|
| |
Natural
Medicine Supplements
Natural medicine is a wonderful
field of medicine that has encouraged us to rediscover some of the health
benefits in food, plants, herbs that we have available to us without a medical
prescription.
Natural medicine can help motivate us to eat
with the idea providing our bodies with real food that will give us long term
resiliency, strength and health. This is a great alternative to flogging the
body with quick energy supplements and/or consolation eating. There are many
foods and supplements that can enhance our health. I try to choose from those
we can obtain easily and are not too pricey.
For the most part our bodies are self-
repairing. Good dietary habits, exercise, proper sleep allows us to go forward
in health and resilience. However, often we let ourselves get run-down. Stress,
sleep deprivation, exhaustion and maybe a few pet bad habits contribute and yes,
genetics and predisposing chronic illnesses all contribute to bad health moments
and conditions. When we notice that we are not mending the usual way we may seek
medical help. Usually medical intervention shortens the duration of an illness,
or minimizes the impact of the illness so we can get our school and work
responsibilities done with only modest aggravation.
All medical interventions, “natural” and
manufactured, can be a help in some circumstances and can be a poison in
others. This is to be respected. Happily, more and more people have become
active in their own health care. More information is available on the web, in
books and in the everyday newspapers and magazines that we read. However, not
all that is published is correct, or able to withstand the test of time. Some
“information” is just dangerous.
Initially modern medicine ran away from home
remedies when arsenic and mercury were used to treat viruses and branding
cauterization was used to treat some sexually transmitted diseases. As expected,
we overcorrected ourselves and abandoned much that was good in food and herb
supplements. For a while, there was a tendency to abandon modern medicine and
put all faith in Natural remedies only. Today, the pendulum is swinging more
toward a healthy blend of old and new.
I do not think it is wise to arbitrarily
abandon one approach for another. Some illnesses can only be treated
effectively with synthetic or highly purified and precisely quantified
prescription medicines. A person without insulin must have insulin replacement.
When the body can no longer provide enough thyroid, replacement is needed. Blood
pressures need to be well controlled to reduce the risk of heart attack and
stroke. Anti-viral medication really has prolonged the lives of those suffering
from slow acting, but lethal viruses. This short list is only a tiny, but
obvious sampling of the benefits of modern medicine.
Some natural remedies have become my
favorites:
Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000mg has been shown to
help with heart, lung, brain and kidney health. Omega 3 has recently been used
to assist reducing post partum depression, enhancing fetal brain development
(special prescription version for this or use OTC plant-based DHA products like
Expecta) and attention deficit disorder. For heart disease at least two gelcaps
two times daily with food are advised. Freezing the capsules before ingesting
helps reduce the reflux aftertaste that often happens. For those on Coumadin,
it is wise to take the omega 3 fish oil an hour after the coumadin, to allow
complete absorption of the Coumadin. Also of note, omega 3 fish oil is also a
blood thinner and easy bruising can be expected. Just as with aspirin, NSAIDS,
Coumadin, Ginkoba, omega 3 fish oil must be stopped prior to any surgery.
For facial and other skin infections, I have become partial to washing with baby
shampoo instead of bar soap. The pH balance on this is credited for inhibiting
bacterial, yeast, viral growth. Baby shampoo helps reduce chronic eye
irritation when the face is washed with the shampoo.
A wound care plastic surgeon specialist that has
assisted my patients with their open wounds has guided me to cleanse these would
with full strength lavage with Suave hair conditioner and then using the
prescribed washes and dressings. He advises me that this simple $1.50 product is
effective against 8 different resistant bacterial, viral and fungal invaders. I
have had great benefit from also expanding the use to including seeping skin
infections such as leg cellulitis. I usually first wash with baby shampoo
followed by the Suave hair conditioner, then apply either a topical antifungal
or antibacterial depending on the presentation.
For pesky poison ivy and oak I am partial to applying Fels Naptha soap (found in
the laundry department in the grocery store and cost, just about $1.00) Use cool
water to lather on, let set 10 minutes and then use cool water to wash the Fels
Naptha off. Always apply first to a small test site to see if the soap is well
tolerated.
For helping to ward off a cold, I encourage a
couple of tablespoons of whole oregano put into the famous chicken soup or on a
wholesome salad. Oregano oil and whole oregano is credited with fighting off
staph and strep infections. While not the whole answer, this is certainly a
welcome assist. I have an immune booster meal that I make using mushrooms,
minced onion and garlic, oregano and peppers and a dash of capsaicin sautéed to
perfection and eaten immediately. I use weak green tea, lemon and honey and a
dash of ginger or honey in the tea to wash down this delicious therapy.
Do not try anything that you could be allergic
to. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to try these suggestions.
Bonita J. Portier, D.O.
| |
|
Emmitsburg Osteopathic Primary Care Center
