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I have my theories about it all and I've been attacked so much and it goes on and on. I've backed off a lot but now and then I will post some thought provoking info.
I try to stay mostly in Alt Med as that's what I'm all about. I stray into pharma world a bit and might even go more if it were not for all the side effects from the drugs.
I really don't care what people choose and if they want to support pharma and that empire, then that's their choice. I'll suggest alternatives and I know some here have heard me.
I'm on a couple other health forums and they are calm and not attacking at all. Some have their own choices but respect mine.
I always thought that the Alternative Medicine forum was a place to discuss remedies that are strictly "natural."
I didn't understand that the "Health" forum prohibited discussion of natural remedies, and was strictly for allopathic modalities. To me a "Health" forum would include everything that could promote health.
"Alternative Medicine" in this case is being marginalized from the greater topic of "Health."
And that is disappointing and probably harmful in the long run (thinking of people who wouldn't think to go to the "Alternative Medicine" forum, who might be helped by simple, natural cures if they were allowed to be even uttered on the "Health" forum).
Last edited by nobodysbusiness; 07-07-2018 at 11:49 AM..
I always thought that the Alternative Medicine forum was a place to discuss remedies that are strictly "natural."
I didn't understand that the Health forum, prohibited discussion of natural remedies, and was strictly for allopathic modalities. To me a "Health" forum would include everything that could promote health.
"Alternative Medicine" in this case is being marginalized from the greater topic of "Health."
And that is disappointing and probably harmful in the long run (thinking of people who wouldn't think to go to the "Alternative Medicine" forum, who might be helped by simple, natural cures if they were allowed to be even uttered on the "Health" forum).
The assumption seems to be that in order to count as "medicine," it has to be harmful and toxic.
I used to feel the same way and objected to my wife taking statins for her high cholesterol, but she believes our GP on this one so I have to accept it. I think we have to admit that both alternative and traditional medicine are based on theories. While we may favor one theory or another the most important thing is what works. My wife's cholesterol is presently slightly above normal with the lowest dose statin. Could she have achieved the same with a raw food diet or some other alternative theories? Maybe, but she just takes a pill and forgets about it.
I think people believe in the alternative and traditional theories much like they are a religion. It makes more sense to figure out what works for you because we are all different.
Just like in traditional medicine, alernative medicine is often hyped above what it can actually deliver. I think they are all tools and we have to have an open mind. No alternative theories were able to lower my blood pressure. I resisted BP meds for years and wound up hospitalized with permanent persistent afib and plueral effusions and a heart that was operating far below normal levels. Now I take 3 meds for the afib and two for the BP. My BP is normal and my heart ejection fraction, still below normal which is 50-70, was raised from 25 to 40.
When you have cancer or heart disease, or any chronic debilitating condition, you need to do what works, and forget about what doesn't work. In many cases traditional methods do work, and alternative methods don't. In many cases traditional methods don't work, but alternative methods don't work either. In some cases, alternative methods do work.
From my own experience and what I have read, the majority of alternative medicine is based on theories of prevention. The major flaw is that prevention may or may not work, and in any case is unprovable. There's no way to know why you don't get sick. When it gets down to healing serious diseases, alternative medicne has a poor track record. It works sometimes but usually doesn't.
So by advising people that they should look only to alternative medicine and stay away from traditional medicine, you are potentially dispensing harmful medical opinions, which is why the mods are censoring you.
The argument that alternative medicine isn't subjected to double blind scientific tests for effectiveness and side effects against placebo and traditional medicine because they are not backed by big pharma just seems like an excuse. There's enough money in alternative medicine and enough interest to get scientific testing done and documented, even if the FDA won't approve it. But if all you are dispensing is theories and belief, you are not likely to invest in testing that may show your theories or products are less effective than you have claimed.
But like I said before, people view medicine whether alternative or traditional like a religion, and like arguing religion or politics, no one's mind gets changed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Good4Nothin
I posted what I consider important information in the regular health forum, but it kept getting closed or deleted. I actually don't understand why.
But I do know there are philosophical differences between mainstream and alternative medicine. Alternative medicine is not less scientific than mainstream. It is based on a different kind of philosophy.
If you are very immersed in current mainstream medical ideas, the alternative ideas might not make any sense to you.
My posts that were closed or deleted were about cholesterol lowering drugs. It was impossible to explain to some people why they should be skeptical about these drugs.
The current mainstream medical philosophy is what might be called materialist and reductionist. In other words, it is non-spiritual and non-holistic.
