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Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. For "eons", man has utilized plants from the earth to treat ills. Many of our medicines, today, can be based in nature. For a very long time, this practice went by the wayside and people went to physicians to be treated with conventional medicines. In the 1980's the trend began to change. Many people started looking for ways to supplement the treatments they had or were having (complimentary medicine), alongside of conventional medicine...or they chose to eliminate conventional treatments, altogether, and to treat themselves, alternatively, with herbs and other supplements. One wonders why patients went to those extremes? The reason is probably due to the fact that people felt they were not being "cured" of their ills with conventional medicines or that conventional medicines were causing debilitating side effects. They began to look elsewhere...back to nature.
I remember a time when physicians did not encourage the use of vitamins. Patients were told that they did not need vitamin supplements, as vitamins could easily be obtained via diet. Today, the opposite is true. Many patients are encouraged to take a vitamin supplement, daily. Why the change? Well, it was found that vitamins do make a difference in one's health...for the better. Additionally, research has discovered that certain "natural" medicines are proving to be powerhouses...for example, aspirin, which comes from the bark of a tree. Some docs have their patients take aspirin on a daily basis. Calcium is now said to help prevent colon polyps. A family relative, who survived colon cancer, has been advised by her physician to take a calcium tablet, every day. Vitamin D3, turmeric, GLA, CQ10, bee propolis, quercetin, green tea, rosemary, garlic, ip6 with inositol hexaphosphate, etc...the list goes on. Back to nature. Herbs and supplements have become a billion dollar market. I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the line, some entity attempts to control it.
Just because a medicine is natural does not mean it is not harmful. When you decide to use complimentary or alternative medicines, you should always consult with your physician, prior to taking anything. Herbs and supplements may interact with other medications you are taking, as well as with each other. Herbs may enhance effects of some medications and may decrease the effectiveness of others. They may also be fatal to some people. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your doctor's knowledge and blessing in utilizing complimentary medicines. With alternative medicines, whereby you will be using herbs and supplements in lieu of conventional treatments, you should always consult with your physician so that you can make an informed decision to forego conventional medicine.
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Dislaimer: Information presented within the pages of this website is, for the most part, that of my opinion and for informational purposes only and not to be used in place of the advice of your medical provider. You are strongly encouraged to seek the advice of your medical provider and to conduct your own research on any topic of interest, for fact finding.
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