by Tigerman 126 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If you knew any less about the subject,your brain would create a black hole and suck planets and galaxeys into your empty scull
Outlaw - that is so funny - I'm going to remember that as a good comeback in future.
(In the quick search I did) Iridology resembles reflexology quite a bit
Ackack - nuff said, boring now, you just keep repeating the same old tired arguments.
zensim, why don't you just tell me how reflexology and iridology are different instead?
ackack
Interesting. Homeopathy was so popular in every congregation I was in, but I never heard it described as
the treatment of a disease using, in small doses, drugs that produce symtoms like those of the disease so that one's natural immune system can fight off the disease the treatment of a disease using, in small doses, drugs that produce symtoms like those of the disease so that one's natural immune system can fight off the disease
My mum had every dumb fake disease you can think of, and her homeopath (an actual qualified doctor who ought to be sued for the stuff he pulls) 'cured' her with placebos, in her case they were little bottles of water/alcohol that had been held over a 'laser matix' (which is a stupid black plate that has LEDs mounted around it). She took charge when my aunt got cancer, and was only just co-operative when it came to taking her to a real doctor.
sass_my_frass: in that description, "small doses" hardly covers it. More like, "doses so small no amount of the original substance could possibly be in the preparation."
It's an amusing notion, how uncritical we can be with beliefs that have emotional power over us, but it truly is sad when we see the actual effects of it in people we love. I had a friend who pursued alternative therapy for her pain, only to see watch her go up and down on the roller coaster of hope and despair.
ackack
No, no, I think your methods of research are serving you just fine. You go off and find your own answers - your mind is more open to that.
zensim, do you have anything ... umm.. useful to say?
ackack
Mulan said::: I want to be like Odrade and not comment on it, but I can't help myself.
I know, huh? First time in weeks I've (mostly) kept my mouth shut. Fine time to start, I tell myself. It's my New Year's Resolution. I suspect it won't last.
"jayhawk1, generally, I'm objecting to non-evidence based medicine. Specifically, this would include homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic medicine and other alternative therapies."
Just this year I was having serious problems with my balance, resulting in several bad falls in unusual situations. After falling for the third time in one month, with the last fall resulting in a very badly bruised knee, I was referred to a local neurologist by my family practice physician. This neurologist was recommended TO ME by the nurses and doctors at the nursing school which operates in the college where I work.
At my first visit, the neurologist recommended that I see a chiropractor and was pleased when I told him I see one regularly. Then he sent me to a physical therapy clinic where some computer-based specific vestibular therapy is done. Also, one of the many neurological tests he prescribed for me involved the insertion of accupuncture needles in various places and testing the passage of nerve impulses through my extremities. This doctor's practice is not limited to natural therapies; he also recommends drugs and surgery (including back surgery and brain surgery) when those are indicated. But he doesn't rule natural therapies out either.
I don't believe this gentleman would be practicing with the largest regional hospital in Eastern Kentucky if his practice wasn't "evidence-based". He wouldn't recommend chiropractic medicine or use accupuncture methods in testing if they weren't "evidence-based". I spoke to virtually everyone I know in the local medical community, and this neurologist was at the top of every list I was given.
My father was a chiropractor. He used home remedies for some things, but took us to a family doctor when we had ear infections, bronchitis, or anything with a high fever that persisted more than a few hours.
The point of natural therapies to to assist the body to heal itself. The comparison with vaccination is indeed valid; vaccinations prompt the body to mount an immune defense -- protect itself. Antibiotics, on the other hand, take over for the body and sometimes are very necessary but generally very overused (which overuse has resulted in the accelerated proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria). As many illnesses are caused by viruses, and as the BEST defense against viral infection is the body's own immune response, natural therapies certainly have a place in the practice of medicine IMO.
I don't believe that people should ignore symptoms that COULD BE serious. That's why I visited a neurologist for my symptoms, which could have been caused by MS or another serious illness or even a brain tumor. But I was happy that chirorpractic treatment and targeted physical therapy were the only treatment I required for my "vestibular deficit". I was happy that an MRI and extensive neurological tests showed that I am really very healthy. I am glad that my balance problems have, for the time being, been corrected. I am thankful for both traditional medicine and natural medicine.
NanaR
ackack said: Ginkgo is often marketed as a memory aid, and it was in that context I was calling it useless. I should have been more clear. I don't know anything about its uses as an anti-depressant. I look forward to the studies you'd like to show me.
OK, I scanned a few pages from the book called 5-HTP: The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, and Insomnia by Michael T. Murray, N.D. The book is full of case studies and gives the results. I simply don't have time to scan all the information, but I highly recommend the book. You can get it on Amazon for a pretty reasonable price. Pages 276 & 277 are the references for the studies described on page 251.
The dubs in my area were fond of any nontraditional cure, except the wackier, the better in their eyes.
Nothing new though--here's a brochure I created on this subject: Brochure: Bizarre Medical Myths--Believe it or not!
Any type of treatment has a chance of being effective, but it is safer to try those that have been subjected to some sort of scientific study instead of just anectdotes. Otherwise you risk your condition getting worse or suffering from unexpected side effects. (I've personally witnessed or experienced both of those scenarios happening more than once, with near deadly results.)
That is where the dubs in my area fell into a trap. They were making medical choices based upon disdain and fear of doctors rather than real information.
