What Alternative/Complementary School(s) of Thought Have You Learned From?

[Morgan]

I'm interested in what herbal, alternative, homeopathic, and other schools of thought are out there. I know mostly about Dr. Christopher's and about essential oils, but I'm curious what other types of alternative/complementary health ideas people here use. I've heard of EFT, acupuncture, kinesiology, something about lymphatic systems that I don't know that name of, homeopathy, different schools of herbology.... what do you recommend I look at?

[cHeroKee]

Sorry Morgan I have no schooling in this subject but I hope people will post more on the Herbal subject. There seems to be a vast amount of information out there and hopefully this thread can sort out the schools of thought on Herbs.

[Julie]

What I know has come from the Master's course I've been taking from Dr. Christopher and from classes from local midwives. I also have been working on getting an iridology degree. I feel comfortable with Dr. Christopher as he was a member and some of the herbalists can go way out there like they're in another world.:out:

[signseeker]

What the heck's iridology? Yeah, some of the midwives, even, can get a little stah-range....

I like the Bragg book on fasting. It just seemed to jive with what I kinda' believe (no formal training here, either).

I dated a guy who's dad was compadres with Dr. Atkins. He was an osteopath. They ate SO MUCH meat, it was unbelievable. They also didn't touch sugar with a ten foot pole. Seemed to be pretty healthy.

You know, it's amazing what the human body can endure as far as diet goes. If you think of the people all over the world and what they are living on... sometimes it just blows my mind. This is a subject I can really get consumed (hee hee) in, and I have to remind myself that the purpose of food/medicine etc. is to keep us going so we can work out our salvation. Once it becomes a distraction to that, I know it's time for me to back off.

[Julie]

Signseeker,
Iridology is where you can look at the eyes and determine your health and where there are diseases in your body. If you have a blue ring around your iris, that is a good indication that you have circulatory issues. I had a friend just out of fun ask me to look at his eyes and when I saw that blue ring and told him what it meant he went immediately to the doctor and it was confirmed and received treatment for it. Black dots in certain areas can indicate problems with your kidneys etc... It is incredibly accurate.
As with the diet stuff. You do have to be careful with what you eat but it can easily become an obsession and actually I feel some have turned it into a religion. (Vegetarianism is one - just my opinion)

For diet, I recommend this book. Diane Hopkins used to be a vegetarian and was having all kinds of trouble with her and her family's teeth. She came across this book and it changed her life. She wrote a letter of apology for encouraging others to be vegetarians. There is an enzyme found it animal products that we need for healthy teeth.

http://www.ldfr.com/catalog/category/detail/70/13
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration

After many years of searching for the secret to health, I feel I have finally discovered some pure and simple truth. It isn't in veganism. It isn't in exercise or sleep or herbs (although they help). The secret is in the food that goes in our mouths every single day of our lives. Dr. Weston Price, author, was stunned at the increasing incidence of dental decay that he saw in his dental practice during the 1950's. What could possibly be creating such degeneration in America's formerly strong children? He discovered that dental decay, crooked teeth, obesity, infertility, low immunity and many other health problems are modern conditions. He lived at a unique time when there were still pockets of people in the world that were untouched by modern civilized foods, such as white bread, sugar and pasteurized milk. Tirelessly, he traveled to remote places in the world to examine native people's teeth and take samples of their diet. Dr. Price's astonishing results are detailed in 8,000 photographs (more than 150 are included in this book)! Those native people had incredibly straight and decay-free teeth, exuberant health, strong and fit physiques, high fertility, and absence of birth defects and mental illness. This book will make a difference for yourself, your children, your unborn and generations yet to come. You can have vibrant health and whole, decay-free straight teeth and immunity to illness! I highly recommend this comprehensive book for the serious student seeking health. Paperback, 524 pages.

[jennvan40]

I am a firm believer in homeopathy. I have been able to work with a number of different medical things through homeopathy. I don't know that I would use that for long term chronic health problems but its definitely worth it for little things like a cold or stomach problems or other acute things that pop up. I got a book call The complete guide to homeopathy and its really great. I would recommend reading up on what homeopathy is, how it works and what its useful for before trying to do it yourself. There are a lot of remedies that can work for many different types of illnesses. And what may work with one person may work differently with another. It's important to remember that when working with homeopathy. Just like some pharmaceuticals don't work well for some people, certain homeopathic treatments don't work as well for certain people but do on others. I've been able to fix bronchitis in 2 days on myself. It really works wonders and without all the side effects of over the counter & prescriptions meds. I love it. I'd be happy to answer any questions about homeopathy that people have.

