Posted on 01/05/2007 2:11:43 PM PST by sdnet
Do you mean is fibro really a disease?
Wasn't there a disease, that was getting a lot of publicity a few years ago....and the symptoms were very vague, and the doctors didn't really know what was the cause, or the cure.
They pretty much threw everything at a patient to see what would work...
I can't remember the name...but, when you said you knew a lot of 30 year olds that are on anti-depressents and having that diagnosis...I thought that might be it.
Epstein-Barr was a virus/fatigue illness I remember from 10-15 years ago.
I'm not sure if Fibro is an actual disease, or a set of symptoms that has been given a name.
There sure seem to be a lot of people around here with it. We just moved here 7 years ago, so I haven't known these folks for more than 5 or 6 years.
They seem so sad and defeated, but it's hard to say which came first. The fact that they're all on opiates by prescription horrifies me. Where will they ever get the support and personal tools to get off those drugs and build a new life??? I doubt that they ever will.
Twice now I have been on the phone with a friend while she's picking up her prescriptions, and they won't give her all of them, because the opiates aren't due to be refilled for 3 more days!
None of them are the sort to look into alternatives much, or to look at journaling or meditation/prayer to find a different way to approach life to ease their pain or listen to their bodies. It's just so sad.
I think it is the same "syndrome" perhaps...that make people not want to take the time to win the war in Iraq.
Our generation came in on the start of the instant gratification wave....drugs, drinking...dropping in, dropping out...whatever felt good at the time.
No worries about tomorrow...live for today..
I think that has gone to the more "involved" generation of the 30 somethings..that have everything they need at their fingertips...via the computer, cellphone, blackberry.
They don't have to physically work for anything...so I think the lack of physical activity affects the mental ability to cope somehow.
The men and women in the military are physical beings..they work hard...and they are clear thinkers.
I may be off on a train of thought that is kooky or just flat wrong...but, at least to ME it makes SOME sense.
I guess I sort of went the opposite of you...talking about journaling and meditation....I went more outwardly active...and you went more inwardly calming.
Maybe a combination of the two??? LOL
Sorry if this post is bizarre, I think I got carried away.
Actually, I *do* think we're on the same wave length. These folks sit and think how miserable they are and how much they hurt. That why I mentioned that I haven't known them too long, I don't know which came first, the pain or the sedentary life style.
You remind me of something that hit me yesterday... I was driving to a friend's house, listening to NPR. a reporter was interviewing geriatric sex offenders (Who comes up with these assignments???). These men were saying that they didn't have such problems when they were younger, just as they moved through and beyond midlife.
It came to me in a flash that we now are on our 3rd generation of couch potatoes, people who are used to the tube providing their mental stimulation and entertainment. Before TV, people made their own fun, with hobbies, or reading or socializing.
Model airplanes kits aren't produced anymore, because no one builds them... When you spend your youth watching the tube, you have no interests or challenges that you set for yourself just for fun.
At some point, the tube *has* to get boring. Porn may fill that titillation gap for awhile, but then it needs to escalate to meet the need for novelty.
So I see all these people bored, with nothing to do, and only trouble presenting itself. We're in for a sad future all around if we don't think up something.
Most dogs already have had their health ruined by this overkill philosophy. I heard today Pfizer now has a diet pill for canines--- which all they really need is an owner that feeds them a proper diet (not kibble) and feeds them an appropriate amount of food, instead of a humongous portion and lots of treats, and exercise them more...
And when you consider they have much shorter lifespans, the human population is behind the curve, but not by much.
It IS manageable, but it requires diligence and a complete change in lifestyle. I know all this because I have Lupus and have been in remission for 12 years through a huge diet change and the right supplements. Our summer sun gives me some problems, but I've learned to live with it.
When I took my cat in a for a rabies shot last week, the vet asked me to sign a form acknowledging that the vaccine medium could cause tumors, unless I used a more expensive version without the additives...
I wonder how many pediatricians tell their patients similar information....
I don't want to bring out the arguers, but I'd love to explore some of these issues, and alternative treatments. ;-)
I know that when I was in school...we had PE every year.
I don't think they do that anymore.
Plus, we had one TV, and that was what my Dad wanted to watch...so we played outside..rode bikes...read books.
I think a lot of it is an expectation of a life that is unattainable to some. They see skinny models, American Idols...sports stars...and some people think that they "should" have more..and have a fun life like they think the celebs have.
Face it..our country has turned to liberal mush!!!
WOW, AC....here pinz and I were trying to figure it out..and you have the answer. I love freepers!
I hate to hear about the Lupus...I knew a lady that had it..and she was miserable. I also know that prednisone is a whole bad experience on it's own.
I am so glad you have been able to treat yours holistically.
I know one thing...socialized medicine will make RX junkies out of more people...not less.
And don't forget the endless amounts of rich food... sugar, fat, salt, nothing nutritious.
I remember when Thanksgiving was exciting because you really could eat until you were stuffed. We never did that every day.
