Natural (holistic) health & wellness: Your thoughts?

[Kwesi]

Let me preface this by saying that I don't believe that all holistic health practices are a crock, nor do I believe that all modern medicine is absolute and perfect. I also realize that the person I'm about to talk about is not representative of all natural health professionals.

Since this gig about two years back at an African cafe (very "black power!") I've been friends with the event organizer on Facebook hoping that it would lead to more gigs. It didn't. Anyway, it turns out that he's a holistic doctor and often posts status about the dangers of certain modern medicines and how there are often natural counterparts that are much safer. I don't take issue with this because in some cases I'm sure he's right and I generally don't know enough about individual medicines to say otherwise. Today though, he posted something that I disagreed with and knew I little (emphasis on little, lol) something about. Here's what he wrote:

Originally Posted by holisticHealthDude

Myth: Vaccines are mandatory. Truth: Vaccines are not mandatory; you can opt out by following the required procedure for your state. Visit Vaccination Liberation Home Page for state exemption information and more.

Upon asking why one would choose to opt out of vaccinations he replied with the following. I could think of maybe 2 or 3 reasons myself but I wanted to see what he would say.

Originally Posted by holisticHealthDude

Well, for one, most people don't really know what's in these vaccines and whether or not they're actually effective. Check the ingredients list for vaccines and you'll see toxic metals (i.e. mercury, aluminum) and a strain of the microorganism you're supposed to be protected from. There's also technology available where they can inject microchips into people without them being aware of it. Secondly, vaccines are not really needed, especially if you are supporting your child in having a healthy immune system. Thirdly, vaccinations have been linked to numerous adverse effects including seizures, mental and nervous system degenerative disorders such as retardation, autism, multiple sclerosis, etc., especially in more sensitive individuals.

I responded not necessarily in opposition to everything but offering counter examples to many points he made but I would like to see what Talkbass has to say on the topic, particularly if any real doctors or health professionals are in the house.

[MJ5150]

I dig it. The nutritionist I am seeing is into it. So far, what she is telling me works. I've lost 40 pounds in three weeks, check out my website for more info.....just kidding about the weight loss part and website, but I do dig it.

-Mike

[Bloodhammer]

Did you ask him for references to that last claim? I don't pretend to know anything about medicine, but that sounds a bit paranoid.

I'd like to read whatever he did and weigh the information for myself.

[knumbskull]

Kwesi, i'm sure a lot of these ideas are solid but watch out for this stuff:

There's also technology available where they can inject microchips into people without them being aware of it.

...which sounds dangerously like conspiracy theorism.

[sandmangeck]

If it's anything serious, I would go to a real medical doctor. I wouldn't want some dirt worshiper rubbing me down w/ mint leaves when i've got stage 4 cancer.

[hover]

Holistic.

Unless of course, you want yer herbs and rootz supplied by Pete Townsend.

[fenderhutz]

The body is a VERY powerful natural defender.

However.

Man made medicines and morphed viruses and bacteria from mans medicines have caused things our bodies cannot naturally defend.

Hollistic for cancer, colds, etc? No.

Holistic for aches, health improvement. Absolutely.

[jmattbassplaya]

I fall somewhere in the middle. If something is really wrong with me then I'll go to a doctor, but overall I prefer to avoid modern medicine and drugs when at all possible. For example, when I was younger I use to have a lot of allergy problems and I was constantly taking drugs to fight them. This, of course, left me feeling like a zombie throughout a lot of childhood and it would leave me tired and worn out most days, even though I hadn't been active.

I eventually weened myself off of the drugs because it became apparent that nothing was really working for me. I was either miserable without the drugs or I was half the person I could be when I was on them. The first week I was coming off of them I was miserable as usual and my mom was trying to get me to start taking them again, but I said no. After that week, however, I was free of all allergy problems. My nose wasn't running, I wasn't stuffy, and I didn't feel like a zombie anymore.

