UPDATE: Homeopathic Meds--BAD!!!

[Petergee]

I bet my MD who recommended some herbs and supplements didn’t think he was rejecting the use of human reason and scientific discovery.

Without turning this into a fullscale discussion of the pros and cons of the thousands of so-called “alternative” treatments which are sold so aggressively today, it is true that occasionally vitamin supplements, and very occasionally, herbs (where the active principle has not yet been isolated), can have a legitimate medical use. I was referring to the para-religious systems where these methods/products are hailed as superior to so-called “orthodox” medicine, contrary to all scientific evidence.

For thousands of years, prior to any FDA or chemical companies manufacturing drugs, herbs and plants were used for medicinal purposes.

Thank God, men have used the brains God gave them to achieve great advances in medicine in the past 200 years, and we don’t have to live in those bad old days where herbs were the best treatment you could get. So that for example we can now treat heart problems with the drug digoxin instead of using the herb digitalis (from which it is derived) which has killed many patients.

There is indeed scientific evidence to support their use.

There is certainly no scientific evidence to support the use of herbs and plants over modern proven medicines.

God gave us these things in order to help us.

as He gave us our reason to help us.

I feel the use of natural remedies is far more in compliance with God’s intentions for us than all the manufactured pharmaceutical poisons people put in their bodies, which usually only mask symptoms instead of seeking the root cause of the problem and helping our bodies to help themselves.

What you “feel” may give you warm fuzzies, but it’s got nothing to do with which medicines work and which don’t work. Do you “feel” it is more in compliance with God’s intentions to eat only the food which you can gather/kill yourself, and eat it raw? And go around naked? And travel only by walking? I think God wants us to use our brains to create technological advances like fire, clothing, transport and modern medicine.
Whether one treats symptoms or the root cause of a disease, is a totally separate choice from whether one uses effective modern medicines/treatments or 18th century “alternative” medicine. Both can be either symptomatic or root-cause treatment.

 

[Katie1723]

The only people telling you that herbs aren’t “good for you” are the drug companies. It cuts in on their profits.
~ Kathy ~

 

[spiritblows]

Unfortunately, once you start interfering with the creator’s intricate mechanisms for protecting the body from harm, then it often requires other interventions to correct those ones. Take for intance the explosion of autoimmune disorders and allergies in our society today. In the opinion of many intellectually honest people these are resulting from the overuse of antibiotics, the use of antibiotics too early in life, and the indiscriminant use of vaccines. These things tamper with and confuse the immune system, which then turns on either an external allergen or on something in one’s own body.

Did you all know that a large percentage of neonates are now routinely exposed to IV antibiotics while their mothers are in labor? This is a new protocol within the last 10 years. This is as a phrophlaxisis for mothers who are positive for a certain bacteria, I think it’s strep b, not sure. A large percentage of mothers have these antibioties, but an extremely small percentage of babies would ever be affected, and those could be detected by careful observation, but our system would rather expose them to antibiotics. Even standard research has linked antibiotic use in the first 6 months of life with the development of allergies and autoimmune disorders.

 

[spiritblows]

Here’s more information on this that I found. Many hospitals are routinely exposing neonates to antibiotics right before delivery because of this. The long term health ramifications will be difficult to measure because they will be down the road and hard to directly link with the exposure. For more complete info, click the link. I’ve only given exerpts. My point is that by interfering pharacutically indiscriminantly we are weakening people and leaving them open to more problems down the road which will end up needing more interventions. It’s better to work with nature cooperatively, guarding the normal immune system as much as possible and cooperating with it.

moondragon.org/mdbsguidelines/strepb.html

**

Group B strep is not so virulent. It is normal vaginal flora in pregnancy (20%) of all women have it. It only causes a problem in 1 of 400 babies exposed to it. There are to my knowledge no studies associating it with miscarriage. Why is everybody so bent out of shape about this organism? The real problem is what is there about that 1 baby in 400 that is so abnormal that allows this benign bug to harm him/her.

