Sunday, February 22, 2009

Here is a comment from a reader on the last posting of "Man or Nature... which is smarter?"
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Michael said...
What has modern science and medicine given us in the last hundred years or so? How about twice as many years to live?I know, I know--stupid science.
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Hi Michael,

Excellent point!

Obviously I have not made my position properly. Let me expand a bit and see if this is clearer. I am a scientist. I have been one all my life and a thoughtful and reasoned thinker (I believe, but others may disagree). I realize that science is based on knowledge and knowledge is like a road made from bricks of fundamental ideas. Now we have progressed down this road guided by a fine science, but we have made certain suppositions along the way. Some fundamental ideas have been good and others bad. I look at the outcome of current disease, pesticides, surgical recommendations, veterinary medicine, and things as simple as milk or water as examples. I have attempted to expose these things for further review as examples of those things that strike me as nonsensical and possibly avoidable fundamental mistakes (outcomes). I expose them as dots to connect and follow back to where their genesis resides. Where in our past history do these ideas start and was there another fork in our road of scientific knowledge that could have been taken? It took me back to the 1800s and like most people (I think), I assumed that the people of that time were of lesser intelligence. It took almost no time at all to come to realize that they were not cavemen, but men with the exact same mental capacity of any of us today. Not a big revelation to some, but to me it was a humbling thought. And then I discovered the measured speech and warnings of homeopathy; the fork in the road (or one of many), at least from my interpretation. Well, we didn’t heed those warnings of suppressive medicine and working with nature. Here we are.

I don’t know what anyone else thinks, but I have seen the consequences and warnings that Hahnemann spoke of. I have verified in my mind that he was correct. But my opinion matters not one bit. I am here to say to anyone reading this- Find out for yourself. Look around you, your family, your friends, your children. Question others about their health or illness. Find someone over fifty that isn’t sick or taking a pharmaceutical to keep them going in one way or another and ask them how they live. Really! Live like they do. And if you can’t find them or very few of them, figure out why.

I am very glad you brought this subject up as it gives me a chance to show the side of the homeopaths. Homeopathy fought against the butchery of allopathic medicine throughout the 1800s and they were right. Homeopathy is strictly against suppressing symptoms and disease whenever possible. Homeopaths were the first to coin the term “vaccinosis” to describe the disease created by vaccines (mid to late 1800s). Homeopathy saved more lives by far in the flu epidemic of the early 1900s (1917) than allopathy did. That is not to mention epidemics of cholera and scarlet fever in the 1800s. And then homeopathy goes silent (1920s). The American Medical Association regulates them into non-existence.

Homeopathy believes that everyone no matter their lifespan should live free of illness.

Homeopathy believes that illness suppressed by drugs comes out in other places. Many times it comes through mental disease. And what have we been fighting for the last 50 years? And even with our children? Do people really want to take anti-psychotics and antidepressants their entire lives? I wager that everyone following this blog knows someone that is taking a drug for mental symptoms.

My point was to show some instances that are staring us in the face. Instances that defy common sense (granted, I can only speak for myself). I don’t think science is stupid and I don’t blame science, I blame us!!! I blame the thought that for each of these mistakes created by this current road of science, we believe there is not another parallel road that can be taken.

I just think that we are not critical of science and especially medicine. I think we are scared to ask questions and question the doctors. After all, if we tear down the doctors we have nothing left, right? Maybe, maybe not.

I am NOT saying to abandon your allopathic doctors and scientists. They have had stellar moments and not-so-stellar moments. I am saying that it doesn’t hurt to be critical of a system that sometimes makes no sense; giving forth some examples that should at least be questioned. I am also saying that the overall increase in lifespan MAY not justify the means.

There have been smart doctors and scientists in the past. It just seems that we didn’t listen very well to them and we don’t question the ones right here and right now very well either.


Now as far as lifespan. Let me give you a quick list of some individuals…

Hahnemann (1755-1843)- 88
Boenninghausen (1785-1864)- 79
Hering (1800-1880)- 80
Lippe (1812-1888)- 76
Kent (1849-1916)- 67
Boericke (1849-1929)- 80
Boger (1861-1935)- 74
Nash (1838-1917)- 79
Dunham (1828-1877)- 49
Dudgeon (1820-1904)- 84
Allen JH (1854-1925)- 71
Clarke (1853-1931)- 78
Dewey (1858-1938)- 80
Schmidt (1894-1987)- 93
Tyler (1857-1943)- 86
Bradford (1847-1918)- 71
Close (1860-1929)- 69
Roberts (1868-1950)- 82

All the above are homeopaths with their birth and death dates (almost all of them from the 1800s). I didn’t cherry pick the above, just some of my favorite homeopaths. Yes it is anecdotal evidence, but that is all I can muster at this time. We unfortunately didn’t keep good record of homeopathic practice in the 19th and early 20th century.

