And the Doctor Said...

Five little monkeys are jumping on the bed. One fell off and broke his head.
He went to the doctor, and the doctor said,
"Too many monkeys jumping on the bed."

The diagnosis in this child's rhyme happened to be correct. But some things the doctor says are only true in their little universe. Consider the following:

"I went to the doctor, and the doctor said...

1. "Herbs Lack Scientific Validation."

NOT TRUE. Ask if they are familiar with Pub Med or searched that database for research done on herbs. (There's lots of research to be found if they'd look. Educate them.)

But let's look at what they do in a routine that lacks scientific validation. The FDA requires scientific studies to be done on each drug being brought to market (these are paid for by those who plan to market the drug - just sayin'), So each individual drug has 'scientific validation. But several drugs all taken together have NOT been studied- So if you are on 3 or more medications, ask your doc for the scientific studies done on the population of people who are on those 3 drugs. Ain't none. So his medical treatment 'lacks scientific validation.'

"I went to the doctor, and the doctor said...

2. "Herbs Won't Help Your Condition."

So ask if they have researched natural remedies for your condition. (Likely not, unless they have the condition themselves). Doctors are experts in their very small universe. Their little universe does NOT include remedies or therapies that nourish your body into healing itself. Their little universe of 'remedies' has been restricted both professionally and legally by huge financial interests (viz., the pharmaceutical industry), so docs are smart people put between a rock and a hard place, and that is where they are the expert. But there IS life outside that little universe (literally) IF they would look. There ARE herbs that help your condition. And they have been used for longer than the FDA has been in existence. Some docs acknowledge that they've seen their patients improve using 'something natural.' Others have seen it but display a deplorable lack of curiosity.

"I went to the doctor, and the doctor said...

3. "Herbs Are Not FDA approved."

Herbs predate the FDA and have been effectively used long before patented man-made chemicals (black tape to cover the 'check engine light) came along masking symptoms. AND FDA-approved drugs kill over 140,000 people per year (Baycol, Vioxx, and Celebrex, to name a few - were all FDA approved!) Herbs WILL help your body ability to resolve your condition in time, whatever it is, and improve your quality of life. And for some reason, God has not sought FDA approval for His remedies.

"I went to the doctor, and the doctor said...

4. "if You Don't Follow My Recommendations, You Will Die" (or Have a Heart Attack, a Stroke, Bleed to Death, Go Blind, Suffocate to Death, or Other Dire Consequences)

First of all, giving bad news is bad medicine, period. Doctors are not God, and God can prove that to you. Taking away hope is taking away a very important and effective remedy. That said, remember that their restricted universe does NOT include remedies or therapies that improve your health! That is why they are pessimistic. That is why they scare you or cannot offer much hope or any constructive options.

They will produce charts or statistics that tell you what will happen if you don't do what they say. Those charts are produced by independent organizations or universities which receive funding from Big Pharma or by the pharmaceutical companies themselves as an 'educational tool' for the doctors. Those charts and statistics are paid for by those who profit from the doc's recommendation. Economic pressures keep the medical universe restricted, and that is just the way it is, and that is the little universe they live in and the one they present to you. But there is a life outside of that universe.

"'I went to the doctor, and the doctor said...

5. "This is What 'we1 Can Do in Your Case."

Not only does their little universe NOT include remedies or therapies that improve health, it only contains sophisticated and sometimes toxic tests, surgery, or toxic patented chemicals with side effects that damage health. Here are some questions to think about, and if you don't know the answer, ASK YOUR DOCTOR...

a. What is the success rate of this therapy? Will this improve my health, address the underlying cause of this problem, or just mask a symptom?

b. Have any of your patients quit or regretted this therapy/test because of its outcome, side effects, or cost? What are the worst outcomes you have seen personally from this kind of treatment? (Give them plenty of time to answer this.)

c. If surgery is recommended, please ask the surgeon: Have any of your patients gotten worse (or died) as a result of this surgery, or from

hospitalization, or from 'complications'? And what are the typical effects of the surgery? What are the worst outcomes you have seen from this surgery? (Again, give them plenty of time to answer this because you need to know to make an informed decision.) I am amazed how many people are NOT told of the ramifications and outcomes of their surgery. The docs call those 'complications,' and they are usually your fault! Of course, they cannot predict them, but they should know what they are statistically or, at least in his experience!

Talk to an Expert

How can I know nutritional intervention is helping?

The KEY is how you feel, how much energy you have and how you sleep. (Those are the reasons you went to the doctors in the first place.) Know that without energy and good sleep your body cannot heal itself. Fatigue greatly delays repair. If your energy ever drops as you decrease the herbs then you need to increase the dosage again. If that does not increase your energy in 2-3 days, contact me for a potential change of course.

Sometimes there are other measures you can use to evaluate your progress: palpation, blood tests, blood sugar tests, blood pressure tests, etc. You can order your own blood tests to monitor your progress (PSA, Cholesterol, cancer markers) on several websites like Life Extension, Direct Labs, and you can search for other websites to find the best prices. You pay for the test on their website and they will send you a blood draw order to take to Labcorp or Quest, etc. They will email you your results, usually inside a week. Insurance will not pay for these.

Mindset is also important. It is wise to address the stress causing the imbalances that are manifesting. Or, consider living with your diagnosis. With good nutrition and good energy you can have good quality of life and forget you even have your condition. Many do.

©Pat Block ND 2007

Index for this Post

1. “Herbs lack scientific validation”
2. “Herbs won’t help your condition”
3. “Herbs are not FDA approved”
4. “If you don’t follow my recommendations you will die” (or have a heart attack, a stroke, bleed to death, go blind, suffocate to death, or other dire consequences)
5. “This is what ‘we’ can do in your case.”
How can I know nutritional intervention is helping?

Consider this…..

I have learned more from very sick people than I have from double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over studies. My sick clients taught me how to get them well - things that even my teachers didn't know. I have such smart clients.

Important Warning

Nothing on this site is FDA approved. Nothing I write here is intended to be medical advice. Follow my recommendations at your own risk. Results may vary, and blah, blah, blah. So if the required warnings have not scared you away, then you have a chance. I'm reporting here what kinds of approaches actually helped very sick people get well, AND the kinds of things that actually made them sick (and it usually isn't lack of exercise, weight, menopause or smoking - it is the underlying cause of all those things.)

Important Posts

► I Went to the Doctor and the Doctor Said…

► THE Technical Info on the Herbs

► Uh oh, what was I supposed to do when I think I’m getting sick?

► Fatigue: The Mother of All Disease

► Uh oh, my kid is sick again

► Childhood Disorders (ADHD, Behavior Disorders, etc.)

► Too Busy to do Healthy

► Of Drugs, OTCs and Black Electrical Tape

► Pat’s book – Spiritual Disciplines for Physical and Emotional Healing

In case you were wondering..

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, b=bedtime. Make sure to read What to Expect on an Herbal Program (in the Herb menu) before beginning. Dosages given are about what my clients benefit from. You may be different. Begin slowly and see how each recommendation benefits you.