Thursday, September 30, 2010

Using Doctors as the "alternative" in medicine


In the checkout line at the grocery store a few weeks ago, I met a man and his wife who were confidently placing their highly processed food items onto the conveyor belt. In the course of the wait, they commented on some of my unusual food items. I shared a "bit of truth" as I call it about the items. This elicited more conversation, which turned into an inviting discussion regarding natural medicine. He and his wife were so intrigued that they followed me to the parking lot, asking various questions and listening intently for my reply. This may be a common happening in the South, but in New York, I assure you that this type of adventure was a rarity. Within a matter of minutes, the man, along with the cashier, was convinced that a natural source was the better option for treating their ailing body - WHY? because it made GOOD LOGICAL SENSE. The man started thinking about what he had purchased and what was actually contained within the packages. He made the statement, "You know, I've learned more in a short conversation with you than I have from my doctor in all of my life." He then asked the question, "Why don't doctors use herbs as their method of healing?"

This question gave me the opportunity to share another "Bit of Truth" in regard to the Great Physician. You see, the key difference between herbs and traditional medicine is the means in which one places his confidence in healing the body. The medical field places their confidence in MAN and his knowledge and ability. Is some of this knowledge useful - YES! Is God limited to natural medicine? - No! I do not disagree that there is a place for the medical field, but I believe, in general, the medical field is doing much harm in their treatments because of where they place their confidence.

For those who see the value in natural medicine and herbs, the one who must be credited with aiding the healing of the body is GOD. Yes, many decide to credit "Mother Nature" and reject GOD, but in using the tools GOD created specifically to aid in healing the body, I believe one must deliberately REJECT God in the process. God designed our bodies. He created plants, food, herbs to provide nutrition and to aid in restoring the body. From the beginning of time, our world was able to survive without the use of traditional medicines, vaccinations, hospitals and medical equipment. They would like to allow people to think that we are "evolving" into a better world; that we are getting better, living longer..... When this is not true. There is more disease in this world than there ever was, and our lives are drastically shortened in comparison to the lifespan of those in Genesis.

Do we have technologies now that were not available then? Certainly, but does new technology prove that we are smarter or more advanced? It is more than likely the opposite is true. People in Genesis lived longer and didn't rely on advancing medical technology to sustain their life. I believe they applied much more wisdom in caring for their bodies than we do today. They ate nutritious whole foods and used the plants and herbs in amazing ways to heal their bodies. Their technology truly was far more advanced than ours is today. They didn't need an MRI to know that they had a compromise in their body somewhere. They were able to detect such problems much earlier by using touch and their ability to identify a compromise by vague symptoms that most people today ignore. They understood the way GOD designed the body, and they knew how to use the herbs He provided to heal the body. They didn't need a doctor. Basic herb knowledge can take someone very far in treating common illnesses. The doctors then used herbs as their primary source of healing, and they were very effective - otherwise WE wouldn't be here. The information was handed down from generation to generation, and doctors were often used in treating more advancing illness as they had more experience with a variety of treatments. Often doctors were there as an "extra body" to help the family in treating a serious condition.

God is in control of life. He is the "Deciding Factor" in who lives and who dies at any given time. I would much rather place my confidence in the God who is the Sustainer of Life than a group of doctors who believe we were once a bunch of monkeys.

Hey, take your pick. Many who read this may not have considered this perspective. I too was ignorant of the benefits of natural medicine. My advice is to not wait until you or your children or family members become so ill in health that doctors have no or limited ways to help you. Thousands of years before our time, people where treated naturally at home. Doctors were the "ALTERNATIVE" in medicine. If a doctor was needed, the condition was considered quite serious. Now doctors are the first source sought whenever there is even a mild illness. Our health care costs would decrease immensely if many parents would simply keep their children home and many adults would stay home during illness.

