Why the condescension regarding natural health?

Trademark

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:42 pm

Another reason people are condescending and dislike posters who bring up natural medicine, is because they bring it up on every health thread in ways that can be very hurtful to OP.

Take for example the eczema thread today. A mother is struggling with a child that has severe eczema and the first reply is about vaccines...

InnerMe

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:43 pm

pause wrote:

See, this post right here is the problem. You think that a fever of 104 in a pregnant woman must be treated with Tylenol because that's how Western medicine has taught. However, there are many other successful ways of bringing down a fever. Should this woman see her doctor? I agree with you that she should. But she isn't being irresponsible and stupid if she prefers to avoid a Class B medication.

True.
I haven't looked into this myself and me? I'd take Tylenol. But it's this dismissal of anything that works outside of a certain line. And that attitude of "it can't be you know what you're doing. You don't have a medical degree"

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:47 pm

Natural medicine is fine. I am all for it. What I am not for is people telling me with absolutely certainty that my cousin has autism because of a vaccine or that I am harming myself and my children by using the vaccines. Or that meds for mental health numb you and make you unable to deal with your real problems. These people are never doctors. I have seen homeopathic doctors and holistic doctors and never been spoken to like that. It’s only friends with big opinions.

InnerMe

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:49 pm

rivka54 wrote:

I'm totally with you!! The people who speak like that drive me crazy too! I guess we need more nuance and respect all around.

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:52 pm

The problem is not what you choose to do in your own life, it’s those opinions bleeding into my life and making me feel attacked for how I choose to take care of myself and my family. Also, unless you have had the health problems we have had, how can one say what meds we should and shouldn’t take? One example is ADHD. My kid takes a stimulant everyday. People have big opinions on that. But they aren’t my 18 year old son who knows and articulates clearly how the medicine helps him. I think people without real disabilities or major health problems can dismiss modern medicine. Some of us don’t have that luxury and believe me we have tried.

Laiya

Tue, May 23 2023, 1:55 pm

rivka54 wrote:

Actually, many natural health advocates feel that traditional medicine has failed them. They got to where they are by searching for answers when traditional medicine couldn't help.

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:07 pm

Laiya wrote:

Actually, many natural health advocates feel that traditional medicine has failed them. They got to where they are by searching for answers when traditional medicine couldn't help.

Like I said, there is a place for it and I will use a natural remedy if it is known to work. Also exercise I believe is the best medicine if you are able to do it. I just don’t like being fed ideas that go against my own progress. I have fallen for it in the past and been to scared to take medicine that could have helped me, especially when pregnant. Now I am more confident in my decisions and try to weigh all the pros and cons. I was pretty anti-medicine during my first 2 pregnancies and I am pretty sure it was harmful to my mental health and the good of my marriage at that time.

InnerMe

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:11 pm

Laiya wrote:

Actually, many natural health advocates feel that traditional medicine has failed them. They got to where they are by searching for answers when traditional medicine couldn't help.

That's also true, but doesn't negate what Rivka54 is saying.
And just because someone found alternative medicine to work doesn't make traditional medicine all evil. It is so individual.

Laiya

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:20 pm

InnerMe wrote:

That's also true, but doesn't negate what Rivka54 is saying.
And just because someone found alternative medicine to work doesn't make traditional medicine all evil. It is so individual.

We can't assume that natural health proponents have no real disabilities or major health problems. That was the point where I disagree.

cholentfan1

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:25 pm

I think it's about the extreme views. Extremist ideas are never good. So believing in only western medicine and dismissing natural or alternative medicine can mean you are missing out on alternative methods that could help. But at the other end, a person who refuses to believe in western medicine may be denying themselves, and their family essential medicine and treatments that are needed.
We've come so far with medicine and what is available out there, why should a child, or adult, suffer for longer than they need to because you only believe in one type of medicine?
I think it's important to be able to understand the other side and be able to accept others may believe differently to you and will prioritize one type of medicine over the other. And not to force your views on others. Let others be. No one was ever won over by hitting them over the head with strong extremist views on either side of the fence. If you came more gently and said, I've had good experiences with this, or I've read this interesting article that talks about just this, you might have more interest.

ETA: Also just because it's natural, doesn't mean it's safe. There's plenty of 'natural supplements' out there that aren't that safe to take, or dosage needs to be carefully chosen. And because alternative medicine is often self administered, it is more dangerous in that respect. Whilst most western medicine is under a dr and being monitored.

honey36

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:29 pm

mazal555 wrote:

That's just not true. There are many, many studies on Chinese medicine techniques, on various herbs and more and many of these things are proven to work in rigorous studies. Some outperform western solutions (for example ashwaganda and rhodiola outperformed ozempic in studies)

Also western medicine tends to have one method. If you're allergic to that method or it didn't work for you, what then? You just give up and die?

I think that it just takes a while for things to move in the medical system. Meaning, yes these studies prove those natural remedies are better, but now this change has to filter down to every doctors office, hospital, medical school curriculum etc. throughout the country to implement this new research. Unfortunately, but understandably that can take a while. In the meantime, if a person is in need of this alternative treatment and they are aware of it, I don't think a traditional doctor would object to it if the research backs it.

BH Yom Yom

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:32 pm

cholentfan1 wrote:

Well-said.

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 2:54 pm

Laiya wrote:

We can't assume that natural health proponents have no real disabilities or major health problems. That was the point where I disagree.

I wasn’t saying that. I was saying that someone who believed in only natural medicine should not judge someone with a real illness who has chosen conventional medicine and found it to help or even life-saving.

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 3:05 pm

I also feel that a lot of people, myself included, will judge a medication or treatment as “bad” because it didn’t work for us or a loved one. I have found that medicines work very differently on different people and unfortunately there is a lot of trial and error in a lot of medicine, conventional as well. For example, someone takes an antidepressant once and it didn’t work or didn’t make them feel right, therefore all antidepressants become bad in their eyes. I have done this myself and it’s not helpful. Unfortunately, none of us like uncertainty.

yachnabobba

Tue, May 23 2023, 3:39 pm

If I see one more thread suggesting gut health as the root of everything I’m going to vomit. No doubt gut health is important. But to suggest it can cure everything from autism to Yrsenia petis is just ridiculous. Not speaking for everyone but for myself. That’s why I roll my eyes about natural folk.

realsilver

Tue, May 23 2023, 4:21 pm

yachnabobba wrote:

Do you have a reason to claim it's not true?

rivka54

Tue, May 23 2023, 4:35 pm

yachnabobba wrote:

Anything that is panacea for everything is suspect. Real cures are more clearly defined

Yes. Same thing with people who are against conventional meds but there is a marijuana strain that is good for every ailment. I just got a whole talk from a friend of mine about a gummy with a THC strain that gives her energy. And one that helps sleep. So like all weed all the time is healthier than all other things?

OBnursemom

Tue, May 23 2023, 5:43 pm

I happen to think complementary medicine is very good. But as a complement, not an only. There are naturopaths working with the oncologists at our cancer center, for example. I love that. I want to cry when I see people declining chemo for natural medicine, and they come back later riddled with disease.

I had a very specific, extreme example about an ICU patient to show why I don’t always love it, but this is not anon enabled.