Western medicine vs Chinese medicine

[Tamar Shoshana]

Yes, yes..I know this has nothing to do with music, but im just curious...


Which do you believe in, Western or Chinese (Oriental) medicine??

I've been going to a naturalpathic doctor for the last 2 years, and to be quite honest, I feel more confident in her to help my health, than a doctor that practices western medicine. Dont get me wrong, there are some things that are needed of a WM practicing MD, but for me, I would rather go the natural route than another way. Even when it comes to my kids, I'd rather take the natural route, that means all organic, natural foods...no junk food, even their shampoo, toothpaste, etc is natural. And oh, most important, i do NOT believe in immunizations, they are poison.

Whats your opinion???

[Steve Brand]

I'm not sure it's a black or white question; seems like to me that we live in a very interesting time when we can combine Western and Eastern medicine, depending on our situation, beliefs, severity, needs, budget, etc. I really try not to have a exclusionary, either/or attitude when it comes to healing methods. Each of us has to do what works best for us.

All that said, my experiences with acupuncture/Eastern Medicine have been miles beyond my experiences with Western Medicine in terms of results that I've seen for myself and my family. Not to mention the fact that my acupuncturist actually listens to me, where my MD more or less waits for me to stop talking so she can move on to the next patient.

I am a Reiki master and have been trained in other forms of energy healing--if you want to talk/write about challenging people's belief systems, this is the area. However, I feel that just as Eastern Medicine has become widely accepted (MDs will actually send you to an acupuncturist these days), energy healing (Reiki, Chi Gong, The Reconnection, 5th Dimensional healing, etc.), will some day be much more accepted (we've already begun to see "healing touch" in hospitals); primarily because people increasingly wary of handing over their well-being to "authorities" and want to take their healing into their own hands...literally and figuratively. For me, energy healing is the future, because it puts the power for healing back into the hands of "common people," it's affordable, doesn't rely on drugs, empowers the individual, and has unbelievable capacity for healing in many areas of our lives that we've only begun to tap into.

Oh, immunizations... I think on the whole there's a lot of alarmist stuff going around about those. Like any other drug, some work and have a purpose, while others have been poorly researched and thought out. Do your research first, know your family history, and decide for yourself.

[John Koch-Northrup]

I'm also in the it's not a truly right or wrong thing... there's good and bad in all forms. I guess moderation in all things kind of comes in to play. I saw a doctor for over a year that blended homeopathy with more standard medicine - she helped me a ton in so many ways. I've recently been discovering essential oils through my massage therapist (I have very bad hand/wrist/arm problems...) - and that's something my wife and I are beginning to explore more.

On the other hand - I see a pulmonologist several times a year for my asthma - and while I'd love to find a way to improve those symptoms that don't involve tons of drugs... nothing truly has replaced the major drugs. Homeopathic solutions have reduced the amount of conventional drugs I'm on, however. I also don't think there was any possible way around my hernia surgery - unfortunately - when that muscle wall is opened up - there just aren't many options... :-)

Anyway - yes - I believe I in many forms of healing and I'm always open to new ideas.

[Tamar Shoshana]

Yes! Thats why I said that there are some things that you need a MD for! :)

I have heard of Reiki, and almost did a class, but I was pregnant at the time and they didnt think it was such a good idea, and I completely agree that energy healing is powerful!! my nana is an energy healer, she has actually done some healings on me before, its truly amazing stuff!! As far as acupuncture goes, Ive never had it done, although I had the opportunity to have some acupuncture done at this raw food retreat I went to, but I never got around to it!

I dont want you guys to think that I dont believe in western medicine at all, i do! there are some things that you need WM for, but so far, I havent needed it. Oh, unless you count epidurals during labor...haha. :)

John, I have a wrist problem too. Is yours carpal tunnel???? Im not sure what mine is, It comes and goes and only in my wrist area. It was a huge problem when I went to culinary school, I used my right hand to cut with and half way through school, it got so bad, to the point where I couldnt move it! :(

[Steve Brand]

Another thought about acupunture and herbs...

