or biological contaminants.
In other words, you conclude based on the legit studies that St John's Wort would be beneficial to you. But because the herbal supplement industry is largely unregulated, you have no idea what is actually in that bottle labeled "St John's Wort." Very, very scary.
And to make matters worse, very little is known about contraindications with traditional meds. St Johns Wort and BCPs is a one commonly known, but there are a lot that are not known. This is why many doctors are loathe to suggest something, because they are largely clueless as to whether it will react with you BP med, or other maintenance med. There was a woman on my hip group who used to tout all her supplements. However, the vast majority of the group had other conditions that they were being treated for, I had to warn her repeatedly that her suggestions could be dangerous to the person taking warfarin for heart issues, etc. She had no idea as to whether the supplement would render the warfarin useless, or enhance it...both potentially fatal to the person.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 30, 2016 10:58:15 GMT -5
I advise talking to a pharmacist. A doctor doesn't spend as much time as you'd think or like learning about all the drugs on the market and their various interactions. Pharmacists spend four YEARS learning nothing but that. Also last time I heard here they are adding a class about 'natural' supplements since it's becoming so popular. Pharmacists need to be able to tell people what these things are and what they interact with. Of course that depends on the people making these natural supplements to be upfront with what is in their products and depends on people being honest about what they are taking. That's the tricky part. sadly, my male pharmacists tried to convince me that the new generic version of BC couldn't possibly be giving me any side effects because they were bio-equivalents of what I was taking before. He was so adamant that it was all in my head. Finally I told him to tell that to my uterus because it clearly doesn't agree with him. That sort of skewed my opinion of him. My GYNO confirmed that the inactive ingredients can cause side effects even when things are the bio-equivalent. He has otherwise been nice and helpful, especially when trying to find cold meds that don't interact with my allergy medication.
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