Choosing a Doctor When Your Sick

Trying to decide between choosing a Doc or something natural is a tough decision.  Both choices require a little thought before your choose – because your well being is involved.

Humans have been relying on natural medicine for thousands of years to stay or become healthy. Today’s “modern” medicine has about a 100 year history – specializing in infection and injury.

The History of Herbal Medicine and  Traditional Medicine

 Herbal medicine is the oldest system of medicine, dating back to 5,000 years.   It uses the therapeutic effects of plants and plant extracts to treat the underlying cause of disease.

  The pharmaceutical industry evolved from herbal medicine in the early 20th century when regulators, around the world, sought to standardize and supervise “patented medicine”.   In the United States, for example, Federal Drug Administration was found in 1906 because of this unscrupulous behavior of the “snake oil peddlers” of the time. 

  The legitimate herbal remedies of the time were brought under government regulation and the overstated “snake oil” products were not.  Even today, the Pharmaceutical Industry continues to investigate the affects of ultra-refined herbs and synthetic versions of herbs for use in many of their patented and commercially produced prescriptive and over-the counter medications.

  As you might expect,  the “snake-oil peddlers” gave the legitimate Herbalists a black-eye in the industrialize countries; consequently, natural remedies gave way to modern pharmaceutical prescriptive and over-the-counter options.

 Herbal Medicine and dietary supplements remained the preferred forms of treatment in many cultures around the globe –  due to it’s long history of use;  it’s reputation for effectiveness, affordability, safety, expense and the scarcity of pharmaceutical options.

  These two camps, Herbal Medicine and Medical Doctors with their pharmaceuticals, are equally passionate about their beliefs – each one, vying for your attention with slick advertising campaigns for the “best way” to deal with your particular health challenge.  

What To Do When You’re Sick

Many of you are, or will be, faced with the dilemma of what to do when you’re not healthy or sick.  But, before I offer my 2 cents, it’s best if we establish some definitions.

Sick care is a reaction to a symptom or condition.

→  Sick care requires you to delegate your treatment, and care, to someone else.

There are 2 categories of sick care:
•  Intervention, recovery and recuperation, which usually involves an injury or infection that can be resolved with surgery, medication or both.  It should have a beginning and an end!
•  Management, which is a symptom or condition that requires ongoing medication to “control” it.  Management means an endless number of appointments for tests, evaluation and, likely, more prescriptions – the sick care merry go round.

Health care is taking proactive steps to avoid or minimize a symptom or disease

→  Health care requires you to take responsibility for your own well-being.

There are 2 dynamics for health care:
•  Action – to make sure the needs of your body are being met.
•  Avoiding or minimizing – risky lifestyle choices that could put your health in jeopardy.

The point of all this is:

1. You’re in charge of deciding what to do, if you’re face with a health challenge.
2. And, it’s a simple decision matrix:  Is it a sick care issue?;  Is it a health care issue?;  Or is it both?
3. If you’re having trouble deciding, the NUPRO Health Blog includes a paper:  Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide to help you examine the process of deciding between Herbal Medicine and Doctors with pharmaceuticals by helping you take the “sound bites” that we’ve grown up with out of the equation.

What if You Could Avoid or Minimize Your Chances of Getting Sick?

Here’s a thought:  It’s Easier to Stay Healthy Using Common Sense and Supplements

Of course, it requires that you become proactive with your choices,  instead of waiting until your need someone to fix you with treatment and medicine.  It’s called:  Self-care.

NOTE:  Self Care is a term, that Dr. Robert O. Young, PhD, lecturer, teacher and author of The pH Miracle and many other books uses to describe your role in Health Care.

Why Not Get Involved With Staying Healthy – Before It’s Too Late?