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Common Questions About the Use of Herbs and Homeopathic Remedies in the Sheely Chiropractic Clinic

 

How are herbs used in a modern health-care facility? Herbalism should be viewed in a new light, one different from standard medicine. Herbalism embraces the principles of holistic medicine. This means it most holistic practitioners are not interested and simply replacing a drug with a handful of urban. The holistic approach takes the whole person into consideration... to all complaints, no matter how minor or unrelated they may be. Research is proved over Andover that emotions to effect or health. The best way to achieve deep and lasting healing, instead of just relieving your symptoms, is to treat the causes. The aimed at the proper use of herbs is not only to address the media problem but to strengthen the system to prevent further attacks. In reality, the proper use over herbs does not really treat a disease but they strengthened the bodies natural defense system in order to overcome many situations which may cause symptoms in an individual.
 

What sort of differences are there between herbal therapy and homeopathic remedies vs conventional medicine? Properly prescribed herbs and homeopathic remedies almost always work best with other complementary therapies such as acupuncture or acupressure, massage, and lifestyle changes, particularly with regard to nutrition exercise, and chiropractic care which provides expert manual therapy techniques. No use of herbs, homeopathic substances or Chiropractic care for that matter can make up for a poor diet or sedentary lifestyle. This approach means you have to take more responsibility for your own health, and may require you change her life in certain ways.

Herbs have been described as inherently health promoting, rather than disease-killing: "With herbal remedies, it is not so much a case of total blocking a reaction in your innocent, as, for example, with cortisone or chemotherapy. Herbal preparations serve very often to regulate and stimulate the organism to promote self healing tendencies." as stated by a herbal researcher Hildebert Wagner, Ph.D., of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology at the University of Munich. The actions of many herbs can be compared to a tap on the shoulder, whereas the effects of drugs may be compared to a kick in the pants.


How would you describe the use of homeopathy? Homeopathy is a scientific system of health-care that activates the body's own process to work gently and naturally. Homeopathy is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses small doses of substances from all realms of nature. It activates the body's nervous system to initiate the healing process in both the physical and mental/emotional levels. It is based on the scientific principal "let likes be treated by likes", in pharmacology, the law of similars. It's a natural alternative that provides healing in a safe, non-toxic environment. Homeopathic remedies are compatible with nutrition, foods and medicine, and are among the safest preparations known to medical science.

Why are people even interested in herbal therapy or homeopathic remedies with the availability of powerful new drugs? People looking for other ways to help bring and their bodies to optimum health without the sole use of drugs or surgery. The Environmental Protection Agency EPA says that a 125,000 Americans die each year because they take prescribed medicines incorrectly. Some studies indicate that as many as half of all pharmaceuticals are not been taken correctly.

One in Five Medication Doses in Error Answering 20% of the questions wrong on tests taken in school is generally considered better than average, earning a student a B or C letter grade. But when it comes to hospitals providing medication to patients, would you consider dosage mistakes made 20% of the time acceptable?

Thirty-six hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, nonaccredited hospitals, and "skilled nursing facilities" in Georgia and Colorado were observed for medication errors in a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Fifty day-shift doses per hospital unit, or all doses for a single medication pass, were examined by a research pharmacist, with any medication errors reaching patients recorded.

One in five doses were incorrect; 7% of all dosages (or nearly 40% of errors) were deemed potentially harmful to the patient. In order of likelihood, the most frequent errors were: drugs given at the wrong time; omission of the correct medication; incorrect dosages; or unauthorized drugs given.

Nobody's perfect, but is this rate of drug errors acceptable? The authors of this study estimate that at an average of 10 doses per patient per day, each patient would be administered approximately two incorrect medication errors each day.

Reference: Barker KN, Flynn EA, et al. Medication errors observed in 36 health care facilities. Archives of Internal Medicine 2002:162(16), pp. 1897-1903.

Getting sicker or even dying appears to be a high price to pay for not understanding instructions. However, there continues to be a huge group of the patient population that want their pain gone completely today in time to play golf with their friends on the weekend. Conventional medicine may never have to worry about losing business because of the "I want it done now syndrome". Incidentally, many family medical physicians are clearly aware that their patients are desiring care with herbal therapies. Many medical physicians know that the use of herbs complement traditional therapies which is where the term complementary comes from.

