Posted by bulldog2 on May 17, 2009, at 10:05:34
In reply to Re: Neurotransmitters Can Be Tested., posted by Phillipa on May 16, 2009, at 23:36:22
> You know I was always passionate about alternative medicine. Wasn't til nursing school as I was well and graduated Magna Cum Laude And Was Running My own Aerobic Dance Business, Running With Jim Fixx When He Was In Town He lived l0 years longer than his brother or father as heart disease ran in his family. Ran with the guys at the Y five miles at lunch time. Three kids. Took my Shaklee Vitamins before they changed and went on to be manufactured in other countries . I believed in this form of health and was so healthy and happy. When started working the drug companies got me off track. Now I see the meds being pulled off the marker like vioxx and celebrex, statins seem dangerous as cholesterol creates hormones it's like a song. They all work together. Yes there definitely are those that meds work well for. But to me the most natural is the best. I feel like my eyes again were opened today again and want to get back on track with continuing my excercise, good nutritional habits darn the chocolate truffles!!! and follow-up with this testing. After all what do I have to lose some money? I will gladly do that to regain my health or try at least try to regain it. I continue to support all who take meds and of course am still on mine but hopefully someday will not need them. Well the soapbox is over. But in a way I feel liberated. Love Jan
I will give my experiences with alternative health. At the age of 20 I began eating well and studying alternative health. I began using supplements and lifting weights, hiking, jogging and cycling. I enjoyed the exercise and always felt better after I was finished. I was also in good physical health. The bad news is that my panic attacks, anxiety and bouts of depression persisted.
I used the services of accupuncturists, herblists and naturpaths. I spents thousands of dollars. My anxiety, panic attacks and bouts of depression still persisted.Several years ago I went to a doctor who specialized in hormone replacment. Got all my hormones balanced but my anxiety, panic attacks and bouts of depression persisted.
I belong to forums where people practice alternative medicine and use hormones and still suffer from mental illness and have to use drugs.
To me eating well and exercising is common sense and many who practice good health practices still fall prey to mental illness.
At this point I feel that many who practice alternative medicine practice voodoo medicine. They make outrageous claims and prey on depesparate people and drain their money.
Yes mainstream medicine sucks but at least my insurance pays for most of it. They rarely cure diseases but use meds to controll symtoms. But if thats the best out there I will use that.
I will no longer use alternative doctors as 30 years of trying them has not helped me. They tend to make outrageous claims with no studies to back up their claims.
What many fail to see is that much of behavior is genetically coded and inherited from parents and really cannot be substantially changed. You can eat purely and jog from here to the moon and your personality will not be substantially changed. Yes diet and exercise if that makes you feel better and you enjoy it but don't expect miracles.
I often look at the behavior of dogs who are similar to us in many ways. Much of their behavior is genetic and some can be modified by the environment. Some are born fearful and skittish, some even keeled, and some aggressive and dominant. There are ocd dogs and they are often treated with successfully with clomiprmaine. These dogs may eat well and be in great shape but that does not change their behavior. Now sometimes we can modify their behvaior with experiences. You can make a fearful anxious dog less anxious thru behavior modification where you desensitive to things that he is afraid of. But he will always remain somewhat shy and fearful. Maybe with experiences less so.
Now you might say people are not dogs but I see so much genetic behavior in people and there are many similarities between the animal world and us.
It is to simplistic to think you can cure mental illness with diet and exercise. It may help you cope better with stressors but don't expect this is a silver bullet or you will end up disappointed.
By the way I am neither pro med or anti med as I also have been disappointed by mainstream medicine. Right now I don't believe there is a silver bullet out there. I use a patchwork of many things and do the best I can.
poster:bulldog2
thread:896107
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090515/msgs/896221.html