That's part of what I'm trying to say:
A lot of research comes from the pharmaceutical companies under different names to scare people off, because alternative medicine is a Billion Dollar business.

On the other hand people think sometimes that a certain product is the cure fore all.
In some people it works and others it might not.

As I said it earlier I have seen it all.
As my friend used to say it: in the end it all comes down to whether you are feeling better or not.
If yes keep doing what you are doing (except drugs maybe.. ) if no try something else..

Most of the time it's worth a try.

Eric

Tom,

The best advice I can provide is to trust your instincts. When I was somewhat younger I made my living in medicine. I worked with lots of really great physicians--and a number of really bad ones too. Diet and exercise can cure a number of nasty maladies, however, there are some that this regemin will bit take care of. Heart disease and cancer are a couple that immediately come to mind. I had lots of patients who hoped their cancer would be cured with dietary suppliments--they all died. I also had lots of cardio-pulmanary patients that believed diet and exercise would solve their problems. Those that lost weight and spent at least 30 minutes a day doing vigirous exercise, such as walking on a tread mill, were still alive when I decided to do something else with my life.

Good Luck my friend, and call me if you need more information.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I had my first (and probably last) visit with the Holistic MD today. Going in, my attitude was very open, basically feeling that anything is possible and if there's an option to pharmacidical agents (drugs) it's worthwhile checking out.

A large part of the hour was spent on "muscle testing". This is a procedure where your strength is tested with, and then without, him touching a certain pressure point on my body. Then tested while I am holding a vile which contains a certain substance in it. "How could my strength be influenced when I'm not ever touching that substance?" I asked. "Because it has an electro-magnetic field surrounding it, just as your body has", he said.

The only thing I know for sure is that I'm $125 poorer and I doubt going back. My gut feeling (which is usually accurate) says this muscle testing is akin to snake oil and voodo. It also says don't throw good money after bad. Still living and learning after all these years.

Glenn

I go to a chiropractor, love the guy, been going for 10 years due to an accident. I met him when he was just starting his practice.
Now he's getting bigger. I took my daughter in to see him, she's a nurse.
First you meet his receptionist and exchange information then she shows her the office and tells you how things work. Then you get an xray and some other exam with a hand held wand of some sort. end of visit did not see the doctor $35.
Next visit watch a tape, results of exam make a new appointment. Results of exam are a sales pitch for lifetime chiro...$35 no doctor.
Setup 1 hour appointment to meet the doctor and go over all the test results..$$$
Can you imagin going to a dentist for an appointment and he says my receptionist is going to charge you for orientation and xrays and I'll see you on your third appointment.

Like I said the guy is a great doctor, I didn't go through any of that hocus pocus or I probably would have left.
But on one of is chiropractic seminars they told him this is how to increase business, I told him he's probably chasing more away because he acts like a quack.

One day at work I complained of sinus which used to drive me crazy.
A work mate asked me if I would like to get rid of it and if so would I do what he suggested.
I gladly agreed
He told me that when I had a hot drink to put a teaspoon of molasas in it.
I did and have not suffered with it since.
I now take it in only one hot drink a day and it not only protects me from sinus trouble but other infections.
I spend lots of time gardening without gloves and never have a skin infection. Its worked for me.

Cousin Ken

I think a lot of illnesses have been caused by many changes in our NATURAL habits.How much of the fresh fruit, vegetables and salad we buy has been sprayed with chemicals, WE THINK ahh it looks good, so,it must taste good,and so it must be good for us.Organic is better.Most foods in packets jars and tins in supermarkets have additives,preservatives and colouring,we put things in our mouth because we believe what we are told by the officials that it is safe, and many times we find there is corruption involved.We live in environments that have changed, no fresh air (air conditioned, centrally heated with little ventilation).We drive everywhere,and the exercise we get is ,putting shopping into the car,walking to our mailbox, or taking the dog for a walk. Modern day living has changed with many advantages,but through our own ignorance we tend to ignore the disadvantages. Yes we do live longer and the medical sciences have advanced tremendiously.We also (possibly) eat more junk food,smoke more cigs and drink more alcohol.We tend to satisfy self with the latest gadgets to make us feel good rather than do charity work (me included)so we experience pleasure rather than joy,negative news depresses us which we love to voice.
No wonder we get ill and look for cures,better to find and treat the cause(s).
We buy a new car,we lovingly wash it polish it, service it ,then trade it in for a later model,pity we don,t care for ourselves as much cause we cannot trade us in ,we keep going till we get to the scrapper.

Gary has come close to my thinking. If you have learned to listen to your body it will tell most of what it needs. If you stay in tune with your body the communications will increases leading you to the best path to take.

