Latest and Greatest Cures

So, why shouldn’t we just look at the latest cool trend in health and natural cures and accept them as fact because they are all the rage? Or why not just blindly accept all those “new” prescription pills from different doctors until you can’t fit them in all the medicine cabinet anymore? What’s the harm right? “Everyone else” is doing it, so it must be OK…..right? Well, it might be a good idea to pay attention to what history teaches.

“Cures” Gone Wild

Here are a few “cures” and “miracles” over the years that should remind you to stay alert. It’s just a tad important to think before you leap towards putting anything on or in your body. Clearly some (but not all) of these “cures” were distinctly un-natural and non-organic, but were considered reasonable by prevailing societal acceptance and knowledge of the day.

Dung Therapy

In ancient Egypt, dung (that would be poo-poo…) from crocodiles was used as a contraceptive, chicken dung was prescribed for baldness in 17th-century England, and in India, cow dung has been used in cosmetics as well as proposed to be the cure for things as minor as acne and as major as cancer. Since dung contains a lot of bacteria, clearly it can cause disease rather than cure it. But at the time, who knew? Seemed like a nice natural solution to many problems, and easy to apply too.

A Camel A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Cigarettes in today’s packages seem quite fabricated and not a “natural” product. On the other hand, tobacco IS a natural product after all, and it was not long ago that it was prescribed as a treatment. Now there are hundreds of thousands of chemical products and by-products in tobacco, and some of them COULD be considered to have therapeutic value….such as nicotine. What, you don’t think that mild euphoria mixed with an alert feeling is a good prescription for some folks who need a pick-me-up? After all, freshly rolled organic cigarettes are technically more “natural” than say a Diet Coke. Tobacco was actually considered for bigger and better things in the 16th and 17th centuries, like treatment for asthma, bad breath and…..get this….cancer.

Blood Letting and Leeches

A little over a century ago, blood letting and leeches were considered a cure for just about everything. Now there’s a “detox” solution!!……OUT with that bad blood. The problem was, especially with the crude lancet instruments of the day, the procedure sometimes resembled a pig slaughter and made already anemic and sick patients even weaker. Well, truth be told, there are a few circumstances even today that controlled blood letting is still used, such as rare blood diseases and in reducing swelling after some complex plastic reconstructive procedures. But these are indeed unusual.

Natural Metal Therapy

For centuries, the naturally occurring metal Mercury was used for everything from syphilis to a stomach digestive aid. It has been suggested that Abraham Lincoln’s famed fits of rage could have been due to his taking Mercury. In the case of Mercury, there is a special warning. We often think that we can just try something and if it doesn’t work, no harm done. Well, Mercury is toxic to your nerves and accumulates in your body over time. What this means is that it can lead to central and peripheral nerve conditions from insanity to paralysis…..or even death.

Want To Be A Brain Surgeon?

Speaking of the nervous system, how about all of those nifty ways we used to treat disorders of the brain. Not too long ago we used to cut out pieces of the brain (lobotomy) and zap huge voltages through the body (electro convulsive therapy) to set things straight. Way back in the day…..we’re going back thousands of years now….we used to bore holes in the skull to let the evil spirits out (trepanning). The healers of the day were using this to treat things like epilepsy. Lest you think these are silly comparisons to what might be out there today, step back and take a closer objective look. Some electrical and “cooking” various parts of the body therapies are still out there….. Actually, in Africa, trepanning is still practiced in some tribal cultures…..

High Energy Water Therapy

Here’s a more recent bad idea: Radium water. We discovered radioactivity in 1896, and it became all the rage as a “cure-all”. The high energy water was purported to treat everything from bunions to high blood pressure and diabetes. Think about it. Although we now have new nifty ways to “create” radioactivity, it is a natural phenomenon. Are you absolutely certain that the benign sounding “treatment” you are considering isn’t going to make your teeth fall out? (Yes, I know, the conspiracy zealots will be all over this because cancer chemo can certainly make you sicker than hell…..The point is that for chemo the risks AND the benefits have been clearly spelled out by scientific proof. You may not like the degree of benefit or risk, but it is spelled out. You decide if you want to take it on, not get blind sided when your tooth falls into the Rice Krispies in the morning.)

How about some more recent wonderful solutions? For feminine hygiene, how about those handy Lysol vaginal douches!! Don’t believe me? Get a load of this…..

Once A Day Burns The Vagina Away

The point is, whether totally synthetic or as natural as can be, anything and everything can be fraught with side effects, some of which can be serious. Are you really sure that the herbs you just bought or the alternative procedure you have signed up for are really going to help you more than harm you? Perhaps. But before you go forward, learn how and why you should consider due diligence to figure out what works…. what doesn’t…..and what can literally harm you.

In this regard, the FDA and FTC are charged with protecting you. Is this straight-forward and easy? No. There are a zillion drugs and natural supplements and foodstuffs out there. So, while trying to “protect” by requiring a LOT of safety and efficacy proof from vendors, manufacturers and pharma houses, there is no question that some legitimate synthetic treatments or natural substances can be slapped and/or barred, temporarily or permanently. But think about it in perspective. With this system, at least no one is suggesting we treat asthma with tobacco or prescribing Lysol for vaginal douches. If, for example, tobacco growers could prove that tobacco could in fact treat asthma through clinical trials, such a statement would no longer be barred. Otherwise, absent someone asking for proof on your behalf, you are left to fend for yourself.

So Who’s Watching Out?

So, should you just sit back and let someone else control what you have access to? Well, yes and no. Certainly an FDA or FTC ban on something should raise a red flag for you. Perhaps you know that the particular substance has been used “effectively” in other countries and you feel it might be a little overbearing to have it banned in the US. Well, investigate further. If it is that critical to you, no one is stopping you from going elsewhere to get treatment….. On the other hand, maybe it is not as “effective” as advertised and maybe even harmful. Do your research and due diligence. In that regard, we are here to help, one product and idea at a time.

One final thought. Work with trusted mainstream and/or alternative health care providers that have proven qualifications. Most of you out there wouldn’t work on your car would you? Why do that to your body? Work with someone who is knowledgeable, but don’t abdicate your own responsibility to do some research, ask questions and get some answers.