[Julie]

When my son was younger he got really sick and the pediatrician wanted him put on ritalin. I don't know how that was going to help the psoriasis on his hands and his green snotty nose or his migraines. I felt impressed to take him to a doctor in Las Vegas by the name of Dr. Royal. He is expensive but good. He used to be Pres. Benson's doctor. He is a doctor and practices homeopathy too. He is also the best allergy doctor out there. Well the first thing he did was to find out what my son was reacting to. He had radiation poisoning (common in St. George) and was allergic to some foods. He used diet and homeopathy and within few weeks he was a new kid and has been very healthy since.

[signseeker]

Julie- I've read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration a couple times and found it very interesting also. It is in the Salt Lake County library system if anyone would like to read it for free...

I also found The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted very interesting. That is in the Salt Lake County system as well.

[prairiemom]

Another vote for homeopathy. We had a homeopathic MD when we lived in Milwaukee many many years ago. It was incredibly effective for us. Oldest ds had chronic ear infections beginning at 3 mos.--7 infections in 8 mos! But a homeopathic remedy put an end to that and we avoided tubes. It's the best remedy for croup. It also gave amazing healing/pain management after surgeries and childbirth. I broke my leg during a winter storm and it was 12 hrs before we could get to a hospital. Again, homeopathics really made a difference there.

Besides being inexpensive, the nice thing about homeopathics is that properly stored, they have an almost indefinite shelf life.

[signseeker]

Julie- how do you think your son got radiation poisoning? Did other members of your family get it also? Good for you for not putting him on ritalin and searching out other alternatives!

[signseeker]

I also recommend breastfeeding your babies if at all possible.

[john]

This is a nutshell of my life's studies of nutritional and altherative health methods.
Several years ago I discovered the research by Dr. Weston A. Price and we began applying the principles that Dr. Price discovered. I studied in depth his information and also others of that time. As we applied the things we were learning, we found our health improved considerably. Our food budget is much less now. And this information has enabled us to make our food storage more of a lifestyle. I give classes on Dr. Price's dietary protocol. D. V. D.'s have been made of some of the lectures that have been done over the several years I have lectured on his findings.
I am 72 + years old and my wife is nearing 70. We feel it is quite amazing to have the improvement in our health since we began applying these principles to our lifestyle. When most our ages seem to be deteriorating and losing their health rather than gaining it, we feel very fortunate to have found this information by Dr. Price.
As this is a principle based way of eating it is very easy to plug into the food storage program. Thus, making the food part of the preparedness very nutrionally effective now, as well as in times of stress.
Over the 47 years of our marriage we have made preparedness a focus and have learned many things about being adequately prepared in the many areas of preparedness.
We learned much also as we experienced several incidents over the years where natural disasters occured.
One of the most important issues that we learned is that spiritual preparedness is number one.
Most of our marriage, we have studied many methods of alternative health care and have found by far, Dr. Price's method the most effective and least expensive, though certainly not politically acceptable in some circles.
We have clear memories of the depression and World War 2 years and are very, very concerned over what we are seeing today. Friends from Europe who experienced those terrible war years are also alarmed at what they are seeing taking place in our culture and government right now.
This is my first post. Hope it helps.
John

[Julie]

John, I am anxious for you share with us more of your experiences. Could you give us an example of the changes you made and what you eat now?

Signseeker, radiation poisoning is actually quite common here. It is from the fall-out from the Nevada testing. It has a half life so it will be here for a while. With all the construction that was going on it was stirring it up in the air. I saw a map once of where the highest radiation levels were in this area and one of the highest was a hill by our house that my son used to hike. I think some have a natural immunity to it but my son seems to be sensitive to his environment so we are very careful not to use a lot of chemicals and such. He is just getting over mono and is very fortunate that his case seems to be mild. I put him on olive leaf extract and colodial silver and it seems to have knocked it out of his system.

[signseeker]

John- I'd love to hear more, too! (And I've just put Nutrition and Phys. Degeneration on hold at the library... again. I probably should just buy it at this point.)

Did Weston Price write other books, by the way?

Julie- Wow. That is kind of scary stuff... I mean, you think about where your son could be right now if he had been born into some other ("good LDS") family who do not look into any alternative things because they think it's sort of whacko...

[Julie]

Dr. Weston Price's recommendations: http://www.westonaprice.org/splash_2.htm

Dietary Guidelines

1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic seasalt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
20. Practice forgiveness.

