| Do natural health remedies have a place in our | | | | they do not have the protection of a patent. They |
| society, or are prescription drugs the only way to | | | | therefore develop synthetic drugs that they can |
| go? | | | | patent and make a return on their investment. You |
| Natural health remedies have been around for as long | | | | cannot entirely blame the pharmaceutical companies |
| as man has, and it is only the last 100 years that | | | | for doing this, but it does not help the patient get |
| prescription drugs have been prescribed to us. The | | | | the best treatment that is available. |
| Chinese are renowned for using natural health | | | | So why the popularity of natural health remedies? |
| remedies, and have done so for centuries, along with | | | | Herbs work synergistically with the body and without |
| other alternative treatments like acupuncture, and it | | | | disturbing the natural balance of the body. |
| seems that the western world is only just starting to | | | | Generally vitamins, minerals, and herbs are less toxic |
| catch up with their 'secrets'. | | | | than their synthetic counterparts and offer less risk |
| Natural health remedies are becoming increasingly | | | | of side effects. |
| popular and we need to look at the reasons why | | | | Cost - most of the natural remedies work out more |
| they are increasing in popularity, but first we will look | | | | cost effective than continually taking prescription |
| at some of the concerns that society has with | | | | drugs. The natural remedies attack the root cause of |
| prescription drugs. | | | | the problem, and can be discontinued when the |
| Safety and reliability of drugs, are we really aware of | | | | problem has been rectified. |
| the long term effects that some drugs have on our | | | | Natural remedies have been used for centuries. |
| body? | | | | Initially there would have been trial and error process |
| There are often many unwelcome side effects when | | | | going on, but they have had centuries to establish |
| taking drugs. | | | | what works and what doesn't. What we consider |
| Are we always prescribed the most appropriate drug | | | | mainstream medicine has only had a single century to |
| for our problem, or are we prescribed the drug that | | | | conduct their trial and error testing. Have they got it |
| the doctor reaps the greatest financial gain from? | | | | right? |
| Doctors have a vested interest to have us return | | | | The human body has considerable power to heal |
| time and time again to their surgeries. They prescribe | | | | itself, and part of our learning process about natural |
| drugs that relieve the symptoms, but rarely prescribe | | | | health remedies should include learning about the |
| anything that fixes the problem. Some common | | | | power of our mind. There is increasing evidence to |
| examples of this are blood pressure medication, | | | | support the view that the healing process is best |
| cholesterol, diabetes, prostrate medication and the list | | | | enhanced with the aid of natural substances, |
| could go on and on. | | | | substances that the body accepts much more |
| Sometimes drugs offer short term gains that often | | | | readily, rather than taking man made drugs. |
| lead to long term pain. You treat the symptom but | | | | Natural health remedies will never completely replace |
| promote the disease. | | | | conventional medicine, as conventional medicine will |
| You cannot patent a natural product, therefore the | | | | retain its place in the field of surgery and other |
| pharmaceutical companies are not interested in | | | | traumatic conditions, but we need to consider healthy |
| spending large amounts of money developing a | | | | natural alternatives to a lot of the everyday drugs |
| product that can be replicated easily, especially if | | | | that we are now prescribed. |