Sunday, May 3, 2009

Almost Comatose, Texas Man Dismissed From Hospital With 3 Weeks To Live --- One Week Later, Functioning On His Own Due To Naturopathy

AND He Lived Longer Than Expected Due To Naturopathy.

Allopathic and Naturopathic Health Care Systems Must Equally Co-exist!

(Definitions below)

Early on in my career, I was contacted to make a house call, by the California son of an elderly man living in Burkburnett, Texas. His father was diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer and had been recently dismissed from the hospital. His family was told by his physician that allopathy (conventional medicine) had done all it could do for him, that he had about three weeks to live and to take him home.

Upon arrival, I was escorted to a bedroom where I observed this man almost comatose as he laid on his bed. When asked questions or spoken to, he did not response verbally or with movement to even acknowledge that he had heard you -- his eyes were fixed in a stare towards the ceiling, he wasn't able to move without assistance, he could not sit up or go to the bathroom on his own, and it was difficult to feed him.

His son understood the benefits of naturopathy and “clinical” nutrition, which is why I was contacted to provide nutritional support for his father in his last days. After my examination, I recommended an intensive protocol utilizing specific vitamins, herbs and juicing. Within three days, his father was sitting up and conversing with his family. Within a week, he was able to move about the house on his own, including going to the bathroom and feeding himself, and was enjoying conversations and watching TV with his family again.

He did not die in three weeks, he died in six. However, because his family chose to integrate naturopathic care, the quality of his health/life in those last weeks was alert and functional, instead of vegetative, as was his state at the conclusion of using allopathic care alone.

Imagine the possible outcome and longevity of this man's life had he been reared in the knowledge of the preventive care of naturopathy and “clinical” nutrition, and if not then, what if he had been told of this at the time of his diagnosis, so that allopathy and naturopathy could have been mutually provided (co-existing) in this man's best interest.

DEFINITIONS

Naturopathy
is defined as a system of therapy based on preventative health care, utilizing botanical medicine (herbs), clinical nutrition, dietetics, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, heat, light, air, and massage.

Clinical Nutrition
therapy includes vitamin, mineral, herbal, homeopathic supplementation and food chemistry dietary plans. A clinical nutrition program of care is designed based upon the findings from a nutritional biochemical analysis of laboratory testing (blood, urine, saliva, hair, etc.).

Allopathy – because the general public has been educated on conventional medicine, a brief definition is sufficient here. Allopathy is simply defined as a system of medicine based on disease management, utilizing pharmaceutical drugs and surgery as the primary medical care.


ALLOPATHIC AND NATUROPATHIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS MUST EQUALLY CO-EXIST

The origin of our Western allopathic medicine is naturopathy.

Prior to the introduction of pharmaceutical drugs, medical treatment included heat, light, air, botanical (herbal) medicine, dietetics, and physical therapies (massage, stretching, etc.), in addition to reparative and emergency surgical procedures.

With the introduction of drugs, in the late 19th century, allopathic medicine chose to emphasize drugs and surgery as it primary system of health care and discontinue or minimize its naturopathic practices. Thus, changing it into a disease management care system vs. a health care system.

In fact, the origin of drugs was herbs, then later synthetic chemicals were mixed with herbs until pharmaceutical science evolved into making drugs using only synthetic chemicals, which allowed them to be patented. I remember in the early 80's talking to a local pharmacist, who remembers earlier in his career, filling prescriptions by crushing herbs and encapsulating them.

History shows us that since the origin of drugs, there have been two human healthcare paths travelled – allopathic and naturopathic. I chose the naturopathic path in 1974. The purpose of my “Ask Dr. Donna” blog on the subject of Flu Vaccination, or any allopathic treatment of nationwide concern, is to share my personal preferences and experiences, and my clinical observations as a naturopathic and clinical nutrition practitioner.

I am not writing or sharing this with you to convince anyone to do as I do. Those who have chosen the naturopathic path are already doing the same as I am, and those who have chosen the allopathic path, will do as they want to do. Each is responsible to do their own research and make their own decision. It is the wise one, who knows how to use both responsibility.

It is my privilege and destiny, as a naturopathic and clinical nutrition practitioner, to assist newcomers on the path of naturopathy, upon request. Therefore, my blog provides an open invitation to contact me for more information.

Additionally, my website, www.AdvancedClinicalNutrition.com has been designed for those in need of naturopathic and clinical nutrition care to improve their health, and to be coached on how to integrate naturopathy into their lifestyles to stay healthy, no matter from which path they come.

Those on the path of naturopathy recognize the place of medicine is in emergencies, such as accidental injuries, where bones need to be set, reparative surgery is required to save a life, etc., and to that end, allopathy has its place and is a blessing in its service to mankind.

Those, who elect to use drugs and surgery for any other purpose than to repair and recover from accidental injury or the results of violent acts (such as war, assault or abuse), have neglected to practice naturopathy. Therefore, they have been the cause of their own emergency need for allopathic care.