It's amazing how many folks are fearful of needles and so avoid acupuncture. OR, they're skeptical that inserting needles into the body (there's more going on than that), can have an effect. I always just say that once folks have had enough of chronic pain and taking drugs, they'll eventually be willing to experiment with alternate forms of healing that are less invasive and ultimately freeing.

We live in a very rationalistic society that wants to see "proof" of everything IMMEDIATELY, and we often see the body as a mechanism, as a thing, when in reality, the body is part of a system that is chemical, electric/magnetic, emotional, and metaphysical. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of real proof for all those left brain folks out there right now, but eventually we'll see more and more evidence that alternate forms of healing work...despite the efforts of the drug companies and medical lobby who have an investment in keeping their old energy power.

In case anyone is interested in learning the correlation between DISease and the psychospiritual, I'd recommend, "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die," or "You Can Heal Your Life." Great illustrations of how we show ourselves with our bodies AND OUR AILMENTS what we can do to address long-standing emotional issues.

[Steve Brand]

You also wrote: "Which do you believe in, Western or Chinese (Oriental) medicine??"

Sounded like an either or question, hence the answers. Sorry, it's my nature to strive for balance.

Jenn Cackett said:

Yes! Thats why I said that there are some things that you need a MD for! :)

I have heard of Reiki, and almost did a class, but I was pregnant at the time and they didnt think it was such a good idea, and I completely agree that energy healing is powerful!! my nana is an energy healer, she has actually done some healings on me before, its truly amazing stuff!! As far as acupuncture goes, Ive never had it done, although I had the opportunity to have some acupuncture done at this raw food retreat I went to, but I never got around to it!

I dont want you guys to think that I dont believe in western medicine at all, i do! there are some things that you need WM for, but so far, I havent needed it. Oh, unless you count epidurals during labor...haha. :)

John, I have a wrist problem too. Is yours carpal tunnel???? Im not sure what mine is, It comes and goes and only in my wrist area. It was a huge problem when I went to culinary school, I used my right hand to cut with and half way through school, it got so bad, to the point where I couldnt move it! :(

[Steve Brand]

Can't imagine why Reiki wouldn't have been anything but beneficial for you and your baby! I guess for some folks the process after initiation can be emotionally difficult as you work things out of your energy field, but I'm not prone to that kind of drama, so I had no real discomfort. I enjoyed learning Reiki and still use it frequently, but the strictures and rituals are sometimes confining to my non-conformist leanings, and 5th Dimensional healing is much more freeform...and has implications potentials beyond a physical healing.

Jenn Cackett said:

Yes! Thats why I said that there are some things that you need a MD for! :)

I have heard of Reiki, and almost did a class, but I was pregnant at the time and they didnt think it was such a good idea, and I completely agree that energy healing is powerful!! my nana is an energy healer, she has actually done some healings on me before, its truly amazing stuff!! As far as acupuncture goes, Ive never had it done, although I had the opportunity to have some acupuncture done at this raw food retreat I went to, but I never got around to it!

I dont want you guys to think that I dont believe in western medicine at all, i do! there are some things that you need WM for, but so far, I havent needed it. Oh, unless you count epidurals during labor...haha. :)

John, I have a wrist problem too. Is yours carpal tunnel???? Im not sure what mine is, It comes and goes and only in my wrist area. It was a huge problem when I went to culinary school, I used my right hand to cut with and half way through school, it got so bad, to the point where I couldnt move it! :(

[Tamar Shoshana]

Ahh Steve! You wrote lots :)

Ok, so...

As far as acupuncture, I AM scared of needles, but only if they are stuck into my veins (yikes!!), I have lots of tattoos, so im not scared of any other needle, just the ones that are used for taking blood and whatnot. I really want to try acupuncture!! my dad goes every once in a while, and he tells me about it and what it has done for him (he has some back pain & such), and im really curious to know what it could do for me! So now im going to have to call up the guy my dad goes to and make an appointment! :) Thanks!