The increased administration of antenatal ampicillin to pregnant women may be responsible for the increased incidence of early-onset neonatal sepsis with non-group B streptococcal organisms that are resistant to ampicillin. (The March 1, 1999 Ob.Gyn.News) Reports a presentation at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine which found ampicillin resistance in 45% of septic neonates who had been exposed to antibiotics in the prepartum or intrapartum period. Their retrospective study included 8593 births at 6 hospitals between 7-97 and 2-98, and looked at the 96 neonates who were clinically ill with a positive blood or cerebrospinal fluid culture. 70% of these had been exposed to either prepartum or intrapartum antibiotic tx. Sepsis was 19.3 times more common in preterm babies (57 vs 3.1/1000). Ampicillin resistance was found in 50.1% of preterm babies, vs 20.6% of term babies. Intrapartum exposure was more likely to result in resistance than prepartum exposure (56.7 vs 16.7%) Most common organisms for early onset sepsis were GBS and e coli; for late onset, staph, e coli and candida. There were 11 early onset GBS cases (1.4/1000), which the presenter commented was about the same incidence as is usually reported. (So does that mean that even though 70% had antibiotics, the rate of GBS was no different than if nobody got them, or does it mean that the 1.4/100 is what is expected when antibiotics are given?) They did find less GBS in those who had intrapartum antibiotics vs those who had prepartum antibiotics (10% vs 32%). It still leaves me wondering if this experiment (lots of antibiotics to a wide range of moms in the name of prevention, vs tx) is really working out when you look at the big picture, or will this too fall by the wayside as more is known?**

 

[puzzleannie]

New Agers have appropriated and misused all kinds of neutral and good things, that is no reason to stop using them in the intended way for the intended purpose, and does not make these things inherently evil.

herbs and herbal remedies
natural and alternative medical therapies
incense
crystals, (even heaven help us crystal rosaries)
labyrinths
even bible verses, quoted for their own purposes.

Do we stop using something inherently good or neutral because someone else has used it to a bad end? that is like the superstition against cats because some witches supposedly used cats for their own evil purposes. makes no sense.

homeopathic medicine is a long accepted alterntive to allopathy (medicine which uses drugs that produce a contrary effect to the symptom being treated). You may disagree with it for scientific reasons, but don’t blame that on new-agers, who are quite capable of corrupting any good thing with their idiocies.

 

[mikew262]

Be careful about labeling New Agers as evil or bad. True, maybe much of what they do or believe is not in synch with the Catholic church or bible, but that doesn’t mean they are evil either. Misguided possibly, evil no.

I believe alot of New Age folks are disenchanted with the mainstream religions for one reason or another, and are searching for something else that provides meaning to them.

2000 years ago, many people might have labeled Christians as a “New Age” cult.

Mike

 

[jess7396]

puzzleannie:

New Agers have appropriated and misused all kinds of neutral and good things, that is no reason to stop using them in the intended way for the intended purpose, and does not make these things inherently evil.

herbs and herbal remedies
natural and alternative medical therapies
incense
crystals, (even heaven help us crystal rosaries)
labyrinths
even bible verses, quoted for their own purposes.

Do we stop using something inherently good or neutral because someone else has used it to a bad end? that is like the superstition against cats because some witches supposedly used cats for their own evil purposes. makes no sense.

homeopathic medicine is a long accepted alterntive to allopathy (medicine which uses drugs that produce a contrary effect to the symptom being treated). You may disagree with it for scientific reasons, but don’t blame that on new-agers, who are quite capable of corrupting any good thing with their idiocies.

Excellent points! And of course, we all know that mainstream Western medicine is not all good either. How many women here have been offered Birth Control Pills for all kinds of gynecological problems, and we all know the dangers of those. Mainstream Western Medicine made vaccines from aborted fetal tissue- www.cogforlife.org -we all know that is evil, right?

I am glad to see most posting here are able to see the good and the bad in the different medical approaches.

 

[Petergee]

Katie1723:

The only people telling you that herbs aren’t “good for you” are the drug companies. It cuts in on their profits.

                    ~ Kathy ~

If you believe that, and the other bizarre conspiracy theories posted on this thread, you’ll believe anything. Which I wouldn’t be too concerned about, except that as this is a Catholic site, readers may get the impression that “Catholics are gullible fools who are willing to believe ANYTHING they’re told by a spieler without logically analysing it”, and so in the readers’ minds, may cast doubt upon the truths of our Faith.

 

[Heart_Of_Mary]

stmaxfan:

I posted last week regarding homeopathic meds and whether they are OK by the Church. The e-mails I got all said that they should be fine. Well, They are NOT!!! By coincidence (Godincidence?) this weekend I met Moira Noonan, a Catholic who had spent almost 30 years in the occult before her deliverance and conversion. I asked her about homeopathy and she said STAY AWAY. The meds are formulated using divination.

Someone also posted that they used iridology (reading of the eyes). This, too, is an occult practice and should be avoided. Reiki, reflexology, Scientology, centering prayer, guided imagery,etc. she said are all occult. She said if you use any of these, confess it and in confession, say “I renounce the use of Reiki (or whatever you have used).”