This also includes the communities who have failed to provide naturopathic education and resources to promote healthy lifestyles for the under-privileged and the low-income elderly, which limits their choices to allopathic care only.

One could add to this our present insurance system that does not provide coverage on the person, so they may choose their preferred medical or health care system or service, but provides coverage on the allopathic/medical service itself. Since it is the individual who pays for their insurance coverage, they should have the right to use their insurance to pay for any system of care or service (allopathic and/or naturopathic) they choose for the care of their mind and body, instead of being limited to use only the allopathic services covered by the insurance companies.

Since the origin of allopathy, those on the allopathic path, especially those in positions of authority and power, have been diligent in suppressing the knowledge of naturopathy to the point where we have generations who know of no other human health care system, but allopathic (drugs/surgery).

However, truth cannot be suppressed forever. Because of those who have always traveled the path of naturopathy, this knowledge has been preserved, shared and scientifically evolved. The 2007 Physician Desk’s Reference (PDR), an allopathic text of pharmaceutical drugs, reported that over 70 percent of Americans are choosing food supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc.). This is evidence of the “public” re-emergence of naturopathy, which has been rapidly emerging since the 1970's. This percentage indicates that Americans are recognizing that naturopathy is for the “daily care of the human mind and body” and allopathy is for accidental injury/emergency care. And for those Americans who do not, allopathy will be required for disease management, due to their lack of knowledge or neglect to integrate naturopathy into their lifestyle and, therefore, create their own diseases.

Regardless of the state in which we are currently in, physically or politically, the bottom line in any situation where one's life is being threatened, using the best of both systems is the best solution. Allopathic and Naturopathic Health Care Systems Must Equally Co-Exist with the same respect, authority, support and human right to choose either or both systems in the interest of what is best for the individual.

When those who are currently and solely on the allopathic path recognize this same truth, and begin to integrate naturopathic therapy into their daily lifestyle, only then will we attain the goal expressed by Winston Churchill (1947), when he said, “Healthy Citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.”

In closing, again, imagine this Texas man's life had he been reared from birth in the knowledge of the preventive care of naturopathy, and if not then, what if he had been told of this at the time of his liver/pancreas diagnosis, so that allopathy and naturopathy could have been mutually provided (co-existing) in this man's best interest. Fortunately, because he did receive naturopathic care in his last few weeks, he was able to exit from this world conscious, functioning, and with dignity.

Until allopathy and naturopathy equally co-exist, Americans will continue to create more illnesses and diseases for themselves, perpetuating our current worldwide statistic of an unhealthy country.

4 comments:

  1. Another great article. I agree that Allopathic and Naturopathic Health care system need to co-existed together. If it did co-exist together we wouldn't see soo many chronic illnesses and health problems. Another thought is that the health care system in America today is a billion dollar industry so is the pharmaceutical industry. People being healthier would crush their billion dollar industry, so of course they're not going to push for natural care with modern medicine. They would loose a ton of money because they wouldn't be able to sell you their over price meds because their patients would not need them.

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  2. Yvette, our unpacking due to our recent business relocation has really consumed my extra time to blog, twitter, etc. So this is my first time to read your comment and thus responde.

    Yvette, everything you said is SO TRUE - and so sad that it is true. What we have to watch now is that the AMA will try to take over the naturopathic, clinical nutrition and other natural healing methods if we do not watch and block the legislation that is attempting to do this each year.

    For example, ADA (Dietitians) every year try to put through a bill through in Texas to get a monopoly on nutrition advice where only a Registered Dietitian has the right to give out advice on diet and nutrition.

    (If interested, email me and I will send you a copy of my article on the difference between diet and nutrition - two words often used interchangeably but definitions are distinctly different).

    Anyway, connecting with IAACN.org is a great way to stay linked - check out their site, get their email and ask them to forward your email to the contact person to stay informed regarding the Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) Practice Act in Texas and the Health Freedom Act in Texas. We are trying to get two bills passed here in Texas to protect the rights of people to choose the health care professional and system they want (Health Freedom Act) and to prevent monopolies in nutrition (Certified Clinical Nutritionist Practice Act).

    As more people understand this truth we are talking about here, we will see more and more people seeking naturopathic / clinical nutrition health care. Because it works, it is safe, and it saves them time, money, and suffering.

    And at the point where the AMA and the pharmceutical companies feel the impact financially of this shift, they will really try to speed up their pace to take control of our services in the attempt change it where you have to be an MD to to provide any time of health care.

    That is why supporting the legislature that is underway here in Texas is so important. Once passed here, then we will go state to state till they are passed in each state.

    Unfortunately, right now there are several states that have already let the Dietitians slip their monopoly bill through. And they are paying the price.

    Great to hear from you Yvette.

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  3. Hi Donna,

    I will check out the site you recommended and forwrd it to others I know inthe same field as you and I. There is strength in numbers and if we can get more people informed about such things as this bill it may help.

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  4. Wonderful. I agree. When I the article on Diet and Nutrition - Defined, I will send the email address of the best person to be on her mailing list for updates.

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