Holistic Medicine

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I’m in the middle of writing a longer post, but LupyKatie made a comment that I really wanted to discuss as its own topic.

She writes:

I have lupus and I have a very well intentioned husband who thinks that holistic medicine will cure me. Everyone tells me to that multivitamins, exercise, smoothies, will be the way! If that were the case…why hasn’t the medical doctors said anything??? My husband is very agitated that my primary doctor hasn’t recommended “natural” cures…maybe because there aren’t any!!!!!!

I have very strong opinions on this matter, which I can sum up in one sentence. Most forms of alternative medical treatments are a load of crap and are specifically designed to cure you of having any excess cash in your bank account.

Please note that some activities like yoga often fall under the umbrella of holistic medicine, and I think relaxing your body and stretching is a good thing and will probably make you feel better in the long run; however, if your yoga instructor says that yoga will cure your lupus, then that person is making a claim that is not supported by evidence.

That being said, I believe that the phenomenon referred to as the placebo effect may very well be something that is not just a psychological reaction but also a physiological process. If you believe that a treatment is helping you, your body reacts by producing chemical substances like endorphins and adrenaline that do actually make you feel better.

I share LupusKatie’s frustration. My wife has many well meaning friends that are positive that their multi-level marketing juice product or herbal treatment will cure her lupus. You may be thinking, well, what’s the harm? In my opinion, any belief or endeavor based on false assumptions that may prevent a patient from receiving actual medical treatment is harmful. If you stop taking your Plaquenil because your chiropractor says he can align your Chakra, well good luck with that. Now if you continue to follow the treatments prescribed by your rheumatologist and it makes your muscles feel better to get a massage, then that’s a wonderful thing.

1,762 thoughts on “Holistic Medicine”

  1. On a side note, I recently added a link to Acacia, an affiliate I signed on with that may eventually help pay for some of my bandwidth if anyone orders anything. I almost didn’t sign on with them because they do sell a few holistic products that I consider questionable, but since it was one or two silly products out of hundreds of other quality products, I decided to go ahead and list them.

  2. Totally with you on this. Those with miracle juices or energy manipulations for sale never seem to have the double-blind, peer-reviewed, published studies to back up their claims. I did humor a family member by getting a Lyme disease test done (negative). Luckily most are well-meaning and not too pushy, but if really pressed I guess I’d suggest they read the LFA website first then get back to me.
    Wendy
    “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” (-Sagan)

  3. Hey Jeff,
    First of all, I’d like to say that I am extremely happy to have found your blog. My wife was (finally) diagnosed with MCTD last year. It is great to find someone voicing the husbands’ POV!
    I too have the same view on these snake oil treatments. There is a new one on television. It is a patch that you attach to the bottom of your foot. Supposedly, it draws all of the bad humours out of the body or some such…
    I have always wondered if these ‘treatments’ actually worked, why are they sold on late night tv and not prescribed by actual doctors?

  5. mctd_hubby: I’m glad you found your way here! This is the second time I’ve heard about this patch on the bottom of the foot thing. It’s amazing to me what people will believe.

    chronicchick: My wife gets that all the time. You don’t LOOK sick? You don’t ACT like you’re in that much pain?

  6. I think it’s ironic how many of my google ads are now from companies that feature holistic products since I started this post. Ah well…

  7. I don’t think that many friends and family members realize just how it affects the person who’s ill when they hound them about ‘cures’. I’ve had to tell a few people to stop pushing it on me, because then it makes me feel responsible for being sick. ie. if I don’t at least try it, then I want to be ill….ugh.

  8. I recently went to a health food store and the woman there is trying to sell me on the amega 3′s (wrong spelling) while I was trying to get my vitiman D I need for my defiency ( diagn by DR)

    I had one woman hound me at the local y and then informed me a cardiologist does it so must be okay for me. ( cant rememebber the med)
    My Dr told me NO way! SOme concocsion you mix up with water

  10. I agree. If someone has evidence that their treatment works, I will open my wallet. If they don’t, they can pay me IF I agree to be part of their experiment.

    Also, I hear, “But this is all NATURAL!”
    Yeah, so are dog poop, cockroaches and arsenic. Not gonna eat them!

    And I hear, “But it’s ORGANIC.”
    Yeah, so are cockroaches, dog poop and anything with a carbon atom.

    Thanks for this site.

  12. Hi Jeff,

    Thanks for the reply about the pericarditis. At the present, they are trying to decide whether I have pleuritis or pericarditis. Do you think I could e-mail your wife and ask her a couple of questions? I tried e-mailing her a few wks. ago from tghe md junction site but you said she did not get it. I don’t think my computer will do e-mails unless I go thru my e-mail address where I get and send all my mail.

