Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Alternative Opinions

I laughed out loud when I read today's  #NHBPM prompt, to "Write about alternative treatments / regimens / medicine. What do you support? What is crazy?" Why laugh, because I have some very strong opinions that I'm not sure anyone really wants to hear (but I am going to try to share, gracefully, anyway).


My plan is to basically stick to two categories, the "good" and (what I personally consider to be) the "bad." I'll spare you "the ugly" details for today (though a few of you already know enough about my life that you may read into some of what I'm not ready to say here). Edited to finally add link.

I have not always gotten very good results with tradition medical care, what we might term, "western medicine," until recent years. I have often been quite happy to pursue alternative treatments, usually something under the "eastern medicine" umbrella, when such treatments were actually providing results that western practices were not.

A few years ago I was very blessed to find a primary care physician, trained in western medicine, but also open to and trained in many eastern methods as well. She is of a whole-body mindset, big on nutritional and herbal and homeopathic methods, but never afraid to write a prescription for antibiotics, when warranted, either! I feel I am now receiving the best possible care, a wonderful marriage of the best of all philosophies.

One area where she has been overseeing my health care is in the area of PCO or polycystic ovaries. I have take the diabetic drug, Metformin, with great results in the past, but the long-term concerns over taking this medication offer some real concerns. So, with my doctor's approval, I am now trying to gain similar results through more natural means, the medicinal use of cinnamon to address IR (insulin resistance is strongly linked to many cases of PCO). Because I am now on blood thinners (due to the stents placed after my strokes), I am on the kind without blood thinning concerns, Ceylon Cinnamon (something anyone on medicinal levels of this spice should be informed about)!

So, that's the very best alternative suggestion I can give you. And now for the worst,without offering further commentary, I will let the following video speak for themselves. I thing the key quote here (first video) is that I'm not against chiropractic therapy all together, but if you are going to pursue chiropractic adjustment, "never let them work on your neck!" This is why, while I used to be open to chiropractic care, I do not even consider it to be a viable option anymore.



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Today I am thankful for many different medical options, that when one thing doesn't work, I often can try another.

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First Published Book: Hannah's Hope : Seeking God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption Loss

Book-in-progress on drawing on the fruit of the Spirit in times of trial: Harvesting Hope from Heartache

Next book-in-progress: 6 strokes at age 39, Stroke of Grace

Future manuscript in the plans: Given Me a Thorn, the apostle Paul's story as applicable to living with chronic illness

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

D.O.s are more wholistic than M.d.s I have found as a whole they are more likely to be open to treating the body as a whole. I did learn when hubby was in med school that all doctors are not created equally. It really is an art. Just because you can be a doctor doesn't mean you should.

And I am with you on chiropractic care....