My interest in alternative medicine was sparked by curiosity and… inconvenience.
Not long time ago, antibiotics were seen as the panacea for so many ailments that it became a routine procedure for doctors to prescribe them. It was so different when I was a kid: antibiotics were the last resort in case of major illnesses, and for a good reason. It is a well-known fact that an individual eventually develops antibiotic resistance, so using them too often and in non-life threatening situations can lead to terrible setbacks when they are really needed.
The inconvenience part came into play when, once upon a time, I lived about 30 miles(~48 km) away from my doctor’s office. Driving around when you are sick was the last thing on my mind…
Frankly, there was another aspect to my eagerness to learn more about alternative choices. No offense to medical professionals, but in the past XX years (just put any amount of years here and, sadly, it’s still would be correct) I met just one doctor who impressed me with his knowledge, bedside manners and approach. He was the former military doctor who treated AT’s complications of appendicitis. The rest acted as if they wanted to pacify instead of treat me while promoting whatever big pharmaceutical company “drug of the day” was: here is your prescription; if you are not feeling better in a week come again for another one. Duh! I was not a guinea pig, and I knew for sure that there were alternatives. Being a research junkie, I loved the challenge. I discovered some long forgotten herbs and treatments, tried (and sometimes failed) some old remedies and come to appreciate ancient wisdom and common sense.
My grandmother was a doctor during WWII. Facing an endless shortage of medical supplies and drugs, she had to be creative while treating her patients. One of her favorite stories was about how when she completely ran out of any drugs she crashed a chalk and pretended that it was medicine to avoid telling sick people that there was nothing that could help them. They believed that it was medicine and some of them got better.
I believe in alternative medicine and want to share some of my research. It comes very handy while traveling: honey is a honey anywhere in the world, and mustard is easier to procure than go to a local doctor, pantomime your explanation of common cold and hoping against hope that you were understood correctly.
IMPORTANT NOTE: all herbal information is for educational purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider for all medical problems prior to starting any new treatment.