She wrote a book called Ransomed From Darkness which I bought and will hopefully read soon, which lists all the occult activities that are harmful to souls. I hope this helps all of you.

God Bless

Uhm…I think you are wrong here…There ~may~ be ~some~ of what you speak of, but you simply cannot make a blanket statement about homeopathic meds - or anything for that matter. My family (among millions of others) relies upon homeopathic meds - especially in winter. Get this: you can make many of them yourself, at home with single ingredient plants that GOD CREATED FOR OUR USE!!!
Personally, I believe that there are more “regular meds” that we need to be scared of than homeopathic meds; antibiotics have been so over prescribed that there are now strains of antibiotic resistent infections that almost nothing can cure. The drug companies do not promote homeopathic meds because they will not proffit from their sale - plain and simple (THAT could be a whole separate thread). I truely believe that we were originally given all we needed by God to survive and thrive (healing plants included) but somewhere along the way man hasmessed things up (so to speak). Do not be deceived into ignoring true gifts from God.

KB

 

[Karin]

Petergee:

If you believe that, and the other bizarre conspiracy theories posted on this thread, you’ll believe anything. Which I wouldn’t be too concerned about, except that as this is a Catholic site, readers may get the impression that “Catholics are gullible fools who are willing to believe ANYTHING they’re told by a spieler without logically analysing it”, and so in the readers’ minds, may cast doubt upon the truths of our Faith.

IMHO I think you are the “gullible fool” for believing all Western Medicine is wonderful (do you read the inserts that come with your medicine…sooo many side effects for something that is supposed to help you).
I will stick with the herbs and other natural medicines that have kept my family healthy for generations and use Western Medicine with extreme caution!!

 

[Courtneyjo]

Petergee:

There is certainly no scientific evidence to support the use of herbs and plants over modern proven medicines. …I think God wants us to use our brains to create technological advances like fire, clothing, transport and modern medicine.

The first sentence is such a broad blanket statement that it would be impossilbe to prove.

The second sentence implies that God is pro-technology. Embryonic stem cell research is a technological advance. Some say it is the future of “modern medicine.” Hmmm…

 

[mschoir01]

I suggest that anyone with questions about their alternative health practices go to www.quackwatch.org and read up. It is a good source for information. As a person of science, I usually find the alternative health practices suspect at best. Homeopathy and Naturopathy in particular strike me as snake oil. At least the modern medical model is able to point to specific research to prove its efficacy. Not so with the hawkers of these remedies. They are not all safe, either. There is a homeopath on trial for manslaughter in Denver because of the advice he gave to a “client” who subsequently died.

 

[Heart_Of_Mary]

mschoir01:

I suggest that anyone with questions about their alternative health practices go to www.quackwatch.org and read up. It is a good source for information. As a person of science, I usually find the alternative health practices suspect at best. Homeopathy and Naturopathy in particular strike me as snake oil. At least the modern medical model is able to point to specific research to prove its efficacy. Not so with the hawkers of these remedies. They are not all safe, either. There is a homeopath on trial for manslaughter in Denver because of the advice he gave to a “client” who subsequently died.

True about the safety. However, look at the actual safety (and lack thereof) of so many meds. that are on the market today. The risks are unbelieveable, but we take them because they make us feel better. And, as far as the homeopath on trial, how many of the medical doctors have been on trial and/or sued for malpractice? And that number is only what we know as being reported. I think that each person must make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Neither method is perfect.

KB

 

[Didi]

You know, in all fairness I would have really questioned naturopathic and homeopathic treatments 6 years ago. But 5 years ago I became extremely ill to the point of losing weight very quickly, being unable to eat, having extreme fatigue, strange neurological symptoms and much more. The MDs were unable to find anything wrong, yet I was wasting away before their eyes. They kept telling me I was depressed or it was all in my head.

I went to a naturopath out of extreme desperation. Then about a year later was led (really, through the grace of God) to a naturopathic specialist who, (also with the grace of God) literally saved my life.

I have learned a lot over the past five years about this type of medicine, which is very old, and is practiced with much less criticism in other countries. The specialist I go to was trained in Germany and also practices molecular therapy (treating the body at the cellular level). I have read books on the science of homeopathy, and especially after experiencing it first hand, really see how it works. My undergrad degree was in Anatomy and Physiology, so I do understand much of how the body works.

I guess what I’m saying is, that you shouldn’t be so critical of something you have no first-hand experience with.

I also agree that we have made great strides in allopathic (MD) medicine. But, many MDs tend to throw away anything older than the last 25years, and that’s thousands of years of valuable information on treating the body!

