I agree that there is a need - and room! - for both, and nobody in their right mind would try to assert that the pharma business doesn't need some correction. But it's interesting that you started the thread with a website called, "Natural Cures <underscore> not medicine" and an article that doesn't appear to jibe with what you wrote that's quoted here. The first post doesn't really invite civilized discussion that will allow all viewpoints so I'm glad that you've fleshed out the topic.
I started the thread with an article that caught my attention, that I had seen posted somewhere else. It is not the website I frequent, I have never been to it. I posted the link, and then simply put in quotes the very first paragraph of the article, not unlike what others do on this forum.
As far as the post inviting civilized discussion, any discussion can be civilized if civilized people come to it and talk civilly. I have no agenda here, I just found the article interesting, I do believe there is some truth to it.
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I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, I only know what I know, and what I know is based on experience. Here are two scenarios:
My son, when he was two, was having issues. He'd eat something seemingly random, choke on it, stop breathing, then his entire stomach contents would come up. It happened often enough that we realized there was something going on. Took him to the doc, found out he had a host of food allergies/sensitivities. The doctors also decided he probably had eosinophilic esophagitis. We did a complete elimination diet. The whole family stuck to it, and his issues "went away." At the follow up visit, the doctors were pushing to do a scope, to "put him under" scope his throat, take tissue samples, they were certain that the diagnosis was correct, but the test would determine for sure. When I asked what then? They said, "he would be given medication." When I said how long? They said, "the rest of his life." I said no. No to the test, and no to medication. As I explained to the doc, if he was having failure to thrive we would do it. But we are managing quite well with the elimination diet, and he is thriving. Fast forward almost 6 years and we have been able to introduce several of the foods back in, with no issues.
Now, same doc, different kid. Daughter has asthma. We were at the doc appt recently, and he did the usual breathing tests. "You have larger lungs than I do, and I'm 6'3!" The doc said, (daughter is starting her 6th year of year round swimming). Great! high five! But, not so fast. He did another test, one we had not done before, because even with her large lungs, she was having intermittent flare ups. The next test I don't fully understand, but don't need to. The stats were enough for me. The scale is 0-300. They would like your number to be 20 or below. Daughter's was over 200. Meaning, she had restricted airways. She didn't realize it, maybe because she had such big lungs, or maybe because she had been breathing that way so long she didn't know any better.
Now, I'd LOVE to be able to say, "we will treat this at home." Especially because the side effects of the med, it makes her dizzy.. but I'm a realist. She NEEDS help with her asthma. We can't "control it with diet", or any homeopathic remedy that I am aware of. The meds HELP her. The dizziness is a side effect that is trumped by the need to
breathe. My son can live his entire life without ever eating a nut and be just fine. The body doesn't do so well without oxygen.
I have atleast a dozen other scenarios, relating to my husband's medical condition and medication, but I think you get the point. This is where I come from.