I too thought about the same subject of current life expectancy when I started to study homeopathy and was surprised to find the above. On top of this, most of these homeopaths worked until mere weeks before their death with all their faculties intact. Hahnemann is one good example.

Thanks Michael for your response. Hopefully I have made my position more clear and that everyone will take something from this and research what homeopathy has said.

Here is a link to verify the above biographical dates of homeopaths and a lot more to check…

http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_pro/homeopathy_1755_1799.html

(Also, please see the first comment from Country Whispers on this posting)

15 comments:

  1. Hello,
    I am a 35 Yr. old female that has just recently looked into homeopathy. I have to say I have many people that think I am nut when I tell them that I am going to a homeopath. Most people don't even know what that is. After 2 yrs. of constant pain,inflammation & tests results that showed nothing wrong my DR. said she believes I have fibromyalgia. So she gives me Cymbalta to take & says it is a life-long disease. I begin taking the Cymbalta and after 1 month I am not happy about some side effects that it is causing. I stop taking it and begin seeing a homeopath. After being off of the Cymbalta for 1 week and taking a 3 day remedy from the homeopath I was totally pain free with no stiffness. All sysmptoms were gone and I was NOT taking any prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. I feel that if I would have turned my head in the other direction then I would have tied myself down to filling my body with meds. every day for the rest of my life. I would rather take the natural path and be free of drugs of any kind. Don't get me wrong, I believe that there are times you need a Physician. I just feel that in today's world everyone has problems and doctors are too quick to prescribe drugs that may not be necessary as well as patients being too eager to just take them thinking all their problems will be taken care of. Some of these drugs mask the symptoms but never truly get to the root of the problem & you really need to find that problem. It could make a difference in your life if not now, then somewhere down the road. In my opinion,there is room for both a Physician and a Homeopath. Every person should search all possibilities instead of just going with a prescribed dose to make things better. If we rid ourselves of some of these chemicals & unnatural substances then our bodies may begin to heal & feel better.Sorry this is so long but I just had to share my thoughts.

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  2. Country Whispers,

    I couldn't have said it better myself!

    Unfortunately people generally lump homeopathy in with every other newage therapy. It stands alone as does allopathy and must be experienced first hand. Most think that because people that have been helped by homeopathy are not shouting from the rooftops that it must be fake. And those that criticize or pan it have to a man never experienced it through the help of a knowledgeable homeopath. This is key. Homeopathy must be proven individually and with the help of someone that understands correctly how it is done. It is so different than regular medicine that it is quite easy to apply it improperly and with no results whatsoever.

    Thank you so much for the post.

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  3. I would emphasize the hydraulic nature of disease process. If you combat symptoms rather than causes, which is the nature of the allopathic pharmacopiea, there is a pressure left behind with no outlet. Even warring against bacterial infection with antibiotics is only half the work or even less, because it is the nature of our bodies to carry the bugs harmlessly until our immune systems are compromised from within us. The allopathic approach is mechanical rather than holistic.

    The pressure demands an outlet. I watched this process happen in my wife from almost the beginning of our relationship til the end. I always felt the lurking presence of a knot of distress that floated around her body, or to be really correct, it floated around her life. It erupted occasionally here or there, including the trouble I gave her and also what happened in her career. Finally she came down with a gall bladder attack, and chose allopathic solutions. They removed it. She promptly got an ulcer. They operated for that, Bilroth 1 of course. It healed perfectly but almost completely closed. She couldn't eat. Bilroth 2, cut the vagus nerve. That started a mess. Terrible acid reflux with the contents of her large intestines going to her throat. Her suffering was acute and dangerous. Incredible amounts of drugs and frequent hospitalizations for simple nourishment. Collapsed lung one time inserting a new feeding central line. Infected central line sites. Finally pernicious anemia appeared too. Drug addiction. Then it sort of healed up for a little while. Right after that, major alcoholism and depression appeared. All these different issues in my opinion had one unreachable source. She tried Chinese herbs at one point and that started to really work, but she felt it was too expensive. What? She died of kidney failure not even reaching 55.

    My real point is made at the failure of the first ulcer surgery. The doctor was competent and the surgery a success. She healed perfectly, but her body refused the solution, and insured its failure by making the healed opening far too small. This is an operation with way over a 90% success rate. It should have been fine. But the "pressure" behind the ulcer symptom was not treated. It had something to say too, and it did not let up. Souls or life force wounds are causes that allopathy can't recognize. They do not exist in the materialist system. But they reside behind most disease processes if not all of them.

