Very frightening website

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Dec 26, 2003

Yep, looks like a lot of bogus stuff there.

Be careful!

germain · Dec 26, 2003

I have alot of friends into this, who have actually tried to talk me out of nursing school becuase they think medicine is just not sensitive to their needs. But really, this is my take on it- none of these people I know who are really into "alternative" medicine have insurance, or access to a doctor or expensive meds, adn herbs adn suppliments are more accessable, as are how to guides for this kind of quackery. The practitioners of this snake oil are great at invoking fear of medicine and doctors, all while taking the persons complaints and molding them into a "disease" and a great "cure" Its yeast or allergies or whatever, something vague and that takes really strict measures to cure, diet, suppliments, leeches. NO physical complaint is too small. Of course if people don't have access to health care, they will turn to what they can find. I have a freind with cervical cancer who wont get it treated because of all of this quackery, its awful. I hate " alternative" medicine, but its a really old proffession, the smnake oil peddler.

:rolleyes:

sanakruz, ADN · Dec 26, 2003

Ditto, Germain.

justjenny · Dec 26, 2003

I forgot to mention in my first post - my aunt *truly* believes that cancer is spread through the body via air.

She says everyone she knows has died of cancer because it was operated on and as soon as the "cancer hits the air the person is as good as dead". I have spent so much time trying to explain what I have learned about metastatic cancer and cell "life" or cycle... she won't listen. It's crazy!!

kwagner_51 · Dec 26, 2003

Quote/ She says everyone she knows has died of cancer because it was operated on and as soon as the "cancer hits the air the person is as good as dead". Qutoe

The reason she believes this is...because in the old days when someone had surgery for cancer, within 2 months they were dead. As far as some are concerned...it was the fact that the body was opened and 'exposed to air' that the person died. It makes no difference that the cancer had already spread. As far as they are concerned.. it spead BECAUSE the body was opened up. I know this for a fact, because I heard it over and over. If the dr. had not done surgery, the person wouldn't have died. Period!

Now you know the "rest of the story".

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Dec 26, 2003

I think websites such as these are growing in popularity, because the medical system (as we know it) has failed a lot of people. All of our wonderful technology is still very limited in what it can offer. Some people don't have insurance or the money for expensive therapies, others are fighting incurable illnesses and are desperate for some type of hope. Also, it pays to keep in mind--SOME of the quackery and "alternative therapies" of yesterday, are "standards of care" today. In Germany, a lot of herbs are used as mainstream therapy. (They don't have the big drug companies over there "dazzling" the medical community with their newest expensive drugs :stone).

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Dec 26, 2003

I am a very big beliver in "alternative" medicine. And a lot of modern MDs/DOs are finding that alternative medicine DOES work and use it in their practices--just look at Dr Andrew Weil and the University of Ariizona Integrative Medicine department as one small example of modern medicine combined with alternative, here is their website:

http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/

and especially this link which explains what they believe/teach (they use *very* alternative approaches to diseases, etc and have found great success in this approach of modern and alternative medicines):

http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/about2.html

Of course there are quacks in everything, including our "modern" medicine. You can't just go by one website.

** I also belive that alternative and modern medicine can and should be combined because they both work very well together to help heal and prevent and cure. **

Marilyn

germain · Dec 26, 2003

yeah, i agree with the last poster, there are some good things to come out of alternative medicine, it isn't all bunk, but I get really burned on people who are either in one camp or the other. yeah, tehy work well togther, SCIENCE works. Its when profits come before logic that medicine breaks down, but both camps are guilty of that! The thing is there are no easy answers.

suzy253, RN · Dec 26, 2003

Totally agree w/ Germaine. Quackery, snake oils. Unproven, unscientific and take advantage of those who don't know any better. More harmful than good, i.e. ephedra. I just don't trust it at all....money making scheme and people really need to be educated about these alternatives and most of all it needs to be regulated by FDA.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Dec 27, 2003

Originally posted by suzy253
More harmful than good, i.e. ephedra.

Sorry but the alternative medicine folks have been talking about the dangers of ephedra for a LONG time.

Ephedra has no place in alternative medicine and never has.

Marilyn

suzy253, RN · Dec 27, 2003

Originally posted by marilynmom
Sorry but the alternative medicine folks have been talking about the dangers of ephedra for a LONG time.
Really???

Ephedra has no place in alternative medicine and never has.

Absolutely. That is why education and more importantly, regulation of this very dangerous supplement is needed as well as other dangerous unproven statements regarding unregulated herbal supplements .
Marilyn