That’s sort of like those who want to throw away 2000 years of Church teaching to “get with the times.”

Newer is not always better. Don’t judge someone else’s journey unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.

 

[Jennifer_J]

I would like to add that all the medicine we take ends up in our ground water! ibuprofin, acetaminifin, antibiotics, hormones from bc pills etc… in our water that no filter (at this point) can take out. They affect aquatic life at all levels and us, too.

I can’t say whether herbs and such do the same thing, but I would say it would be no different than eating food…since they are naturally occuring.

Just a thought…
Jennifer

 

[AmISearching]

Karin:

IMHO (do you read the inserts that come with your medicine…sooo many side effects for something that is supposed to help you

Though that is also partially due to the sue-happy culture we live in. You can list out just as long a list of side-effects for water or oxygen… Not that I’m saying a lot of medicines don’t have side effects (nor am I arguing with the point of your statement, which I agree with) - I just think that those inserts are only good at scaring some of us to death when we are given a medicine that really would help us…

Speaking of modern medicine - if they were really SO on top of things, don’t you think they’d make an OTC pain reliever that actually works?

 

[Petergee]

The blind religious zeal for so-called “alternative” medicines by several here has perfectly illustrated my point about false religion. Have faith in Christ, not in the false prophetrs of “alternative” therapies, and use your God-given brain to analyse all claims for health benefits.

 

[Karin]

Petergee:

The blind religious zeal for so-called “alternative” medicines by several here has perfectly illustrated my point about false religion. Have faith in Christ, not in the false prophetrs of “alternative” therapies, and use your God-given brain to analyse all claims for health benefits.

A false religion using natural remedies… .??? I was not aware that medicine was a religion!
Have faith in Christ…so is what you are saying is dont take any medicine Western or natural…let Christ cure you ?
I have used my GOD given brain and I have conclueded that I nor my family do not always require a “pill” made by Glaxo or some other company to help us…
this kind of thinking that a “pill” cures all is why we have so many things(diseases) that are resistant to modern medicine(pills etc.)!

 

[jess7396]

As the OP is so disturbed by people who believe in using natural remedies, I am disturbed by the OP’s implications that companies like Merpk should be trusted to have our best interests at heart.

Birth control pills are the best example I can think of where “technologically advanced Western Medicine” has seriously harmed so many, and the “experts” just refuse to believe/admit the harm these drugs can do. They are handed out like candy to cure basically any gynecological complaint a woman might have. You might think that they would try to find out what is wrong, but most OBGYNs are only capable of offering the pill for whatever ails a woman.

Now- FTR- I am not into homeopathy or any “alternative” medicines really, I use vitamins and occasionally herbs, but mostly use sleep and water for the every day stuff, and stay far away from the “cold medicines” and that kind of thing. I use most vaccines, except those derived from aborted fetal cells. I question it all equally.

I just don’t get this “Western Medicine” is from God mentality. I agree with using your God-given intellect to determine what methods to use for healing physical problems, but when you consider that the pharmaceutical companies are so powerful and often evil- given the drugs that they make (RU-486 anyone?) and the fact that there is no money to be made in researching more natural medicines, I think it is very hard to get straight answers to these things.

Anyone here who believes in the “abortion- breast cancer link” would know that the government agencies and pharmaceutical companies cannot be trusted to give us solid medical research that can be trusted.

Blind faith in Western medicine is no better than blind faith in natural methods. And of course, all Healing truly comes from God alone .

 

[mikew262]

mschoir01:

I suggest that anyone with questions about their alternative health practices go to www.quackwatch.org and read up. It is a good source for information. As a person of science, I usually find the alternative health practices suspect at best. Homeopathy and Naturopathy in particular strike me as snake oil. At least the modern medical model is able to point to specific research to prove its efficacy. Not so with the hawkers of these remedies. They are not all safe, either. There is a homeopath on trial for manslaughter in Denver because of the advice he gave to a “client” who subsequently died.

I have looked at “Quackwatch”, and while some of what it says may be valid, remember it’s run by a traditional medical doctor. I feel many (not all) in traditional medicine feel a little threatened by some alternative medicine practices because either they work or they don’t understand them (and won’t try). Since this “quackwatch” is run by a medical doctor, it may be a little slanted.

My wife used to an alternative medicine caregiver, and she certainly believes traditional medicine has it’s place, and she considered her specialities as complimentary to traditional medicine, not neccesarily a replacement.

Yes, I believe some alternative medicine practices are “hooey”, but many are not and do provide benefits, so keep an open mind.

Mike