    Thanks.

    Debbie

  13. i read all of the comments about how holistic medicines does not work and i do not agree. i feel anything can work if you stick it out..there is something called the haeling crisis..it is when you feel worst before you feel better.healing is in the mind.faith plays a big role.i say don’t knock it until you try it.there must be a balance some where.prescribed meds hide symptoms natural meds heal symptoms. god bless

  14. Wow, amazing how we’re so different. I’m just the opposite…over the years (decades) I have learned from personal experience to put much less faith in “western medicine” and much more faith in “alternative medicine”. If I stayed with the mainstream medical establishment, I’d still be waiting around for a diagnoses even after three years of Lupus flares and a 100% symptom/blood abnormalities/rash match. Idiots. I’m always joking with people (sort of) that the western (mainstream) doctors are the real quacks. I have lupus and I’m convinced that alternative medicine and spirituality can and will put me into permanent remission. I have a great D.O. (as opposed to an M.D., they are equal in the eyes of the law and the medical industry) that, thankfully, uses a combination of western and alternative medicine. He’s in Sacramento. If anyone wants his contact info, let me know.

  15. Maybe I’m the middle of the fence because I’m so new to this. Dx in April, Stage 4 Nephritis dx 3 weeks later. I realize that I have to take the chemical medications in order to prevent renal failure, to calm the pleurisy and pericarditis, and help with the other stuff otherwise my life will be miserable. But are there aspects of Eastern Medicine that can help also? Do we have more control over our bodies than what we realize or have been led to believe growing up? I guess I’m still in the RESEARCH stage of the disease. Reading everything I can about what it is, the medications I’m taking, and other people’s experiences. But in doing so, I’m also researching the “holistic” options available. I’ll still be visiting my pharmacist every month but why not explore meditation or diet options that can be a benefit. Or maybe I’m just looking for some sort of control over something I still feel so out of control of.

  16. I agree that a LOT of alternative medical treatments are designed to make the seller rich and prey on the fears of those who are sick. However, the topic of this blog is Holistic Medicine. For those reading here that are looking for real alternatives to drugs handed out like candy by the “medical” community Holistic Medicine is a good alternative. Miracle cures DO NOT exist and are NEVER promoted by true Holistic practitioners. Holistic Medicine is based on treating the entire body. Alternative medical treatments for many diseases are currently promoted by well known medical establishments such as the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic.
    I believe if one does some good research and is willing to follow a true holistic approach for optimal health one will find it beneficial, not as a cure for lupus or any other disease, but for the BEST health one can obtain living with disease.
    Looking for a miracle cure is the same as following a get rich quick scheme. AND the are plenty of both in the world today, especially on the web. I recommend that one research everything! Be skeptical and use only legitimate alternatives whose claims can be verified from sources outside their own organization.
    As for alternatives for lupus:
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lupus/DS00115/DSECTION=alternative-medicine
    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lupus.html
    http://nccam.nih.gov/
    http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/systemic-lupus-000161.htm

  17. Do some research …talk to actual patients that have had success lessening symptoms or reversing Lupus. There are any holistic doctors that can help. Read and research for yourself. Changes in diet and supplements CAN help!!! Don’t listen to naysayers, do the research yourself! Look at the following for a start!

    http://www.lupushope.blogspot.com
    http://www.lupusgirlgoesraw.com
    Mark Hyman MD
    Joel Fuhrman MD
    Pain Free in 6 Weeks by Sherry Rogers MD

  18. Hi there. There are most definitely people out there trying to make money on “alternative” treatments when they really have no idea what they are talking about. They just jump on a band wagon, like Acacia berries, and run with it for everything.
    However, there are actual holistic doctors and certified health counselors who can help. There is a reason our bodies and minds have become so diseased and a large part of that is our conventional diets and toxins in the air, water, and in our medicines.
    I am actually in school to be a certified holistic health counselor and have done other years of study about this topic. It has affected me personally and I have helped others.
    I would be more than happy to talk to you if you would like, of course this is not something I am asking money for.. just an exchange of e-mails and thoughts.
    Best of luck to you.

  19. Hi, I am Gayathri from India I am also having the SLE it is identified in 2004. Then start my treatment in different systems year(Ayurveda, homeo,etc) then I can feel my symptoms are cure in the natural way then i can select the holistic way and also i am study in the BNYS . thank you for your sharing