your opinion about alternative medicine (remedy, effects, natural)

[guylocke]

Two words:

Placebo Effect

[AnyDayNow]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Two words:

Placebo Effect

I'm not going to change your mind, guylocke, I just want to say that I thought the same originally. I went in a complete non-believer but figured, "WTH." The arthritis in my spine is no joke, it's been a problem for years. I'm a rational person, I can't explain why it worked, but it did--for me, anyway.

I researched and researched, trying to figure out how it works, but then I started thinking, who was I to question what has worked for the Chinese for centuries? (The acunpuncturist practices Traditional Chinese Medicine.) My physician said it has to do with direct stimulation of the nerves. Whatever it is, I'm glad to not hurt like I was.

[guylocke]

I'm not against it as long as isn't harmful. If it works, for whatever reason, placebo effect or not, that's fine with me!

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by a.audrey

Could you give me your opinion about althernative medicine?
Have you tried any form of alternative medicine?What for? Was it successful?

There are many benefits to alternative medicine when used in cojunction with traditional medicine. I would always seek the advice of a medical professional for a diagnosis prior to looking for other sources. Tell your provider what you are interested in and they should be able to advise you.

[sunsprit]

LOTF ... guylocke, you apparently have no clue as to the origins of much of conventional patented (read: profit making) medications.

Some examples:

White Willow Bark was used for years as an analgesic. Bayer isolated the active ingredient, aspirin, and has made a few dollars off of that.

Foxglove for digitalis, heart meds.

Poppy for opiates, pain relief.

Saw Palmetto was used for years to treat prostate problems. They've now isolated and synthesized the active ingredients.

We use GSE as an internal anti-bacterial of exceptional performance without side effects, especially in our young livestock and poultry water. Prevents or cures intestinal problem deaths in our young livestock, especially turkeys. Much more effective, much less cost than antibiotics which we prefer not to use.

Does vet care have the potential of "placebo effect"? I've got two equine massage therapists that get results in our aging horses.

Arnica Montana ... works great on people and livestock for pain/joint/muscle relief. Oh, and it helps accelerate healing in conjunction with surgery.

There's so many thousand meds directly obtained from historical homeopathic or natural herbs used in medicine that it would be impossible to list them all here. Some of these historical herbs were effective in treating such serious illness as cancer ... to the extent that modern medicine uses them in their original form. We have a number of companies in the Boulder & Longmont area that distill and concentrate these herbs for conventional medical use (Hauser's valerenic acid from valerian plant, for example) ... they're only a couple out of hundreds of similar companies.

The Europeans are far more advanced than the USA in their use of the homeopathy and herbs. The German pharmacopeia lists many, and they've done clinical trials where the efficacy of the herbs has been well proven. There's nothing "placebo" about the efficacy of many powerful plants taken internally or topically. Hemlock comes to mind, too.

I've got friends that are strictly all business about their medical approach ... they're MD's and can't believe that the "quackery" in the marketplace draws any business. But when it comes to their own health and they have a heart attack and are prescribed ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers ... for the rest of their lives, with all the side effects ... they tried some of the basic herbal remedies and found out for themselves the benefits without such high cost in dollars and side effects. Follow up angiograms have proven that they're getting the desired benefits. They're now converts to the possibilities of alternative medicine.

And I have a number of friends who were unable to obtain relief from fibromyalgia until they got rid of the multiple conventional medicine prescriptions and saw an ND who got their diet and herbal intake in balance. The key was to rectify the origins of the problems instead of treating only the symptoms.

As far as chiropratic ... it, too, has it's place and efficacy for many people. Beats the heck out of spinal fusion surgery when a patient can get long term durable relief of back pain symptoms after a number of treatments. Even conventional medicine uses a similar approach when they place a patient in exercise therapy regimes.

Acupuncture? I had my doubts, but watching the relief it afforded a close relative undergoing chemo made me a believer.

As long as you're completely healthy without any issues, it's easy to believe that only conventional medicine has all the answers. But when the day comes that they don't, and you find relief from other modalities .... more effectively, at less cost, and without side effects .....

[guylocke]

LOTF ... guylocke, you apparently have no clue as to the origins of much of conventional patented (read: profit making) medications.

Believe me, I'm quite aware. I'm a doctor of pharmacy. I never once said a lot of our western medicine isn't derived from natural sources.

I just don't recommend popping herbs at your local GNC that haven't been approved, purified, tested, and proven safe (or as much as safe can be proven).

I also say this: NEVER underestimate the greed of pharmaceutical companies. All these fads that come along and all this herbal and holistic medicine crap - if it TRULY worked (and some does, aka Opium), I mean TRULY worked, unquestionable efficacy...

Do you not think that pharmaceutical companies wouldn't have the active ingredient stripped out, purified, tested and marketed faster than your head can spin.

Um, yes, they would.

