Naturopathic Medicine

[aaaa]

I was having a debate with a friend about why people choose to seek out naturopathic and other "alternative" treatments that are outside of the services one would get in a medical doctor's clinic. I'm interested in finding out why people decide to try it in the first place and not necessarily why they choose to stay or not stay with the health strategy. I haven't tried any of these services myself, so I can only speculate... but I'd like to hear other people's reasons for going.

[anisa]

naturopathic is basicly when you eat certain foods because they help you with a condition, in a nutshell. someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

for example i get hayfever, and i used to take all the drug store meds and nothing every helped very well. when i learned that stinging nettle works just as well as any antihistamine, i started taking that every summer (it is the plant's leaves ground up and put in capsules).

i find it very effective and am happy with that.

when i have a cold i try to consume more ginger and honey, and if i have a really bad throat i gargle with salt water.

this is a really good website for info on different ailments/conditions, and how diet can help you deal.

http://www.drweil.com

i think we've all used naturopathic methods from time to time, maybe we don't realize that is what they are. personally i just don't like taking meds.

[JD in Van]

I'm totally down with natural and holistic methods. I grew up with a grandmother who believed "There's a tea for all that ails you" and I've carried that with me for a lot of common ailments.

That said, I DON'T get behind the whole notion of consuming small quantities of extremely watered down things that bother you other wise - homeopathic vaccination I believe they call it. I know people who Celiacs for example who have been literally poisoned by this practice.

[Graceling]

I just want to point out that naturopathy and homeopathy are two different fields. In naturopathy, people use herbal meidcations to cure their symptoms. In homeopathy, basically some type of natural product that causes the same symptoms that you are experiencing is used (once its been diluted a LOT).

[anisa]

I just want to point out that naturopathy and homeopathy are two different fields. In naturopathy, people use herbal meidcations to cure their symptoms. In homeopathy, basically some type of natural product that causes the same symptoms that you are experiencing is used (once its been diluted a LOT).

i understand that naturopathy is more of a whole food way of treating, but i thought that homeopathy was essentially the natural extracts and such that are presented in an easier to consume form. i didn't realize it's a form of diluted, long term exposure to the very irritants that make you suffer to begin with. eek!

thanks for clarifying

personally i prefer whole foods, the benefits of consuming something in it's entirety can't ever be overlooked

[Natalka]

Marketplace did a show on homeopathy - and explained it very well. Basically, there is no chance of it working, it's in such a dilute solution.

You can watch the episode online -

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2011/cureorcon/

[Graceling]

I agree that there is no chance of homeopathy working. I don't know but some people swear by it. Maybe its just a placebo effect?

In class we learned that there is some mechanism of action for homeopathic medicine but researchers can't seem to figure out how a solution that contains zero or a couple molecules of active substance is actually producing some activity. Pretty strange stuff.

[JD in Van]

Well more over, homeopathy can be harmful. As I've said above. People have tried to use homeopathy to treat allergies, but people with severe intolerances (like nuts and wheat) can be sensitive in quantities that small (the threshold to declare something gluten free in Canada is 5 parts per million, and for nut free it's even lower, for a good reason). Your body CAN detect and interact with that small of a dosage of something.

Also, the placebo effect is a VERY powerful thing and can be as high as 35%. Standard margin of error is about 5%. So you can explain away as high as a 40% success rate to placebo alone unless you use a blind control to mitigate it.

[poppleton]

I saw a naturopath for a short time, and although some of the prescribed remedies did not help my condition, they were able to run an eliza antibody test. This test determined some food sensitivities that I had (and couldn't identify on my own), and also determined that I had been misdiagnosed with Celiac disease two years prior. often, I think folks turn to naturopathic medicine when western medicine fails to provide answers/relief. Unfortunately, there are many illness/symptoms that doctors in general know very little about

[abbasgirl]

I saw a naturopath for a few months and have continued seeing a chiropractor for several years. The reason I started was dissatisfaction with standard health care. I never felt well so they ran a bunch of tests and then either told me to live with it, that it was all in my head or that I should take a bunch of unnecessary drugs. I don't really blame doctors. But I just find that they are limited in what they can do.