    There is no question that out toward the edges of the allopathic bell curve of success there are suffering people for which the allopathic approach is disaster. We all can ask whether or not we fit in the normal curve. How do you answer that? Every procedure will be an experiment. Non destructive testing may really be a wise choice unless things get really dicey. Homeopathy is certainly non destructive.

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  4. Please read Christopher’s post above. If you currently do not have your own similar experience to relate, sometime in the future revisit this post and you will more than likely agree with his take.

    Christopher, thank you for sharing this.

    Christopher’s comment may seem to be an account of illness that is uncommon, but that would be far from the truth. A person vigilant in following disease within themselves and others will testify that this happens time and again. Illness when first experienced will rise to the surface of the body in an attempt to be expelled; in an attempt to expose the disease to the individual by producing symptoms. In some instances it is brought to the skin and other instances it will not reach this far. Allopathic medicine as Christopher states in his comment is mechanical in its application and short-sighted in its view of what may constitute the entire disease; applying treatment to an annoying surface symptom or otherwise removing one offending symptom (homeopathy calls this SUPPRESSION). The Life Force (Vital Force-VF) in its attempt to “speak” through these symptoms is then thwarted; the Vital Force is cut off from its attempt to expel the disease or cut off from its attempt to vent the disease energy. This might seem preposterous to some, but can be easily verified by following any chronic case over many years. Christopher’s analogy of hydraulics is right on the mark. It is similar to a pressure cooker when the valve has been welded shut. I think of it like an “illness” balloon that is squeezed or suppressed on one end, only to inflate further on the other side and weaken the balloon… and over time to finally burst (leading inevitably to death). Hahnemann wrote about this series of events time and again (not the first to note this) describing to the reader how the allopathic doctors would (and still do) deny any relationship between successive illnesses and the ultimate progression of disease though suppression (even back in the late 1700s). Many people as observant as Christopher can attest to this process. You just have to look for these examples- ask your aged family members/friends, observe your own life and health. Find the point where a person starts to feel ill and then note each successive illness afterwards. The point of disease origin is often many years previous. This detailed observation of illness is not the simplest talent to develop, but with time you will be able to track seemingly unrelated illness through its ultimate progression to mental illness, dementia, cancer, and the like. Look back to the post on Law of Cure and note the opposite or what could be named the Law of Disease (opposite process of cure).

    Remember, the truth about suppression may be grim, but this is your opportunity to educate yourself as to alternatives to this treatment and how homeopathy can be beneficial. At a minimum, you will have gathered choices where none previously existed.

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  5. Interesting that in your list of long lifers you chose only men.

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  6. Hi Jennifer,

    Tyler (1857-1943)- 86

    That is Margaret Tyler. I can't seem to catch a break lately. :)

    Thanks for the comment.

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  7. Took some time to read your sites today after your kind comment on my blog (old car photos, remember?)I am 60 years young and have not seen a conventional doctor in 40 years. Btw, my photo was taken just a few weeks ago.

    When I was a child I was successfully treated by a homeopath for a growth after the surgical removal and treatment by allopathic medicine failed. I am in full agreement with what I have read on your site and if I should have need of medical care, I would go to a homeopath first. I try to live healthy, body mind and spirit and so far it has paid off.

    I took a short class with a Russian doctor, Savely Yurkovsky, in NYC for emergency homeopathic treatments which gave me much information about how homeopathy works. You might have heard of him, he developed a diagnostic method which makes it easier to diagnose for the underlying causes of many degenerative diseases (called FCT http://www.yurkovsky.com/ - check it out if you haven't heard of him)

    Anyway - I will be visiting and reading here in the future so I am glad you introduced yourself on my blog. Btw, there will be more old cars, I took a ton of photos and will be posting about this again soon! Be well and keep up the good work!

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  8. Hi Ursula,

    I have come across Yurkovsky in the past. Interesting diagnostic and therapuetic investigation.

    On the heels of this post and stirring up many negative hit-and-run comments from people unfamiliar with this subject, it is nice to have another experienced voice sound off. It does help others to know that there are alternatives that work and people that stand squarely behind them.

    Thank you very much for the comment.

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  9. Several years ago, I began to experience acid-reflux. I went to my family physican, who referred me to specialists, who did exams and told me they "thought" the problem was with my stomach valve and they could offer me two options, meds for the rest of my life (I'm only 29 now) or surgery, which they couldn't do until after I had kids (so I wouldn't mess up the surgery throwing up) and btw it only lasted for ten years. The throwing up part, left me wondering what would happen if I got food poisoning or a bad stomach virus, and I couldn't help but wonder what would happen after 10 years. Say I did it when I was 35, it would only last until I was 45, then what? More pills, more surgery? Meanwhile, my mom was struggling with fibromyalgia and severe depression. I was watching her take so many different medicines and find no relief. I thought there had to be a better way. I went to a homeopath, and we found a remedy that seemed to work, but then ended up causing bladder infection after bladder infection. We tried a few other remedies which did nothing, and then finally found the right one. I am so happy I stuck with it and found the right one. It has made such a difference in my quality of life. Oh, and my allergies also got less severe. How's that for a side effect?

