(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~10/1/2008)
ABSTRACT:
More and more people are getting turned off by the Western approach for healing health problems due to medicines that may have a whole listing of potential sides effects or cautionary warnings.
CONTENT:
I think it can be said that a vast majority of people are becoming less and less trusting of the formal Western type approach to health and healing, and in particular the medicines that are available. I'm not completely knocking the medical profession, as it is true that there have been many great strides in combating many illnesses and diseases. Many of the diseases that could have literally killed us, like the flu or pneumonia, while they can still create a few fatalities, are no longer as widespread as they were only a century ago.
However, with all the wonderful supposed miracle treatments, remedies and drugs that are now available to us, more people are getting dissatisfied with the Western approach to healing. Almost on a weekly basis, one may hear of yet another prescription medicine that may either be reissued with severe, cautionary warnings, or taken off the shelves entirely. Such is the case with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication Vioxx which was pulled off from the market as there were alarming facts that this medication was linked to triggering heart attacks. It's near "cousin" also in the same type of NSAIDS, that is Celebrex, while not discontinued, also has cautionary has severe warnings that it can trigger blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.
There is not one, repeat not one medication that doesn't have side effects, they all do and many of these side effects are only the potential possible ones that may occur while taking a medication, and it doesn't necessarily mean one will actually develop such side effects. But if you ever start reading the long listing of these potential side effects one wonders...why take it? The listing can often be staggering as there just too many of them. Also, doctors themselves may not always be aware of all the side effects involved. The agent representing some pharmaceutical company comes into the doctor's office, tells the doctor that this latest medication is for this medical condition or problem, and maybe gives the doctor a brief brochure of just some of the potential side effects, but not all. And granted, lets face it, doctors can't memorize each and every medication out there in the market and all the potential side effects or cautionary warnings. Usually, it's the pharmacist that is more aware of all the facts behind each medication.
I can, for instance site two examples in my own life. Many years ago, I had a terrible bout of asthmatic bronchitis and went to my doctor, and he was a good one at that. He prescribed two medications to me, an antibiotic and an asthma type medication and these weren't new types of medications either, but ones that had been around for many years. Now this bout of bronchitis occurred before I became computer savvy and could look up the medications myself, so I was in the dark of what effects the medications may have had. I took the two prescriptions to my local pharmacist and practically fainted. He told me if I had taken this particular combination of medications I would be six feet under as it was a lethal one.
Then just recently, I came down with a lesser case of bronchitis and decided to nip it in the bud before it became any worse so therefore I went to my doctor. Now I have no problem with penicillin type medications, and usually for any kind of infection in my system, my doctor will usually prescribe such a medication to me. This time he decided to give me a none penicillin type, Ciprofloxacin, and I went to my pharmacist and got it filled. Before I took any however, I went to my computer and decided to look it up. You can imagine my alarm then, when the information I found had nothing to do with potential side effects, but of the cautionary warnings, one being that one should NOT take this medication if one has joint pain, which I do have. As I read more and more about this medication, from class action lawsuits, to testimonial cases of how this particular medication affected people in such a way in which they became virtual wheelchair bound cripples from the aggravated joint pain and ruptured tendons they received while taking it, you better believe I decided not to take it.
I must admit, my whole attitude about my caution sometimes with the medical profession in general stems from my great-grandmother, who was a nurse, a mid-wife, and none too pleased with the medical profession herself just on principle. After all, many nurses even today can often see the mistakes doctors can make especially in prescribing medications. She was a walking encyclopedia of the more natural and herbal remedies, and was living testimony to their effectiveness, as she never took anything stronger than aspirin, relying only on her natural remedies and lived to be 98 years. She was definitely ahead of her time, for what she was doing, in effect, is what we now call alternative medicine and healing.
Just what is alternative medicine or healing? Exactly what it implies, that is, using other methods to help medical problems by using more natural approaches rather than relying on Western medicine and one form is by using herbal applications. Of course there are other forms of "alternative" medicines or practices, from anything to acupuncture, homeopathic remedies to even hypnotherapy.
Now I do must caution here first of all, one vital thing. Just because an herb or a combination of herbs is a more natural approach, doesn't always mean it's safer. Herbal remedies can have their own side affects as well, but usually not as drastic or severe, but some herbs must be used with extra caution. To give a case in point. Some years ago, St. John's Wort was toted as being a natural remedy for depression. Yet as natural as it is, it too can have side effects one should be aware of, such as an increased sensitivity to the sun, anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, headaches and sexual dysfunction.(1) Also, cautionary measures should be taken into consideration in combing this herb with other herbs or while taking certain medications as well. In one book I have on herbs, it also warns about eating certain foods while taking St. John's Wort such as potatoes and anything with caffeine in it which would of course mean coffee, tea, cola sodas, and chocolate.
Another thing that one has to be aware of, is not all herbs can be taking internally, as some can only be safely used externally. For instance, the herb Bloodroot has been effectively used externally for skin diseases, and warts, but severe caution must be accounted for if taken internally as an overdose of this herb can be fatal.(2) One also has to be aware as well, that many herbs have the affect of lowering blood sugar levels, meaning that if a person is diabetic is already on medication for this medical problem, may have to use caution if using the herb.
It may also surprise people to know that herbs are often classified as feminine or masculine, that is, some herbs are beneficial solely to women, while other herbs are beneficial only to men. Some of the feminine herbs are Sage and Black Cohosh, the latter herb is often found in natural supplements for women going through menopause. An example of masculine herbs are Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng both thought to be nature's "Viagra".
When deciding to go the more natural herbal route for helping one's medical problems, one needs to be aware exactly what the herbs are good for and to use any precautionary measure for specific health problems. For instance, many herbs have the affect of lowering blood sugar levels, meaning that if a person is diabetic and is already on medication for this medical problem, may have to use caution if using the herb. A few such known herbs are Aloe Vera, Ginseng, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Devil's Claw, and Ginger (3).
Also, just because the herbal remedy may be a more natural one to help in one's health problems, one shouldn't go overboard in using too much of the herb in question, like everything else in life, moderation is the key. One needs to become educated in the proper usage and amounts of any herb one wants to use for medicinal purposed. While there are scores of books out in the market, one excellent book I recommend as an almost "bible" of herb knowledge is The New Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide To Nature's Best Medicine by Michael Castleman. This book not only list all the possible beneficial properties of a wide variety of herbs and the safety factors, but also tells the proper amounts of each herb and how to use it, from infusions (that is a tea type form) to tinctures. Of course, one can always look at the myriad of websites that discuss herbal remedies as well and I've listed two such websites in my reference section.
So if you're tired of getting Western medicines that have a load of potential side effects that could trigger off other health problems, that have cautionary warnings attached to them that could be life threatening and want to help heal yourself more natural, you just might want to explore nature's cornucopia of herbal remedies.
References:
St. John's Wort
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/#cautions (1)
Bloodroot
http://www.altnature.com/gallery/bloodroot.htm (2)
Websites About Herbs
http://searchwarp.com/swa75811.htm (3)
http://altnature.com/
Books on Herbs
The New Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide To Nature's Best Medicine by Michael Castleman (Bantam Books)
