I really love herbs. I have two walls full of everything I could find. Whenever possible, I use herbs when I'm feeling sick or just for preventative health. The last time I did go to the doctor, I mentioned my interest in herbs. He was skeptical. Why are doctors so often skeptical of alternative methods of healing or herbs? Aren't many of the expensive medications sold at pharmacies created from plant derivatives?
Doctors are usually skeptical about alternative medicine because it poses a stiff competition to them, and they don't want to lose their business. Actually, I feel we must strike a balance between modern and alternative medicine. We can cure a lot of small aches, pains, and ills with alternative treatments such as homeopathy, ayurveda, acupressure, acupuncture, herbs, pranic healing, and so on. And there are some dangerous conditions, which only modern medicine can cure.
Alternative medicine and alternative treatments are fine for extremely minor issues, but when it comes to things like serious pain, it is best to go with the pharmaceuticals to avoid complications later on.
I think most of the people believe in alternative medicine. I had also loved to have the traditional medicines especially from the orient side of the world. Alternative medicine can easily cure something which may be viewed as a complex thing in the modern medicines.
In my point of view, alternative medicine really is the safest way to cure someone and it will be fine trying it however, it will be better also to consult a doctor if you think the problem isn't just simple because we know that herbs and science cures better when they work together.
I think many people misunderstand what happens whether you use herbs or pharmaceuticals. If a substance creates change in your body, it is executing a chemical reaction. If an herb eases pain, you are still using a chemical. Medications made in labs either concentrate or reproduce the active ingredients that you provide the relief you experience when using the herb. This preserves the herb as you don't have to consume nearly as many plants when you can get the active ingredient in a pill....simple conservation. Why doyou think pharmaceutical companies send people to rain forests and other regions of the world? To get plants and other substances, find out what the active ingredients are, and see if, when concentrated, they can be consumed safely. Some herbal and natural remedies carry harmful toxins with them, if used in herbal form, and some are toxic, no matter how they are presented to the body. A treatment's being natural doesn't mean it is any safer than what you might get in pill form! I believe that herbals and other "alternatives" are fine if people truly understand how things work.
I have seen too many strange things in places like the far east to ever dismiss an alternative treatment. Many of the old home cures, when examined closely, have a basis in fact. Always makes me wonder how the ancient people ever figured out some of the potions they used that worked. Had to be some way more scientific than boiling every different tree bark that they could find and feed it to someone with an ailment to see what happened.
I think there was a time when lab assistants were used to test certain compounds, so I bet primitive people had a few apprentices "taking one for the team"!
True enough, it must have been hundreds of years of "research and development" that those ancient cultures had to devote to discovering the healing properties of the various plants. Or perhaps in some way the uses were revealed to them rather than discovered, but that begs the question "who would have taught them those skills?"
The only thing that really bothers me is that people really believe that alternative treatments and herbs are safer because they have fewer side effects. Anything that will change how you feel has the potential to have an unpleasant side affect.
I wonder, is acupuncture still termed "alternative medicine"? Where we live it's taken very seriously, but I believe that the health insurance still calls it "alternative"...Anyway, I've been hearing that acupuncture can work on the sinus problems ofallergies. Could be, why not? Has anyone tried this route for allergy-relief?
One of the reasons to use alternatives is to have more control over your "treatment". To this end, I wouldn't share my alternatives with a doctor as it may change how the perform their job, and you don't want them making little notes on your medical file that might be seen by insurance companies at the wrong time.
I agree about the old home cures. There was not *nearly* as much running off to the doctor just 30 years ago. And I've wondered about the other thing, too... like how did they know which herb or remedy helped with which ailments. It would make a fascinating study.