 

Why have you added the use of herbs or homeopathic remedies in your practice? Have been in practice since 1980 focusing on the use of natural therapies. I have advised patients on the use of vitamins, herbs and homeopathic substances since beginning practice, even when it was not popular. Recently, with all of the many different ways to purchase the products, I decided to make the best ones that I was aware of available in my clinic to my patients. All my past clinical experience and now all the recent scientific literature has shown that appropriately recommended vitamins and natural substances can help strengthen the body to allow the person to naturally overcome many situations which can cause symptoms. The use of vitamins in my practice have been used in a holistic and complementary way to my focus on making sure that the neural-muscular-skeletal- system is balanced with the use of Chiropractic care.

What training do you have as a herbalist or a homeopathic physician? I want to make it clear that I do not hold myself out as a homeopathic physician or a herbalist. I am a chiropractic physician. However, since 1980, I have made a study of all nature things that would help my patients. I have many patients that either can't take drugs or prefer not to and they want my suggestions on what they can do. Over the years I have learned a great deal about natural substances including vitamins, herbs and homeopathic remedies.

I have taken numerous post graduate studies on these natural therapies which include applied kinesiology, Chinese acupuncture which I use in my practice in the form of acupressure. I have taken several post graduate studies that relate to natural forms of healing which include the use of herbs and homeopathic remedies. I have recently found some new lines of products that are sufficiently scientifically researched and gives me the confidence in them that I need to offer them to my patients.

The past few years my patients have brought more questions to me on herbs and homeopathic remedies that an anytime in my practice since 1980. I feel that it is best to use my expertise to provide appropriate recommendations for these therapies as an alternative to obtaining the information from a salesperson at a retail store that may not have the best information for my patients.

Really, how popular is herbal therapy or homeopathic remedies? The truth is only about 15 percent of the world's population had access to Western style health-care services most people in the world still rely on herbal treatments. As public opinion begins to sway from complete faith in drugs, interest in herbs is increasing. In China, for example, traditional medicine that includes herbs is fully integrated into the nations health-care system and natural remedies are used in nearly half of the cases treated there. We are even seeing the topic used as major story themes on popular medical television programs. It is my belief that by the time you make to TV at that level, many people have already determined that it is worthwhile to implement into their heath lifestyle. I probably don't even need to mention that there are local hospitals that have seen the major trend towards natural therapies and have greatly promoted the benefits of utilizing their services. These are some of the same services that I have provided my patients for the past 19 years! I am glad to see that more people understand the benefits of the care that we provide our patients.

Does every patient that comes here leave with some sort of vitamin, herbal or homeopathic product? Absolutely not! Patients are treated on an individual basis based on they are specific needs. Many patients come to me because they understand that I am an expert in the use of natural therapies. I suppose it's similar to win people go to orthopedic surgeon they understand that he is in expert in surgery on joints. Most people understand the type of treatments that would be suggested by different types of practitioners. Many patients come to me because they know that I will give them a credible second opinion on their condition. If I think a patient needs to have a referral for a health provider that provides medicine or one that provide surgery I will not hesitate to tell them.

I have many medical physicians that refer to me because they understand what type of care that I will recommend to their patient. Using natural food substances to strengthen the body's natural immune systems is not the practice of medicine. Since I was 11 years old, after having been in a car accident with my family and seeing the benefits of chiropractic care, I had a burning desire to become a chiropractor- the best one I could be. My state chiropractic license allows me to use vitamins and natural substances to assist my patients with their health concerns.

I believe it's time for the public to understand that most Chiropractors are experts in holistic and natural therapies and in use them daily in their offices. This is not something new to them in anyway. The principles behind chiropractic care have to do with helping the body to heal itself. These principles are naturally compatible with the use of vitamin, herbal or homeopathic products.

In what types of diseases do patients come to you for that you might recommend vitamin, herbal, or homeopathic remedies? This may sound confusing, but I don't really treat diseases. I talk with my patients about how they can help raise their body's immune system so that their own body can fight against disease. Many of my recommendations to patients include preventive health-care suggestions. I talk to them about prevention of vascular problems for instance. I talk with them about natural ways and substances that will help them obtain and maintain an optimum weight. Many people are looking for natural ways to loss weight and to reduce their cholesterol and risk of a heart attack.

Many patients are interested in a natural approach to prevent health conditions or symptoms may have experienced in the past. Obviously, my chiropractic care treats patients with a variety of symptoms many in an acute state. Recommendations to patients for vitamin, herbal, or homeopathic remedies can help the patient buildup internal protection from environmental stresses. Many patients have asked my advice on dealing with stress, sleep disorders digestive disturbances, menstrual cycle symptoms, and several other symptom producing conditions that respond well to lifestyle changes which include exercise and nutritional changes in their life.

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