Also, I agree that people want to see am immediate change and often they get frustrated with natural remedies. Theres a difference between doing it the right way and doing it the fast way, and sometimes, the fast way doesnt always work!
When I think about that sort of thing, I think of when women want to lose weight...there are two roads to follow..the diet pill road, and the eating right and exercising road. Diet pills MAY make you lose weight faster, but as far as it being the healthiest way to do so, for your body, and a way to keep off the weight, its only a temporary fix. Eating right and exercising will help you from the time you start, it may not show it on the outside right away, but people need to realize that your body is changing from the way you eat to what you do, either good or bad.
Natural medicine also requires you to eat certain things or NOT eat certain things too, to help the supplements work better for your body. My naturalpathic doctor has taken me off of dairy, sugar, alot of bread and (once im done with this LGS diet im on for 10 days) completely off of meat (Because im an A blood type).

Im not sure why I couldnt do the Reiki class...all they said is that it had something to do with the energy being used, and due to the fact that I was pregnant, it wasnt good to do it?? Im not sure...

And I know I wrote that, im not very good with words, I shouldve written it different..haha

[Steve Brand]

Sounds like your very open to new and alternate ideas. Awesome.

Here comes an eyeroller... The interesting thing about energy healing is that you can potentially boost the nutritional aspect of foods that might not be thought of as nutritional, or eliminate potentially harmful energetic and physical attributes of food...there doesn't need to be this fear of eating the wrong thing, or memorizing complicated diets.

Thinking further, Reiki can seem like a harsher energy than some others, so that could be the reservation about taking a Reiki class during your pregnancy. I know my cats get up and move away from Reiki, and sit and soak in 5th Dimensional energy.

We Humans like to create our little exclusive clubs, along with that comes an unnecessary and overly complicated mystique around that club and it's practices. That's something that bothered me a little about Reiki...symbols you can't show to others, sequences procedures you have to do before others, none of which seemed to flow or pay attention to intuitive information you might be receiving. Other, more recently discovered forms of energy healing are less arcane and...I dunno, democratic? in the their availability.

Fun discussion! Thanks.

[Tamar Shoshana]

Wow, seriously? Hah! If I was able to use energy to do that, I probably wouldnt be on this diet. haha, kidding! I try to do what my naturalpath tells me, but yeah, I could really get used to eating whatever I wanted if I used energy to make it delicious and nutritious. My naturalpath uses my strength/energy to determine what supplements are needed for my body-oh geeze, it slipped my mind on the name, what is it???? She puts my arm out to my side and pushes it down, if it is hard to push down, then I need that certain thing, if its easy then I dont....oh man...my brain..i cant think of it!! hah.

Cats (and other animals) are really sensitive to energy and such. I remember when my Nana was visiting and she was putting out energy for something (though I cant remember what) and our dog, Ginger, came over and was putting her head on my nana's lap and stuff. She said she knew it was because of the energy, and Ginger liked it!
Also, I wonder if animals are sensitive to paranormal energy as well, im pretty sure they are, but we had 2 cats when my husband and i lived in our apartment together before we bought our house, and lots of things went on..we definetly felt that there was something there, our stereo would turn on alot, a mirror flew off our wall...etc. Well, it didnt seem like our cats even cared that this stuff was going on! haha. Well, come to find out, 2 weeks before we moved out, our neighbor/landlords sister, told me that 2 years before we had moved in, that this psycho dude killed himself in the apartment. fricken sweet...(or not! hah)

[Steve Brand]

" I could really get used to eating whatever I wanted if I used energy to make it delicious and nutritious."

Well...it's not an abdication of good judgement and common sense! ;-) You still have to honor yourself by doing what you know to best for you.

[Tamar Shoshana]

Haha! I know! I was kidding :)
I dont eat much junk food, it makes me feel yucky if I eat too much. I usually eat whatever my older daughter eats, which is very healthy...but hey, every once in a while I do like some baked chips or cookies :) hahahaha