Dietary Dangers

1. Don't eat commercially processed foods such as cookies, cakes, crackers, TV dinners, soft drinks, packaged sauce mixes, etc.
2. Avoid all refined sweeteners such as sugar, dextrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup.
3. Avoid white flour, white flour products and white rice.
4. Avoid all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils.
5. Avoid all vegetable oils made from soy, corn, safflower, canola or cottonseed.
6. Do not use polyunsaturated oils for cooking, sauteing or baking.
7. Avoid fried foods.
8. Do not practice veganism; animal products provide vital nutrients not found in plant foods.
9. Avoid products containing protein powders.
10. Avoid pasteurized milk; do not consume lowfat milk, skim milk, powdered milk or imitation milk products.
11. Avoid battery-produced eggs and factory-farmed meats.
12. Avoid highly processed luncheon meats and sausage containing MSG and other additives.
13. Avoid rancid and improperly prepared seeds, nuts and grains found in granolas, quick rise breads and extruded breakfast cereals, as they block mineral absorption and cause intestinal distress.
14. Avoid canned, sprayed, waxed, bioengineered or irradiated fruits and vegetables.
15. Avoid artificial food additives, especially MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and aspartame, which are neurotoxins. Most soups, sauce and broth mixes and commercial condiments contain MSG, even if not so labeled.
16. Avoid caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and soft drinks. Avoid chocolate.
17. Avoid aluminum-containing foods such as commercial salt, baking powder and antacids. Do not use aluminum cookware or aluminum-containing deodorants.
18. Do not drink fluoridated water.
19. Avoid synthetic vitamins and foods containing them.
20. Do not drink distilled liquors.
21. Do not use a microwave oven.

In bold is what the PC crowd is saying. The commentary after wards is what Dr. Price recommends. One comment on soy. It is a substitute female hormone and should not be taken by males. I read a study the other day that stated a lot of gay men consumed high amounts of soy. - Julie

PC DIETARY GUIDELINES

PC DIETARY DANGERS
Avoid saturated fats Saturated fats play many important roles in the body. They provide integrity to the cell membrane, enhance the body's use of essential fatty acids, enhance the immune system, protect the liver and contribute to strong bones. Saturated fats do not cause heart disease. In fact, saturated fats are the preferred food for the heart. Your body makes saturated fats out of carbohydrates.

Limit cholesterol Dietary cholesterol contributes to the strength of the intestinal wall and helps babies and children develop a healthy brain and nervous system. Foods that contain cholesterol also provide many other important nutrients. Only oxidized cholesterol, found in powdered milk and eggs, contributes to heart disease. Powdered milk is added to 1% and 2% milk.

Use more polyunsaturated oils Polyunsaturates in more than small amounts contribute to cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, learning disabilities, intestinal problems and premature aging. Large amounts of polyunsaturated fats are new to the human diet, due to the modern use of commercial liquid vegetable oils.

Avoid red meat Red meat is a rich source of nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system including vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, phosphorus, carnitine and Coenzyme Q10.

Cut back on eggs Eggs are nature's perfect food, providing excellent protein, the gamut of nutrients and important fatty acids that contribute to the health of the brain and nervous system. Americans had less heart disease when they ate more eggs. Egg substitutes cause rapid death in test animals.

Eat lean meat and drink lowfat milk Lean meat and lowfat milk lack fat soluble vitamins needed to assimilate protein and minerals in meat and milk. Consumption of low-fat foods can lead to depletion of vitamin A and D reserves.

Limit fat consumption to 30% of calories 30% calories as fat is too low for most people, leading to low blood sugar and fatigue. Traditional diets contained 40% to 80% of calories as healthy fats, mostly of animal origin.

Eat 6-11 servings of grains per day Most grain products are made from white flour, which is devoid of nutrients. Additives in white flour can cause vitamin deficiencies. Whole grain products can cause mineral deficiencies and intestinal problems unless properly prepared.

Restrict salt Salt is crucial to digestion and assimilation. Salt is also necessary for the development and functioning of the nervous system.

At least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day Fruits and vegetables receive an average of 10 applications of pesticides, from seed to storage. Consumers should seek out organic produce. Quality counts!

Eat more soy foods Modern soy foods block mineral absorption, inhibit protein digestion, depress thyroid function and contain potent carcinogens.

[Adam]

I tried homeopathy for acne when I was younger and I didn't notice any improvement so I gave up on it. I have since tried it again and have changed my mind. I think it didn't work before because my diet was the cause of the acne. I have since used it on a wart that I had on my hand for six months, after 6 days of a homeopathy cream it was gone. I also like herbal cleanses. I generally don't like to take supplements because I feel a well balanced diet should take care of nutrition but I will usually do herbal cleanses 2-4 times a year.

As far as diet, I have tried a raw vegan diet and felt great. I tried a vegetarian diet and felt great, I have tried a paleo diet and felt great. I think any diet works if planned well, although some diets should have supplements if you are on them (raw vegan, vegan). Right now I am using a program called precision nutrition. This program allows you to customize your diet continually based on your goals, the program has a book but the majority of the information is online and they have resources for just about anyone including vegans, bodybuilders, or whatever your going for they can weak the program. right now I am training gymnastics for strength, and Yoga for flexibility and I have found that diet is the most important component for increasing performance. The body won't adapt as well to stimulus without proper nutrition.

I think the Indian tradition has some great things for hygiene such as the neti pot which is a way to clean out the sinuses, after using it the first week I felt like before then, my sinuses had never been clear my entire life. I've been trying oil pulling with sesame oil for the past week and its a great mouthwash.