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  10. My husband and I have on the path of alternative living for almost 30 years. With such, we also are self-insured. To us, it's not about the life expectancy, but rather the quality of life. And because we are self-insured, staying health is utmost/critically importance to us to be in tuned with, listen to and respect our bodies every minute of the day. Same goes with caring for our young children. Other than a minor cold/flu a couple of times a year, they have never had a need to visit a doctor. We do a baseline extensive test for each of us every two years--something any medical professional can use to compare with to diagnose any specific medical condition/challenge should such need warrant/arise. Amongst our relatives, friends, and acquaintances, we are the healthiest family who fully enjoy life. I agree mainstream medicine extend life expectancy but the accidents of the quality of life is obvious. Health insurance has skyrocketed to a point average family can't afford quality care. But, people's health is questionable. Majority of the people in our society does not want to be accountable for their own health and work at improving their condition. Instead, it's much easier to rely on the so-called medical physicians to give them the quick-patch--drug/surgery. Until people are willing to take responsibility for their own bodies, there is no place for homeopathic/naturapathic alternative pursuit. Just my humbly two cents based on my personal experience and perspective.

    THANK YOU for stopping by my blog and the birthday wish left for my daughter today. AND THANK YOU for sharing your wealth of insightful knowledge.

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  11. Thank you for the comment fellow Texan! Your site is awesome....very informative! As you know homeopathy is as mainstream as convential medicine.....in Mexico.....I am fortunate to have it available in my pueblo. Thank you for sharing and keep talking it up! It Works!

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  12. I am grateful you found my blog because I may not have found yours - thank you!

    Homeopathy works especially for those folks who, like me, have a very low if any physical tolerance for alopathic meds.

    After an auto accident which left me eight days in the hospital (and surgery) and feeling totally horrid from all the meds they pumped me full of, my Homeopathic doc could finally come to my rescue. Since I couldn't travel, she came to my house a couple days after I returned home and brought several remedies with her. By the fourth day of taking the remedies, I was pain-free and infection free, my blood pressure was back to normal, I was back to being lucid, and was no longer sleep deprived.

    She has helped me many times since then, even helped me survive the severe aftereffects of two more (necessary) surgeries. Without her and the Homeopathic remedies, I could very well not be here today to type this post.

    Thank you for this blog and your willingness to educate folks about Homeopathy.

    Cath

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  13. Live Simply Love Strongly,

    Your description of the dilemma you faced really brings home what many people are dealing with in illness. You took the dots and connected them out into the future. Not a pretty picture, but always encouraged no matter how daunting it may be. Luckily you had an example to compare with in your Mother's illness. Many people think and see that they are alone in their illness and have no such comparisons. Fortune definitely took the wheel in directing you to homeopathy in this instance.

    The initial remedy reaction with bladder infections may seem odd, but it is actually quite common. There are numerous reasons for this, but I will only speak of one important one.

    A remedy may not be the ONE remedy (Simillimum) for your illness, but a close second (called a simile). Remember that we are dealing with the Vital Force in curing illness. The VF will commonly throw out other symptoms when treated with a simile to give you the opportunity to further define the remedy needed. A good homeopath will look for this and then refine their analysis of the illness to pinpoint the closer remedy, realizing that the current remedy was the simile.

    You speak of being happy you stuck with it. This is critical and the main reason I always say to throw your medical knowledge out the window when studying homeopathy. It works differently. Patience and an open mind will take you further than anything else. This cannot be overstated.

    I am grateful for your post. It gives insight to others that are experiencing the same things.

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  14. Sarah,

    Great way to live. I think you are absolutely right in many ways. The only thing I would add is that when you do take responsibility for your health, it seems like climbing a mountain and many people feel incapable. Homeopathy is a series of hills that can be climbed with a little perserverance. Thanks for the comment.

    Nikki,

    We should all be so fortunate to have the choices of alternative medicine that you enjoy. It is all about the ability to make informed choices that are sometimes lacking on our side of the border. Thanks for the kind words.

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  15. Golden Unicorn Miniatures... Cath,

    Thanks for the comment. Yes, an under reported use of homeopathy is in treating the shock from accidents, surgery, etc. It can make a huge difference in how your body heals. Thanks again.

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