alternative medicines

[wolfrainvn]

It is to my knowledge that a vast majority of formal western medicine come from alternative medicines background, for example opiod such as morphine found in opium flower, aspirin - salicylic acid came from the bark of willow tree and digoxin - a heart failure medication came from foxglove plant. Those are just some well known examples of modern medicine originate from tradition herbal medicine.

Even though, some of modern medicines might come from traditional medicine practice that do not mean that all traditional medicines work. It is the case of specific example and whether there is evidence of the alternative medication working. For example, the use of cranberry juice for prevention of Urinary tract infection is supported by evidence in scientific studies where it is shown to reduce the incidence of infection significantly vs the ridiculous use of homeopathic medications medication in general. Homeopathic medication is one of those area in alternative medicines that are just plain silly and obsolete. Homeopathic medication bases on the principle of dilution, it is generally accepted in the field that the more you dilute a substance the more potent it is. Their explanation for this extraordinary phenomenon is the memory retention property of water which is illogical and silly because the more you dilute it the less potent it is. There are many more example of alternative medicines that are the debris of the old ways of medicines e.g.
Tissue salts, Floral oil concentrate therapy the list go on. My advices on alternative medicines is stick to herbal medicines and on to the one that proven to work and avoid the others such as homeopathy.

[File0]

Originally Posted by wolfrainvn

It is to my knowledge that a vast majority of formal western medicine come from alternative medicines background, for example opiod such as morphine found in opium flower, aspirin - salicylic acid came from the bark of willow tree and digoxin - a heart failure medication came from foxglove plant. Those are just some well known examples of modern medicine originate from tradition herbal medicine.

Even though, some of modern medicines might come from traditional medicine practice that do not mean that all traditional medicines work. It is the case of specific example and whether there is evidence of the alternative medication working. For example, the use of cranberry juice for prevention of Urinary tract infection is supported by evidence in scientific studies where it is shown to reduce the incidence of infection significantly vs the ridiculous use of homeopathic medications medication in general. Homeopathic medication is one of those area in alternative medicines that are just plain silly and obsolete. Homeopathic medication bases on the principle of dilution, it is generally accepted in the field that the more you dilute a substance the more potent it is. Their explanation for this extraordinary phenomenon is the memory retention property of water which is illogical and silly because the more you dilute it the less potent it is. There are many more example of alternative medicines that are the debris of the old ways of medicines e.g.
Tissue salts, Floral oil concentrate therapy the list go on. My advices on alternative medicines is stick to herbal medicines and on to the one that proven to work and avoid the others such as homeopathy.

You shouldn't speak about something you don't understand well enough.
To begin with morphine can be found in the poppy-head not the flower but that's OK.
You say stick with the herbal medicine but avoid oil concentrates which basically are concentrated herbs. I really don't get what you mean.

And there are of course the ignorant prejudges against homeopathy which goes on and on from whom never met a good homeopath.
If it was so rubbish as you tried to paint it no-one would use it successfully with children, and vets definitely wouldn't use it to cure animals - they obviously cannot give placebo affect as response...
It's misjudged because many people think they are able to use it without any background knowledge (it has no side affects and no affects at all if you use the wrong type). All the good homeopaths are highly trained real doctors - with years of experience in their field. So please don't just judge something before you're able to see the whole picture, though I'm sure you met some real bad things regarded to homeopathy, I'm really sorry for that...
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Wrong medication/medicines can cause really bad things, you can never got blind and half deaf because of using magnets and christals under your bed, but many of the new supposedly clinically tried medicine can give you some horrific side-affects! The most conspicuous examples when western doctors give some new medicines to pregnant women - there was a new tranquillizer a few decades ago, doctors gave it to 3 - 9 months pregnant women (as I know), it did calmed the patients down but as a result/side-affect the babes born with a terribly changed body-structure... It's truly shocking: Thalidomide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

And don't say it's unique, cause it's not (I know of one which causing hart disease to newborn babies too), I'm sure there are countless lawsuits against drug-labs and factories because of unwanted and undescribed affects of their medicines. And don't think they are so greatly tried and monitored, sorry to say but many times they aren't not the mention the fact if they are tried efficiently than it usually involves animal and even human test-subjects...

As an alternative medicine user I must be very conscious and wise in my choices. I must eat healthy, be careful with luxury goods(drink,cigarette...), and should do some exercises regularly... What I'm saying is that, many times people take medicines because of malnutrition or stress or noxious agents or because they won't recognize or won't care about the borning disease inside of them, so it's not because they're actually ill. But after they took the drugs they sometimes do become weak or even ill...
It'd have been better to consult with a nathuropath in time, who'd give them some essential oils and tell it makes the best effect when they're used in a semi-dark room with some music and the 'patients' should only eat some light dinner before, in fact for the time-period of the whole treatment (which can be a month)... you can guess the possible results.