[groove1]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Believe me, I'm quite aware. I'm a doctor of pharmacy. I never once said a lot of our western medicine isn't derived from natural sources.

I just don't recommend popping herbs at your local GNC that haven't been approved, purified, tested, and proven safe (or as much as safe can be proven).

I also say this: NEVER underestimate the greed of pharmaceutical companies. All these fads that come along and all this herbal and holistic medicine crap - if it TRULY worked (and some does, aka Opium), I mean TRULY worked, unquestionable efficacy...

Do you not think that pharmaceutical companies wouldn't have the active ingredient stripped out, purified, tested and marketed faster than your head can spin.

Um, yes, they would.

They don't because they CAN'T. You cannot patent a natural substance.

[Miborn]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

LOTF ... guylocke, you apparently have no clue as to the origins of much of conventional patented (read: profit making) medications.

Some examples:

White Willow Bark was used for years as an analgesic. Bayer isolated the active ingredient, aspirin, and has made a few dollars off of that.

Foxglove for digitalis, heart meds.

Poppy for opiates, pain relief.

Saw Palmetto was used for years to treat prostate problems. They've now isolated and synthesized the active ingredients.

We use GSE as an internal anti-bacterial of exceptional performance without side effects, especially in our young livestock and poultry water. Prevents or cures intestinal problem deaths in our young livestock, especially turkeys. Much more effective, much less cost than antibiotics which we prefer not to use.

Does vet care have the potential of "placebo effect"? I've got two equine massage therapists that get results in our aging horses.

Arnica Montana ... works great on people and livestock for pain/joint/muscle relief. Oh, and it helps accelerate healing in conjunction with surgery.

There's so many thousand meds directly obtained from historical homeopathic or natural herbs used in medicine that it would be impossible to list them all here. Some of these historical herbs were effective in treating such serious illness as cancer ... to the extent that modern medicine uses them in their original form. We have a number of companies in the Boulder & Longmont area that distill and concentrate these herbs for conventional medical use (Hauser's valerenic acid from valerian plant, for example) ... they're only a couple out of hundreds of similar companies.

The Europeans are far more advanced than the USA in their use of the homeopathy and herbs. The German pharmacopeia lists many, and they've done clinical trials where the efficacy of the herbs has been well proven. There's nothing "placebo" about the efficacy of many powerful plants taken internally or topically. Hemlock comes to mind, too.

I've got friends that are strictly all business about their medical approach ... they're MD's and can't believe that the "quackery" in the marketplace draws any business. But when it comes to their own health and they have a heart attack and are prescribed ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers ... for the rest of their lives, with all the side effects ... they tried some of the basic herbal remedies and found out for themselves the benefits without such high cost in dollars and side effects. Follow up angiograms have proven that they're getting the desired benefits. They're now converts to the possibilities of alternative medicine.

And I have a number of friends who were unable to obtain relief from fibromyalgia until they got rid of the multiple conventional medicine prescriptions and saw an ND who got their diet and herbal intake in balance. The key was to rectify the origins of the problems instead of treating only the symptoms.

As far as chiropratic ... it, too, has it's place and efficacy for many people. Beats the heck out of spinal fusion surgery when a patient can get long term durable relief of back pain symptoms after a number of treatments. Even conventional medicine uses a similar approach when they place a patient in exercise therapy regimes.

Acupuncture? I had my doubts, but watching the relief it afforded a close relative undergoing chemo made me a believer.

As long as you're completely healthy without any issues, it's easy to believe that only conventional medicine has all the answers. But when the day comes that they don't, and you find relief from other modalities .... more effectively, at less cost, and without side effects .....

I had a 7 month old filly get a upper respiratory infection that was bordering pneumonia. she was given a antihistamine as well as a powder antibiotic. She also was receiving reiki and massage to drain her sinuses it all helped. She loved the reiki. I believe it helped her not get sicker than she was.

Most people are not aware of the connection of herbs and conventional pills. I really wish they would regulate it because there are herbs that pregnant women should not take as well as mixing certain herbs with certain medications.
That can have very serious complications or even death.
People are under the conception that they are safe because they are natural. That is true but not true. It is a catch 22 type of thing.
There are also herbs in the plant form are dangerous to handle, then certain parts of plants are dangerous. If you are going to dabble in it one should really get some good books and read up on it first.
Be safe and good luck to all.

[guylocke]

They don't because they CAN'T. You cannot patent a natural substance.

Yes you can, actually, they do it all the time. If they discovered it and manufactured it and proved its efficacy and safety, it's theirs!! At least for many years.

[groove1]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Yes you can, actually, they do it all the time. If they discovered it and manufactured it and proved its efficacy and safety, it's theirs!! At least for many years.

They have to chemically alter it first. You can't, for example, patent vitamins because they are found in nature. Now if you take vitamin c and chemically alter it, then you can patent it.