In no way am I putting down the different types of medical information on this post. Just listen and your path becomes clearer. It even has the capabilities to help you select a doctor if you listen real close.

When I asked my doctor what is this stomach doing to me his reply was, “What are you doing to your stomach”? Since then I have found that one of the best ways to stay healthy is to control what I allow to go into my mind.
“Garbage in garbage out” Your immune system is listening to every word.

IMHO John C.

Let me say this about Holistic. My late cousin who was the brother I never had was a Chiropractor and practiced with a Holistic philosopy. He followed a holistic diet for many years. He developed colon cancer at age 46 and treated it holistically, unfortuantely it did not work. By the time he discovered that a colostomy would be the only answer to save him it was too late. He died 1 month before his 50th birthday.

[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 05-24-2006).]

Glenn,
sorry about your experience.

Muscle Testing comes from applied Kinesiology:
http://www.icak.com/about/whatis.shtml

which really has nothing to do with holding an herb that they tell you, you might need.
As you said it: it's just a gimmick.

Alternative medicine can be anything from: Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine (from India), Homeopathy, European Herbology etc, etc.

Each one of these requires you to study almost as long or longer as a medical Doctor.
You can learn muscle Tesing in a weekend.
I think that is what Tom was trying to say by providing the link above.

Only because someone uses the word Alternative doesn't mean they know Jack.

Only because somebody has a KB and plays Midi's all night doesn't make him a musician.
If you would see somebody like this for the first time you might say arrangers are crap and not real music.
But we know different, don't we?
It depends on who is using it.

That's why you need to do your homework.
So what; you paid $125.00 for somthing that might have actually helped you if you tried it.
A cat scan might cost between $1.500 and $2.000 and might not tell you anything either, but we don't complain about that.

Stephen,

I feel your pain.
My father died of Cancer at age 58.
He did really well after the first round of Chemo and we had a few really good month together.
Then the Cancer came back and they gave him a 5 times stronger dose of chemo which did him in very fast.
He died a miserable death with not much dignety at the hospital.
Without chemo he would have died anyway but would have had a few more weeks or month with us to share.

Every year millions of people die of cancer and other diseases where Western Medicine seems to fail to help them.
I see it every day at the hospital. Believe me I know.
Why is it that nobody complains about that?
You spend thousands of dollars and die anyway.
But if people dish out a couple of hundred dollars for something that doesn't harm them they get all upset about!

Does Alternative Medicine cure Cancer? No!
Does Western Medicine cure Cancer? No!
Does that mean I (or we) should give up? No!

Sometimes people make it inspite of either of them.

Western Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Homeopathy etc; are all just a piece of the puzzle.
No single one of them has all the answers and /or cures.
But if we(they) all work together we might come a little closer.

Again I have seen Miracles with Western Medicine and I have seen Miracles with Alternative Medicine.
And I have seen both fail.

BTW, when I talk about Alternative Medicine I talk about people who have studied for many years and know there limitations and are working closely together with a Medical team.

One last thing to ponder:

I worked with a Medical Doctor in what is called Integrative medicine, which means you use that best of both worlds.
A lot of chronic patients that came into our office were tested for a comprehensive parasitology via stool samples.
Through a refined diet and high use of antibiotcs you kill the good bacterial flora in the gut. That's a fact and sientifically proven. You can look it up.
A lot (not all) chronic diseases can be linked to a yeast/candida overgrowth in the gut which can make you very sick.

There is only one laboratory in the US that does a comprhensive parasitology.
We had to send the samples overnight express.
They take the stool, culture it and test it against all know Drugs as well as herbs.
Get this: 80% of the time the herbs were stronger to kill the Yeast/Candida.
We had remarkable results with that.
If it said drugs were stronger, we did not hesitate to prescribe those.
No muscle testing was used; just laboratory (sientific) data.

That's only one example.

We know so little, but we judge so easily.

Eric


[This message has been edited by Eric, B (edited 05-24-2006).]

[This message has been edited by Eric, B (edited 05-24-2006).]

Eric,
I am pleased that you took the time to explain in some detail the findings of your experience with various alternatives but especially herbs.
I am absolutely convinced that there is a cure for EVERY disease and illness mankind suffers today and I am also convinced that the cures are there in herbs.
I personally have introduced a number of friends to herbal extracts with astounding results. Yes astounding and I use this word only after careful thought.
Perhaps the strangest success I continue to see is the use of herbs to combat 'depression'. Don't ask me how it works! I don't know. All I know is that I have two unconnected friends who become absolutely normal and free from their depression after a single dose of the herbs.
I continue to be amazed but I don't stop and wonder why, I just accept the wonders.
cheers
Eddie

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Eddie from Rotherham
Skype:eddiefromrotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info



[This message has been edited by eddiefromrotherham (edited 05-24-2006).]