[lekate]

I try to eat as holistically as possible, I believe that what you put in affects your body in many different ways. Processed foods, and too much sugar are behind a lot of health issues we see today. Once you cut added sugar out of your diet, you feel so much better.

The issue with food, is that humans are primarily self-interested. I see a lot of comments online by these people, who just want to eat bad things because it's "good" and because they don't see a correlation between their health and these bad foods. Secondly, our society reinforces food as a reward system so much. Just look at any commercial for chocolate bars and candy.

To your question, I've never used naturpathic medicine in a sense. But I do know my headaches went away when I cut out cola from my diet. I wouldn't use it for serious things like cancer, but for other diseases, you can control things through your diet, and I think many people don't understand that or, back to the self-interested part, want to continue their lifestyle the way it is regardless of how if affects them.

[SaveWaveRider]

I'm very jaded by western medicine. Now having said that I do have a family doctor. I've had better results though having my issues fixed by chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, massage therapists, accupuncturists, and physiotherapists then I ever had from my family doctor or other MD. Sick care in canada is covered... health care you pay for. more and more Western type doctors are incorporating eastern medicines into their practices. Even my 2 birth experiences are polar opposites. I had an OB/GYN with my first and a midwife with my second. I'd take the midwife over the OB any day (as a low risk patient). Download the documentary "The business of being born" and you'll see why. Doctors definitely have their place but sadly all they can do is push drugs to mask the problems which usually have side effects (which they have meds for too) or cut you open. When you scratch yourself or even have open heart surgery, it's not the doctors healing you its your body. If you feed your body and take care of its needs, it will be good to you. Alternative medicines encompass that philosophy. Yes there is a place for meds and MD's and yes there are people who use homeopathy to an extreme where it can do damage (clearly using them for allergies with an anaphylactic reactions is absurd) but they do work. Pharmaceutical companies want you to believe they don't. Google how much those companies make in a year, and really are all those meds doing more good then harm? We all know people who make drastic changes in their lives with diet and exercise and see their cholesterol drop, they sugar levels even out, and other ailments resolve. Doctors are essential in ant=y crisis but for the day to day and the prevention of disease, they are failing us in my opinion. It for all those reasons why I believe so strongly in alternative medicines.

[ninna]

Interesting topic. I've not tried either one to be honest, so I have no input. I am however, gonna go watch that Marketplace segment on it. I just love Marketplace!

Didn't realize placebo effect could be so high. That's interesting too!

[aaaa]

Agreed. Some very interesting view points here. So from what I gather, most people try alternative treatments for one or more of the following reasons:

1) a series of negative experiences with "modern/western" medicine
2) suspicion of doctors and pharma
3) feeling more comfortable with treatments that originate naturally in the world rather than from a lab.
4) because modern medicine was not able to provide a cure or solution to an ailment

Anything else that I'm missing?

[JD in Van]

Agreed. Some very interesting view points here. So from what I gather, most people try alternative treatments for one or more of the following reasons:

1) a series of negative experiences with "modern/western" medicine
2) suspicion of doctors and pharma
3) feeling more comfortable with treatments that originate naturally in the world rather than from a lab.
4) because modern medicine was not able to provide a cure or solution to an ailment

Anything else that I'm missing?

I think I'm in number 3. I am actually very well educated in pharmacology, and have a good understanding of modern medicine but I feel that there is a great deal of wisdom in our cupboards and most people ignore that.

I also think it's very important to be in touch with your own body rather then letting someone else tell you what's right for you. Modern medicine, as it's currently structured, I feel encourages passiveness rather then self advocacy and I have a HUGE issue with that.