Remember when 16 ounce bottles of pop came out? The selling point was that you could get 3!!!! glasses from one bottle! I know people who walk around with a personal 2 liter bottle of coke.
And we wonder why there is a diabetes epidemic. :-(
If you're willing to talk about the diet changes you made, and what you've learned about supplements, I'd love to hear it.
I kept my husband's Crohn's Disease in remission for almost 20 years.
Oh..for sure.
I would get SO excited...because when I got junior high age..I joined a bowling league on Saturdays...and part of the day was getting to eat at the bowling alley restaurant.
I would always order a grilled cheese and french fries.
This was "fast food" to me...because my Mom cooked every night...meat, veg..salad...we never, ever went to a McDonalds or anything.
Conservative republicans have become quite socialist since 1992..
And Democrats play them like BB Kings guitar..
I was lucky enough to find a book called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, The Hidden Epidemic, written by Jesse A Stoff, MD. In addition to supplements (which was a given) he talked about how important the liver is in any of these diseases and that the liver does all it's healing at night, and it was important to be in bed by dark.
This was huge for me, because I was (and am) a nightowl and at the time we moved here I was working for eight doctors and literally burning the candle all night to keep up.
The other thing he stressed was getting rid of anything in the cupboards that contained preservatives (not an easy thing to do these days) and basically learn to eat from the outside aisle of the grocery store.
My husband is allergic to MSG, but we did have a lot of things I used in cooking that contained preservatives, colorings, etc., I went through and tossed everything in the trash and started to eat a healthier, natural diet....
So, now I was getting rest at night for my liver, eating all natural and I have another book Prescription for Nutrional Healing and I followed the supplement regimine recommended in that book and slowly started to get better. It took me about two years before we could go out on our boat in the summer and I wouldn't have to stay in bed the next day to recoup.
Today, I pretty much still follow everything except getting as much nighttime rest as I should. It's easier in the winter, we don't have daylight savings time here in AZ and it doesn't get light until eight a.m... so I sleep in... however, in the summer sun is up at five and if I'm up until one or two in the morning, I really start to feel it and have to take myself in hand.
I don't drink or smoke (never have) except a rare glass of wine, so that part is easy for me....
Regarding your husband's Crohn's DiseaseHave you read the book "Life Without Bread?"
I have used supplements for years, still do, but have become very interested in the last ten years about Homeopathy. Crohn's is a disease that can respond well to homeopathy, has he ever consulted with a classical homeopath about this?
Thanks for your thoughtful response. :-)
I'm intrigued with the nighttime healing that the liver needs. I'm a nightowl too, but tried to move to an earlier to bed/rising time as I got older and did less child-chasing. But there are many health benefits to living more in tune with sun-time.
On another thread, there were several links about nutrition and cancer... I'll go get that in a few.
I used diet (less red meat, more veggies and whole grains) and mineral and Vitamin E supplements for my husband's Crohns. Now he wants more conventional treatment, so he's getting Remicaide treatments. I helped him hold off as long as possible, but his doctor was insistent, his pain was persistent, and I was tired of fighting against the world. :-/
But I was/am proud that he was in remission for 20+ years, all the while the kids were little...
I've not seen Life Without Bread. There is a bit of celiac disease in my husband's family, but he's never had a problem with yeast. Tell me more about it, if you will, please. I'm always wanting to learn more. :-)
Hubby will probably continue on conventional treatments, at least until the medical insurance runs out. Remicaide is expensive, and once you start, it for your lifetime, so they say...
This is from Austin's Prayer Thread here:]http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1741378/posts?page=534#534
Thanks for the great links, Lifelong_Republican! :-)
Toxins in the food and water supplies can make otherwise healthy people suffer serious illnesses. In addition to the heartfelt best wishes and prayers for recovery, it is very helpful to switch the patient to a diet featuring pure water (distilled) in large quantities (64+ ounces per day) and extra-nutritious and cleansing foods. The pectin in apples and grapes, for but one example, is known to be capable of removing heavy metal type contaminants from the system. Pomegranate/Black Currant juice is also filled with anti-oxidants. Other foods should be avoided as they seem to promote cancerous developments. Conventional agricultural methods are producing fruits and vegetables which lack much of the nutritional value of those found a generation ago, too.
"It has been estimated that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone. Obesity, nutrient sparse foods such as concentrated sugars and refined flour products that contribute to impaired glucose metabolism (which leads to diabetes), low fiber intake, consumption of red meat, and imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats all contribute to excess cancer risk. Intake of flax seed, especially its lignan fraction, and abundant portions of fruits and vegetables will lower cancer risk. Allium and cruciferous vegetables are especially beneficial, with broccoli sprouts being the densest source of sulforophane. Protective elements in a cancer prevention diet include selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as the carotenoids (á-carotene, â-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin). Ascorbic acid has limited benefits orally, but could be very beneficial intravenously. Supplementary use of oral digestive enzymes and probiotics also has merit as anticancer dietary measures. When a diet is compiled according to the guidelines here it is likely that there would be at least a 60–70 percent decrease in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, and even a 40–50 percent decrease in lung cancer, along with similar reductions in cancers at other sites. Such a diet would be conducive to preventing cancer and would favor recovery from cancer as well."