There are great medicines came from western doctors no doubt about that, but every time one receive treatment he/she ought to ask first: Do I REALLY need to do this? Am I really ill? Or I just work too hard, eat too poor or hastily, sleep too little and have no real companion - thus I'd just need to change my lifestyle or my environment rather than go to see a doctor?!

But that's just my opinion...
Most people will use the comfort of having a 'good cure' and if they are told that sleeping pills are good and taking antibiotics are inevitable they will swallow it easily :P At least in the western(?) societies.

[TalnSG]

File0, those are some good examples, though as a result of the thalidomide tragedy, even drugs generally considered "safe" are contraindicated for anyone who is pregnant or may even think of being so before the medication is discontinued.

Education is a central issue when choosing a treatment, and as you mentioned that factor is often missing with homeopathy. Though it can work (it helped desensitize me to some environmental irritants), it can also be risky.

And just because something is commonly used does not mean it is safe for you. Echinacea is popoular and effective, but it is supposed to be used only for short time periods. However, many people take it all winter, which eventually makes it ineffective in the body. I happen to be violently allergic to marigolds, so more than about 48 hrs of dosing is risky for me.

Golden Seal works very well in combination with Echinacea. But how many people know that it aggravates high blood pressure - an extremely prevalent condition in adults.

And "innocent" chamomile tea and some green teas? So relaxing and beneficial in so many ways; unless you are on blood thinner medications. If so, you are in big trouble ingesting that stuff.

I am just saying that whatever you choose to do, check it out as much as possible from realiable sources (not marketing brochures). Balance some skepticisim with faith and respect when checking out something new to help your body deal with an ailment. You don't want the cure to be an even bigger problem than you already have. But don't reject an idea just because you aren't familiar with it beyond horror stories hyped in the media.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by TalnSG

And "innocent" chamomile tea and some green teas? So relaxing and beneficial in so many ways; unless you are on blood thinner medications. If so, you are in big trouble ingesting that stuff.

actually, that's a point. I wonder if you'd know... Green tea's supposed to have no caffine in, right? Yet often if I drink it, especially the high-quality stuff, i get really light-headed and wired as though I'd just downed a bunch of expressos. No jitters, just a massive rush. What's that about? I don't take any meds, so it can't be that :/

[File0]

Originally Posted by TalnSG

File0, those are some good examples, though as a result of the thalidomide tragedy, even drugs generally considered "safe" are contraindicated for anyone who is pregnant or may even think of being so before the medication is discontinued.

That's true but still, not every pregnant women know about the risks of taking drugs while pregnancy, so they will do as they are told and as a result they can end up in a very bad situation. For example this case(s):Glaxo Failed to Warn About Paxil Risks, Lawyer Says at Philadelphia Trial - Bloomberg


About your other points, I would probably say the same... and thanks for the adds I can see my post's missing some warns...

[File0]

Originally Posted by Columbine

actually, that's a point. I wonder if you'd know... Green tea's supposed to have no caffine in, right? Yet often if I drink it, especially the high-quality stuff, i get really light-headed and wired as though I'd just downed a bunch of expressos. No jitters, just a massive rush. What's that about? I don't take any meds, so it can't be that :/

Green tea does contain theine(tein) - very similar to caffeine - which affects some people with higher level than the one in the coffee. That's why it's not recommended for children along with black, red etc tea. Even roth(red)-brush tea can cause some irritation.

[michaljetson]

There are clinical trials that show that some herbs can be very effective in treating certain diseases, but the question of efficiency has resulted in dosing and the dosage may vary as shown among the different actors that the effect may vary well.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by File0

Green tea does contain theine(tein) - very similar to caffeine - which affects some people with higher level than the one in the coffee. That's why it's not recommended for children along with black, red etc tea. Even roth(red)-brush tea can cause some irritation.

Ah~ is that it. Thank you File0, that's really helpful to know.

[File0]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Ah~ is that it. Thank you File0, that's really helpful to know.

You're welcome!

I'm surprised that you didn't know about it, you seem to know about medical issues pretty well.

I guess is that you drink the high quality green tea purely, that's why it has strong affect on you(???)

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by File0

You're welcome!

I'm surprised that you didn't know about it, you seem to know about medical issues pretty well.

I guess is that you drink the high quality green tea purely, that's why it has strong affect on you(???)

I tried to look it up, but I never found anything that explained it very well.
You're right! It's only with my loose-leaf, expensive green teas that I get the reaction. I can drink the t-bag variety without much trouble. What a pity, I love green tea