some of my vitamins, I need to get more next week....
I've been reading about and studying more
Naturopathy or what some consider alternative medicine. Not all alternative medicine has worked for me. I've tried various forms of it, but there's still some valuable areas especially in terms of herbs, nutrition and more. I do own some naturopathy books but want to add to my library. There's definitely more supplements I need to get. Obtaining healthy food is often difficult, summer is easier with the veggie stands but recently I have added quinoa, and nutritional yeast to my diet. I believe obesity is worsened by malnutrition.
The other week I was watching this
Youtube Channel about how a Japanese family ate and they eat a higher quantity of food then we do, [all those desserts!] but I noticed how high the quality was, and the sheer variety of food! They have multiple fruits and vegetables at every meal. They are all very thin including the wife of the house who definitely is into cooking and the world star in housewifery.
This is often a financial thing I face with food, where there isn't the money for that many ingredients or items, and I found myself wondering how much of obesity is related to sheer nutritional deficiencies, it makes you wonder. I used yellow squash I had in three recent meals but my meals are limited in the number of different items. Some obesity researchers do believe obesity is a disease of malnutrition. I KNOW that with my serious malabsorption problems, that doesn't help either.
We do have an obesity epidemic in this country from the bad quality of food. It feels harder and harder to get the "decent stuff" too. Most of the grocery store to me is a waste land of processed garbage. I had the thought if I got to live in Japan for a year and had the same amount of money as this family and didn't eat their desserts and chips, I'd probably lose 100 without even trying.
I am trying to make a decision about seeing a
functional doctor which is a doctor that combines naturopathy and allopathic medicine. I have to keep all my regular doctors and specialists but wouldn't mind seeing one who could pay attention to the more root causes of my health problems, especially the autoimmune issues and pain issues. My husband wants me to be careful since my medical needs are so immense, but there's a point you want to try anything that will work. One worry I do have is usually insurance only wants to cover allopathic treatments. Sadly my financial realities have kept me from the naturopaths far too often. One online friend advised me, "Go to naturopath books yourself and learn, that's what I did. I am even new friends with a naturopath. I have bought products from her, she grows herbs and makes tea. She shares some information with me. I plan to pay her for sessions when I am able to.
I'm not sure if the functional doctor takes my insurance yet. One of my habits is going to a health food vitamin shop. I learned what supplements would help with my Meniere's disease and have taken some to help my ear ringing, I have lost so much hearing but believe they have helped.
One latest venture is I need to examine dandelion root tea, and make sure it does not contradict with my medications, because I have read it helps with kidney stones. Not every regular doctor is open to alternative remedies so raising these issues isn't always comfortable especially in checking new treatments, herbs or nutritional remedies. I wish regular doctors would pay more attention to nutrition and remedies like this.
My kidney stones at least have been "stable" lately but this is based on a lot of caution, cooking, and vegetarian meals. However this tea could be a back up during "bad times". I don't want to die of a calcium oxide kidney stone. Surgery is not as easy for me. You know it's scary 6 years ago I had to give up all red meat, for a normal person that would have taken some weight off. Every meal I eat I have to calculate how much possible kidney stone damage there is, can I afford a little turkey on the sandwich? Is that too much tofu? It's not easy.
Drinking milk with meals to bind calcium oxide has helped, that was advice given to me by a kidney specialist so I still value what so called "regular doctors" instruct me on. One thing I do want to buy is a vitamin supplement to help with insulin resistance that I found to help in terms of weight loss. I've already found the supplement.
One friend of mine swears by Chinese medicine, we have one place here that practices it. I did try accupuncture years ago, it simply did not work, so trust me even as I venture into the alternative health world deeper, I have to see what works.
They opened this new vegetarian/health food restaurant in a neighboring town but I have to wait for some money to go over there and try it. They have some healing teas and other alternatives too.
Two examples of Naturopath Books I own:
Things that didn't work for me during my life:
Iridiology
Ear Candling
Acupuncture
Homeopathy--I don't buy the underlying concept.
Traditional Weight Loss Diets. [lol obvious isn't it]
Things that have worked for me during my life:
Various vitamins and supplements [I believe zinc and C, mouth rinsing with mouth wash have kept me from getting Covid, but that could be N95 masks, isolation and germ-phobia too]
Nutritional things have worked, except on weight loss, I used to make this special soup, parsley and mushroom when my CHF was really bad off, that would take fluids off.
In 2010, I was about to be diagnosed with colitis, maybe even on edge of Chrohns [this was way beyond present IBS] and cut all GMOs out and increased fiber, etc, and was able to fix this problem.
Cutting all sugar out cut thrush out--though I learned I have to be careful with cottage cheese. I haven't eaten desserts in years except extremely rarely so when I say sugar, that means stuff like juice, HFCS in spaghetti sauce, etc.
Drawing salves
Massage. [it does help Lipedema/Lymphedema, Flexitouch is like mechanical massage but I wish I could afford regular massage too like on neck]
Things I want to try:
Diet far higher in cooked vegetables and more variety. I am making homemade tomato soup very soon today. Finances does impact this. Dinner probably will be some chicken and cabbage stir fry.
Chinese medicine
Other herbal remedies I've looked into.
I need to add more exercise to life but need something that will work, some fun, safe with Covid--that's the hard part.
Some supplements addressing weight/insulin resistance/hormonal issues.
More mindfulness/meditation exercises
Please tell me about your own experiences in alternative or naturopathic medicine that has worked for you.