Healthcare choices…do we really have them?

Heads up…this is a bit of a rant but there is a point (and some eye-opening information), I promise!…

I taught an essential oil class at a hospital today (as I have every few months for several years) and I was honestly shocked and sad to get a glimpse today into how hard the medical community sometimes works at making us feel afraid and powerless to take care of ourselves, to ask questions or to even discuss alternative medicine. Please recognize, I am not advocating abandoning our medical advances (we have achieved too much for that kind of stupidity to prevail) but to be completely dismissive of natural remedies and alternative medicine, in general, I feel is also grossly irresponsible and egotistical…there is place for a balance of both. To ignore either is to do our health a true disservice. While I value the advice of my trained western medical professionals (pediatrician, OBYGN, family doctor, etc.), I also seek counsel from my alternative medical professionals (chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist, homeopathic specialists, certified holistic care specialists, etc.). Our country seems so focused on SICK care that we seem to completely minimize the importance of WELLcare! “WELLCare” is exactly what most of these alternative medical professionals specialize in!

Throughout the presentation on essential oils (which I was INVITED to make), I was constantly interrupted by the nurse moderator with admonitions to ALWAYS consult a licensed doctor and/or the Board of Pediatrics before “touching” our families with ANYTHING and how we should be very nervous to put any faith in homeopathic , natural remedies…but aren’t essential oils fun to smell??…seriously?? I had nearly the whole group rolling their eyes at her interruptions and as soon as she left, had nearly the whole crowd of moms (about 12) converge on me with questions to learn more and to tell me of their own successes (since it was obvious the moderator was not going to allow this kind of discussion).

Now understand, I utilize essential oils as a part of my families healthcare…diet and exercise, vitamin supplementation, natural remedies, chiropractic care, physical therapies, and massage therapies, to name a few, are also part of our informed and successful self-care. But I do absolutely still counsel with both doctors, trained medical professionals and licensed homeopathic practitioners. My issue with this particular nurse moderator (and several others I have encountered in the medical community) was how she seemed intent on marginalizing the validity of our own intuition, ridiculing informed self care and even minimizing the importance of common sense if it dared contradict mainstream medicine (which evolves EVERY year and is generally driven by big pharmaceutical funding with a monetary motivation!). I understand her situation as a representative of the mainstream medical community but I was quite surprised at how forcefully she opposed even my sharing successes I have had with my own family. These are not disputable. Mothers need to know they have safe and alternative options. People should be encouraged to ask questions, research ALL their options and make their own decisions regarding their healthcare choices without being frightened or ridiculed. It is precisely those kinds of questions and my subsequent research that has enabled myself and my family to stay out of the doctors office for nearly 4 years!! Yes, 8 of us have only seen our doctors for well-visits because we have embraced natural healthcare and as a result, have not needed sick care since we started this whole journey over four years ago!

Our culture doles out Tylenol like it’s going out of style (even though it accounts for more than 100,000 calls to poison centers, roughly 60,000 emergency-room visits, hundreds of deaths each year in the United States, is the leading cause of liver failure and still only works about half the time). We hand out antibiotics like they’re candy, even without any direct knowledge of whether the infection we are attempting to treat is viral or bacterial (FYI: antibiotics don’t work on viral infections and also wreak havoc on the digestive and therefore immune system…check out this article: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/06/18/antibiotics-bacteria.aspx)…but yet be careful with those homeopathic and alternative solutions…THEY’RE dangerous! Riiiight. Just to set the record straight, the WORST reactions I’ve ever seen in my family have ALL been from properly prescribed medications under the supervision of licensed medical professionals. Look up how many addictions, harm and even deaths we’ve had from properly prescribed medications under a doctors supervision vs. deaths or addictions due to homeopathic remedies. Here’s a little reality check for you…https://draxe.com/conventional-medicine-is-the-leading-cause-of-death/

Bottom line? Don’t be afraid to research your healthcare options, explore mainstream medical solutions, consult specialists, research alternative natural remedies, and/or question your medical practitioners! Healthcare should be about a DIALOG, not a dictatorship. There are no stupid questions. And anyone that seeks to marginalize, patronize or criticize your own ability to learn about ALL your options and your right to make your own decisions regarding your healthcare is not a professional you should seek advice from. Do your own research and then choose for yourself. We DO have options!!! Know yours!

Ok, rant over.

If you would like to know more about your natural healthcare options, please reach out to me and I would be happy to guide you to a class or speak with you one on one about your many options!  Start your WELLCare journey today!