Alternative medical philosophy, in general, is non-materialist and non-reductionist. In other words, it is spiritual and holistic.
In alternative medicine, organic systems are seen as intelligent and are always striving to repair themselves. Our bodies have innate healing wisdom. Organic systems are extremely complex and not well understood.
In mainstream medicine, the idea is that life evolved by chance. Organic systems are not thought to have innate healing wisdom. The human mind is considered the height of intelligence, and therefore is capable of understanding, and improving, any aspect of nature.
The approach to heart disease using statin drugs is typical of the materialist reductionist approach.
Agree that "what works" (adding with the least harmful side effects) is the smartest way to go - and all must decide for themselves - the problem is that natural remedies are often marginalized as "kooky" - people forget that there is millennia of trial and error and herbs were put on earth as a natural pharmacy (and synthetic, chemical compounds can contain herbs or are based on herbs).
I think people believe in the alternative and traditional theories much like they are a religion. It makes more sense to figure out what works for you because we are all different.
Just like in traditional medicine, alernative medicine is often hyped above what it can actually deliver.
The argument that alternative medicine isn't subjected to double blind scientific tests for effectiveness and side effects against placebo and traditional medicine because they are not backed by big pharma just seems like an excuse. There's enough money in alternative medicine and enough interest to get scientific testing done and documented, even if the FDA won't approve it.
But like I said beofre, people view medicine whether alternative or traditional like a religion, and like arguing religion or politics, no one's mind gets changed.
No, that is not at all why I posted this. This post is about the article I linked, which I think everyone who is considering taking statins ought to read.
I am NOT an advocate of alternative medicine. In fact, I think alternative medical doctors should be trusted even less than mainstream doctors.
So this is not at all an advertisement for alternative medicine. I do, however, agree with the philosophy behind holistic alternative medicine.
People's minds would get changed if they read articles like the one I linked. It is NOT in an alternative journal. Real deception is going on, and it's both wasteful and possibly very dangerous. You will not hear about the dangers of statins from mainstream news sources.
We know that cancer and dementia seem very common, for example, but mainstream medical sources will tell you it's because we live longer, and cancer and dementia result from old age. So if drugs such as statins are contributing, you would not hear about it.
There is absolutely no excuse for taking a pill instead of improving your lifestyle. Improving your lifestyle can be a CURE, but taking a drug is not a cure. The drug does not address the cause of the problem. The drug is likely to cause more problems that it helps.
If statin drugs have any benefit at all, it is tiny and of little or no practical significance. The main purpose of those drugs is to make money. Yes, there is an exception -- people with a rare genetic defect that causes extremely high cholesterol. They might need cholesterol lowering drugs. Probably no one else.
But you won't be able to tell what is real from drug company funded research. And medical doctors, for the most part, are not skeptical and don't look deeply into it.
If you read the article, I would like to know what you think. If your wife is taking a pill because it's easier than improving her lifestyle, she is making a very big mistake. Eventually, people who do that will suffer consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle plus drugs that are likely to cause damage.
And, by the way, I only posted this in alternative medicine because criticizing mainstream medicine is not allowed in the general health forum.
I am an advocate of alternative and holistic medicine and this is why I stay with my integrative MD for the last 20 some yrs when I was introduced to them. They are like day and night to the allopathic drug doctors.
I believe the drugs produced in the pharma labs are toxic, why the H all the side effects from them...
Thank goodness my thyroid support which is an Rx doesn't do harm and helps me a great deal.
Living in So. Cal for over 50 yrs has been a breath of fresh health as we have so so many alternative/holistic people coming to Cal to practice medicine.
My Eastern mind was so open to all I've learned in the 50some yrs here.
My dear mother had that mind when Prevention magazine first hit the newstands over 70 yrs ago or so.
I always thought that the Alternative Medicine forum was a place to discuss remedies that are strictly "natural."
I didn't understand that the "Health" forum prohibited discussion of natural remedies, and was strictly for allopathic modalities. To me a "Health" forum would include everything that could promote health.
"Alternative Medicine" in this case is being marginalized from the greater topic of "Health."
And that is disappointing and probably harmful in the long run (thinking of people who wouldn't think to go to the "Alternative Medicine" forum, who might be helped by simple, natural cures if they were allowed to be even uttered on the "Health" forum).
I don't think it's the discussion of alternate or "natural" methods of treatment per se that are the problem, but the attempts to discredit traditional medicine methods , and bashing of those who practice, or who use and depend on traditional medicine that seem to accompany these "discussions".
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