Alternative Medicine (Part II)

My parents used to worry about me when I started habitually refusing medicine unless I absolutely needed it (to be honest, they still worry about that today sometimes).  I remembered how I raised their hairs the first time I told them that I wanted to fast for a weekend.  They worried because they didn’t know what I was doing and my actions seemed radical and unnecessary.  They worried because I shook the foundations of the world they were so sure was good for me.  They worried because the information about alternative/preventative care just wasn’t as abundant as what the pharmaceutical companies put out into mass media. 

When there is a lack of information, we are left to rely on what we see and hear and that leads to erroneous attributions and incorrect conclusions.  Two members of my family have died because they refused the care of MDs.  While they may have refused for the same reasons that I do, because they grossly lacked necessary information, they made poor decisions that lead to their death.  One thought he knew enough about herbs to take care of himself; and it is unknown what the other thought.  One thing is for certain, they were both unfortunately and fatally incorrect.  Herbs are NOT always the answer. 

It is advisable to see a health practitioner about an illness, especially one that is new, different or severe.  Doctors are trained and they know the science and art of making weak, sickly bodies well again.  NDs know when to use herbs and which to use when necessary.  They know when to advise you to remove something from your diet and they know when you need care via pharmaceutical drugs.  In some states, in fact, they can prescribe those drugs when necessary.  California and Colorado’s bureaucracy does not support this, despite their complete training in medicine.  Therefore, NDs in such states will refer their patients to MDs when they need pharmaceutical drugs.  They do what is necessary so that you receive the BEST possible healthcare.

Alternative medicine can work if you see the right health practitioner for proper guidance.  If you make a habit of listening to the competitors that mock this practice, that is your choice; however, you will never know the power a healthy body can have.  On the flip side, if you know you don't need medication for a disease yet you don't seek a professional to help support your body, then understand that you may run even greater risks.