I don't know if it's just my body or what, but it seemed like the drugs were what was causing the problems more than actual allergins. This is why I think that drugs are the issue - I never take them up at school and I never have any issues with allergies except on the weird off day. Likewise, I never have issues at home except on rare occasion. However, if my mom hears me sniffling she'll sometimes slip me a pill and if I'm not paying attention I'll take it out of habit from when I was a kid, and almost instantly I'm back to where I was. My allergies will come out in full force and not go away unless I ween myself off the drugs, and once I do that I'm fine again. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but it does seem odd that I see that pattern occur every time I start taking again - and it doesn't matter what brand I use. I think there's something to the whole, "The medical industry doesn't want to cure you, they just want to treat you" (or whatever that saying is).

[bass12]

Holistic. Sounds like holy, which seems apt in many cases given that holistic medicine seems to often be more about faith than anything else. Now where's my yoga mat and chai deluxe...?

[DwaynieAD]

read the waiver you sign for your child's shots sometimes, some of the stuff you're agreeing to may scare you, but i dont want my child getting polio either...

its really confusing to be honest

[Nobody]

My mother-in-law has breast cancer. I've known her for over 15 years now. She's had it since I've known here, a few years before I knew her I think. She had a double mastectomy and was going to go the normal treatment route but upon researching it she got scared by her findings and somehow ended up doing some holistic vitamin immunotherapy thing and she still has tumors but they aren't growing or spreading . When she goes to the doctor for check ups they tell her to keep doing what she's doing because it's working. As for me I would probably go the medical route but I can't deny her results.

I do know for sure that eating lead paint chips disables any microchips that have been secretly injected into you. That's the real reason lead paint was outlawed.

[hover]

Well, lead paint IS the best paint for metal. It's the heaviest anyway.

[Phil Smith]

Polio Index page Vaccination Liberation Information

Before the first Salk vaccine trials, polio incidence had already declined greatly. Decline was even greater by the time the Salk and Sabine vaccines came into widespread use. The intensive use in 1958 was followed by more than a doubling of incidence. At no time after the introduction of the two vaccines against polio was decline greater than before vaccine introduction.

There are charlatans with conventional medicine as there is with holistic medicine. Eating good food i.e. not fast food, getting adequate exercise and reducing your overall level of stress will go a long way to increasing your life expectancy.

[fdeck]

The danger with quacks is that they all have a strong propaganda message against the medical profession, which discourages people from seeking medical help when they need it.

Once upon a time, a neighbor went to an alternative practitioner for his diabetes. He ended up losing both of his legs.

[L-A]

While I agree with being moderate on modern medicine, I believe vaccines are a pretty great way to not catch deadly or life-changing diseases.

Especially better than catching them and hope you don't die.

[bassybill]

The guy quoted in the OP is nuts, plain and simple.

Alternative medicine is just charlatans' quackery. If it worked, it wouldn't need to be "alternative".

[pacojas]

Originally Posted by sandmangeck

If it's anything serious, I would go to a real medical doctor. I wouldn't want some dirt worshiper rubbing me down w/ mint leaves when i've got stage 4 cancer.

i heard you can get rid of cancer with shark fin.(it's claimed) sharks are the only creature on earth that is impervious to cancer cells!

REJOICE!!! (i had shark steak for super)

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by pacojas

i heard you can get rid of cancer with shark fin. sharks are the only creature on earth that is impervious to cancer cells!

REJOICE!!! (i had shark steak for super)

It's this kind of misinformation, along with a bad rep for being man-eaters that will drive them into extinction. The market for shark fins is what drives poachers into fishing sharks just for their fins and then tossing the rest of their bodies back. It's devastating. It's akin to elephants being hunted for their tusks.

[pacojas]

hey wait a minute detractor's!!!

what about the swine flu, sars, nile virus, bird flu, etc. what about our recent pandemic scares. none of us were vaccinated...

...NOBODY I KNOW DIED!!!

[pacojas]

@ jmatt,

same here,.. note for note!

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

It's this kind of misinformation, along with a bad rep for being man-eaters that will drive them into extinction. The market for shark fins is what drives poachers into fishing sharks just for their fins and then tossing the rest of their bodies back. It's devastating. It's akin to elephants being hunted for their tusks.

i know,.. it's terrible! and i was just kidding about supper.

i love sharks!!!