As I was growing up, I was a very curious child. I asked question after question, tangent after tangent. If my brother was fixing his bike or the plumber was fixing a sink, I stood by to watch, and I asked questions about any and every detail I could think of, nonstop: why, how, when, what, who... but mostly, how and why. I wasn't trying to be annoying. I wanted to know how things worked. I loved knowing! I wonder now if it was because I wanted to know, in case a problem arose later. Perhaps it was the young engineer in me, but I know now that I am a fan of finding root-cause solutions. To this day, I continue to ask questions, and I think I wouldn't be where I am if I didn't ask them.
My Journey Through the Medical Labyrinth
I grew up as any American kid going to the doctor, getting my vaccinations, taking medication if necessary. Our society was taught to believe that doctors knew better than we did, they were smarter, wealthier, more powerful, but most of all, they were inherently good. They had our best interests in mind, so why not believe them and do as they said? Thank God I was a healthy kid, so there were no major doctor visits for me, and I thank God this was before the times doctors began handing out Ritalin like it's candy.
As I got older, namely, when I began to attend the university, my medical records and appointments became mine, not my parents' problem. I got the vaccinations on my own, went to doctor appointments on my own, filled my own prescriptions, etc. It was a learning experience. I actually had doctors give me really bad medical advice. One attempted to remove a scar (actually a keloid) by "freezing" it off. Apparently, he didn't know it was a keloid (and neither did I), and that trying to "freeze" it off was absolutely the worst thing to do because it would only make it worse. I trusted him; he was the "derm" expert, but he made the scar larger, more irritated, and more prominent. Really people?!?! I know, disappointing. I began to learn that I could trust very few doctors to give me good advice.
It was also around this time that the "adult-onset acne" started becoming a problem. I had been perfectly fine growing up. I didn't even have acne in high school. Why all of a sudden did I have it, and why didn't it go away with any treatment the doctors prescribed? No doctor could tell me what the root cause was. To this day, no doctor knows, at least none that I've seen. Do they care to know? Honestly, I don't believe they do! I've asked many a dermatologist "What is the root cause? What am I doing to cause this?" A couple of them have looked at me like I'm crazy for asking the question. (I don't doubt you have all encountered similar problems, so you can probably relate.)
The answer is that they don't know the root cause. Why? Because they treat the symptom. Medical school doesn't teach them to fix the root cause, so unfortunately, we become guinea pigs. They throw whatever "medicine" they can our way to "see if it works." That's why they call it "Medical Practice." How sad. Then they use the excuse that "everyone is different, so some drugs may not work for some, while they work for others," and in my humble opinion, that is a load of crap. We're human, yes we're different, but we're not THAT different. I was treated with antibiotics and other ridiculous drugs with high dosages of vitamin-A (e.g., Retin-A), and even worse, Accutane, which is highly toxic, and guess what... it has the same results on everybody! It's so bad, you can't be pregnant while you're on it because your baby will be born deformed. Each and every pill had to be removed from the packaging separately. On the backing for each pill was the silhouette of a pregnant woman with a big "NO symbol" over it. In addition, every time I refilled the script, they also made me verify that I was on, not one, but two forms of contraceptives.
The Way Out
Obviously, I continue to doubt the medical system, especially with pharmaceutical companies and their agendas. That's why I seek to find natural approaches to remedy ailments. I've seen a few chiropractors on and off for at least 10 years now. Within the last several months, I began to see an acupuncturist and herbalist who studied Chinese/Eastern medicine. I must say this more natural approach is a very peaceful way to be treated, and "look ma, no horrible side effects!" What a concept!
What really boggles my mind is that we have known about ancient methods of healing (that have been around for thousands of years) and yet, as a society, we think we're so much more intelligent than these ancient people, all because we have modern technology. That kind of thinking never brings about progress because it is self-righteous, high-minded, and very condescending. I, too, as a child, thought my mom was retelling "old wives tales" when she'd tell me "don't go out with your hair wet, and don't walk barefoot on the cold ground or you'll 'catch a cold'," but these things aren't really that far-fetched after all. I believe our ancestors knew what they were talking about.
The high-brow, important, wealthy "medical/pharmaceutical" industry, on the other hand, creates "temporary fixes" to merely treat the symptom. The root problem never gets fixed, and over time, the use of those drugs harms our bodies and they eventually cause us to develop those ailments that have become today's mysterious diseases--ones that doctors/pharmaceutical companies say have no "cure." You know which one's I'm talking about: Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Cancer, and a myriad of other maladies.
If only we could look to the natural to find the cure. The cure is somewhere in the natural world, and in my humble opinion, from what I've read and seen, nutrition is where salvation begins. The food of today is poison to our bodies and it slowly kills us (not to mention any "pharmaceutical" drugs we may be taking). The 'medical/pharmaceutical' approach is a vicious cycle that is "raising money to cure _fill in the blank_," and that money goes right back to the pharmaceutical companies who use it to develop even more poisonous and toxic "medications" to kill us slowly. Our insurance plans become more expensive and who makes all the money? Insurance companies and Pharmaceutical companies. I'm tired of it, and I want to do something about it, even if only for me and the people around me whom I can reach through this blog. I want to be healthy, and I want the same for my friends and loved ones. I wouldn't even mind if I never had to see a medical doctor again.
My Goals
The purpose of this blog is to open your eyes to the natural approach for any and every ailment. Yes, every single one, no matter what it is. I am by no means an expert, but I am a seeker of truth, and I want to share with you what I have learned and what I will learn as I embark on this journey myself. I plan to start with nutrition because I think nutrition is the foundation for everything else. Eventually, I want to discuss natural ways to treat ailments and chronic problems. I will be doing my research, looking into various natural methods and approaches, especially those that have been practiced for thousands of years. I have many things to share, but all in its time, and one step at a time.
Having said that, all things in moderation. I am not perfect, and I don't expect myself to be. I am human. I know that we can only do so much with the resources we have. My blog is by no means an effort to catapult you into the stone ages to do everything you possibly can the natural way, so much that you drive yourself insane. No, I understand the difficulties of living in this world. My approach is to do my best with the knowledge, resources, and time I have.
The key point is becoming aware of the things that harm us. That's the first step, and how does that saying go, "knowing is half the battle?" If you are ignorant that Hot Cheetos are bad for you because they contain MSG (which not only makes them highly addictive, but also raises the insulin in your body), there is no battle; you will be tempted, and you will eat. But when you know why Hot Cheetos are so bad for you, you'll avoid them because you are now aware of what you are putting into your body, and you will probably refuse to eat them again. You'll be tempted, but you will likely say no.
So don't knock yourself if you begin to feel you're not doing enough. Knowledge is power. Just let it settle, and you will begin to make better choices. I know I did. Plus, our bodies are so resilient, it doesn't take long to bring your body back to a healthy state. Your blood levels change relatively quickly when you start feeding your body correctly. And don't worry about weight right now. When you start eating the right things, the weight normalizes itself, but the most important part is that your body is healthy, and you will know when you're healthy because you will feel healthy.
You getting ready?
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