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/3/1/19
See also:
http://web.cancernutritioninfo.com/main.cfm?id=1
http://www.cancernutrition.com/
http://www.nutritionandcancer.org/view/nutritionandcancer/s99p1074.htm
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/MBC_6_1_nutrition_for_children_with_cancer.asp
(A beloved family member of mine was diagnosed with cancer and given 6 months to live, but, at least in part due to taking dietary measures as outlined above, 6 years later there was no sign of the cancer left ...)
534 posted on 01/06/2007 6:34:34 AM EST by lifelong_republican (Valid Elections: The Idea of America)
I've used homeopathic remedies for myself and my kids since they were babies.
I also put lots of store in placebo effects, and plain old rest and positive thinking. :-)
All my kids were La Leche League babies, and the last 2 were homebirths. So much of that thinking has just been integrated into our lives, and we've all been mostly healthy, so I've lost track of many specifics. LOL
"Okay, here is the plan. We pay every doctor $50,000.00 per hear. Then, at the end of the year, we sue them all for malpractice and get our money back, and use it to fund next year's payroll."
Yes, it will.... too many people don't realize they don't have to be sick and they don't have to live on drugs.
Just doing something as simple as juicing many people would not only be able to throw away their drugs, but even get by with fewer supplements to their diets.
The only reason some diseases are deemed incurable by the medical profession is because these professionals refuse to get out of the body's way and let it work naturally to restore itself to health.
Doctors and Vets receive so little nutritional training, and learn so little about removing the "cause" of disease, that they become bent on "curing" the body.
They do this by providing symptomatic relief (AKA blood pressure pills for hypertension, statins for hypercholesterolemia, etc.) and in so doing, they not only hinder all or most healing activity of the body, they produce a more stressful condition for the body and lower the immune system. This, in turn, leads to a more serious diseased condition and more drugs prescribed. You would not believe the number of prescriptions most elderly are taking, how they keep track is a miracle... and when they have more than one doctor it gets downright dangerous.
What allopathic medical professionals cannot seem to grasp is the body isn't designed to be diseased. The only thing the body knows is survival. Disease is the body's effort at surviving in the face of so many assaults we foist on it through our environment, poor diet and drugs.
When it gets overloaded, it starts to tell us we have over abused it and in turn it produces disease as a warning.
The body is very capable of reversing the disease process and returning to a healthy state; once the cause of the disease state is removed. Disease is an excellent example of "for every action there is an opposite reaction." In this case abuse leads to disease.
The body only holds on to disease to survive in the face of the assault placed on our bodies. When we remove those assaults and all nature to take over the body slowly starts to reverse disease.
Unfortunately, in this day and age of instant gratification, people don't want to take two years to heal naturally (as I did), we want to be well today, so we take a drug and the drug appears to "heal" our bodies (as long as we continue to take the drugs).... What we are really doing is suppressing the disease, it is still with us.
This is where homeopathy is really the best. A good classical homeopath can find the right remedy that will dig deep in your body and actually help the body naturally reverse the disease... Homeopathy reverses disease while drugs suppress disease. Remember some disease can be viral or bacterial in origin and some disease is emotional, but only when our immune system is weak does the first two take hold of us. Homeopathy deals with a weak vital force which is a function of disease without having to resort to drugs.
A body in diseased state is in a 'survival' state and the longer the body has had to be in a survival mode the longer it will take to return to health.
If a person is willing to make the changes necessary to return to optimum health and they have not waited so long it is impossible to reverse the damage (in time) we can return to health. It's the body's ability to utilization the proper nutrients for healing, not the nutrients' action on the body.
If health has reached a critical state the best way to get a lot of health-giving nutrients into the body is by juicing, lots of good, organic, fruits and vegetables, to help the body release toxins in the shortest time possible. The body won't rebuild itself overnight. We spend years tearing our bodies down and filling with toxins.
Even with natural healing, the danger is as soon as the person starts to feel better they drift back into the bad habits that led to poor health in the first place... or the other side of the coin, they don't feel well immediately and give up reaching for drugs for relief instead of sticking it out for the long term.
Many times people actually feel much worse before they start to feel better. This is usually due to something called :The Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction," something most doctors are taught in school and yet many never recognize in practice. Basically it's when the patient actually appears to actually be getting worse before they suddenly get better.
Again, this is where homeopathy is so good, because most homeopaths recognize this factor is more than likely going to occur when they are prescribing for someone who is acutely ill and allow the body to go through a healing and do it's work.
Basically, our bodies are amazing....I'll stop here, you don't want to get me started on my other pet topic, vaccinations.
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