All our children are seen for check-up visits, But I ask you, is it "just" that we must pay an ADDITIONAL $1,200 this year in premiums and not gain any more benefit due largely to those who abuse their doctor when it is not necessary? If we are able to count on one hand the amount of "sick" visits we've had with three children in a period of almost six years, then, tell me others cannot do the same. We aren't any more special than anyone else. We also become sick. We have compromises in our own bodies; we are just able to handle 99% of what we encounter at home.

Pictured above is a GREAT resource for those who desire to read a good, down to earth, perspective on natural medicine. It is geared primarily in treating children, but it also gives a great overview on how herbs work and almost all of it can be applied to adults with the same, positive results.



5 comments:

  1. Great post, Jessica! Love how you relate medicine to the Great Healer. And what you say about doctor is 150& accurate. If people would just treat (with herbs, natural ways, and nutritious foods) their kids at home instead of running to do the doctor at the first sniffle our healthcare system would be so different.

    David and I go the doctor about once every 2 years and yet we can barely afford health insurance! But yet I see people in our office 2-3 times a week on state insurance. We couldn't afford the copays to go the doctor 2-3 times a week!

    Well, I won't get off on my hobbyhorse but just wanted to tell you I really enjoyed your post and can't wait to implement natural medicine and healing in our family when we have kids! :)

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  2. What do you know about oil of oregano, Jess? I've been doing some research on it (the Mediterranean kind), and it seems very versatile. Do you use it?

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  3. Leah, Oil of oregano is extremely versatile. It is a great to have on hand from cuts, to cleaning, to even a digestive aid and more. It too can be used as an antiseptic(natural antibiotic), anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-viral agent, etc... There is so so much you can use it for. I admit that I do not use it very often. I just favor the smell of lavender oil. I suppose I shouldn't always rely on smell, but I just love the smell of lavender. I also use lavender a good bit with other oils that I just don't think to use oregano oil because the others work just as well for me. Oregano oil can also be harsh on certain people. I tend to go with lavender with my kiddos due to that. Every family has different weaknesses; so depending on your weaknesses, oregano may or may not be your best choice in essential oil. I read a book on oregano called The Cure is In the Cupboard by Cass Ingram. It's a great resource to have if you like to use oregano. If you use oregano oil on your kiddos, it is best if you dilute it with olive oil, coconut oil, etc... A little will go a long way. If using in cleaning. It only takes a couple drops per medium sized bottle.

    Hope this helps.

    The Lord Bless!

    Jess

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  4. Most of the time, it is packaged with a certain percent olive oil , so would that be diluted enough? I just read an excellent article on it and was inspired! BUt is lavender just as good? Because the oil of oregano is super expensive!

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  5. The higher (pure)the quality of oil and the more concentrated the more expensive it is. Lavender is quite expensive too. I usually buy the NOW brand which is always effective for me. It's not always necessary to purchase the high high quality oils. It depends upon what your intended purpose for it is. I use them a good bit for cleaning and disinfecting.... from skin to hard surfaces..... I use it in bath water at times and to relax muscles or to clean a wound to prevent infection. So to me, it's not worth the extra money.

    Often people will make claims that one product supersedes another when it is all just another marketing tool to lure customers to buy their product and gain extra revenue in the process. This happens everywhere. Nature Sunshine is a good example. They claim their products are better, when they really aren't. I have found products of greater quality for much less money. Mediterranean Oregano better? I don't know personally as I have never tried it. So I cannot be the judge really, but it initially causes a bit of skepticism. Oregano is oregano and lavender is lavender. If they do work better, how much better? Is it worth the extra money? Can you gain similar results with a lesser quality? Probably so. I also wonder why it is diluted in olive oil. One can dilute it in their own olive oil according to their personal liking.

    I personally do not use essential oils heavily internally. They are powerful and can manipulate the hormones too much in children as well. So be careful if you are using them internally. I use them internally for very rare occasions, but that is because I find other herbs that are a bit milder to work just as effectively for what we need.

    If the source is reliable for the oregano and you think it's worth the money, then I find it's worth the extra money to have the ease of mind that it is a good product.

    Jess

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