GOOD MORNING WORLD
Oh how I miss the structure of writing a blog daily! Good to be back and fun to be able to share some information I discovered.
I am not a hypochondriac. I do not run to the doctor for any little ache or pain. This is judge comes from my upbringing. I used to get terrible pains in my legs. My parents called them ‘growing pains’. I was not ever taken to the doctor for this symptom. If my legs ached my father would rub them with his ‘magic medicine’. It was either Aqua Velva or Listerine and the funny thing is probably the alcohol in it was soothing.
As we grew Listerine was the answer to any ailment. Gargling with Listerine was a cure to multiple illnesses from a cold to a fever. Occasionally we took two aspirin. We girls would get a reprieve some months with a dose of paregoric if necessary as in our teen years we had a nurse in residence. Over the whole minimal medicine was key in our home.
I brought that with me to our family. Our children say to this day that if they were not bleeding for more than one place they went to school as we were tough! I do not believe I was quite that heartless yet what can I say – perception is reality for some.
I have had a fairly healthy life. Emergency appendectomy at age 10 the exception. I have only had one broken bone from roller skating at a Boy Scout event. Some might contend as a non-skater I was tripped??? Just clumsy is more to the case. A couple of female surgeries end the list. I take only one prescribed drug and that is an ongoing argument with my doctor. Being rather generous of size she is concerned about blood pressure. Mine goes from 120/80 to 140/80+ up and down depending on what I am doing. Realizing I used to register 118/68 I accept there may be some concern. I do not want to go on blood pressure medicine and we have compromised on a type water pill until I can let go of some girth. The doctor also does not like my cholesterol numbers and we are discussing that as well.
So there you have it. I do not go blindly down the medical path. I hear you out there that I do not go blindly anywhere and I say why should we? We need to be our own advocates and cheerleaders by investigating to make sure what we are doing is right for us. How many times do we hear about the wrong leg being operated on or a mishap with leaving a tool in a body or a misdiagnosis. We need to be informed.
I believe in natural medicines as well. When my liver enzymes were not at the right numbers I became concerned as we only have one liver – we have two of most other things! I did some research and reading to discover that Milk Thistle is good for cleansing our liver. I started taking it before my next blood work was to be done. A nurse friend of mine was very concerned enough to ask a doctor friend of hers about it. The doctor told her “You have one smart friend as it works.” When she told me this I was affirmed. The next blood work also showed my enzymes back in line with the numbers that “they” believe are best. Who says what numbers are the best? Who knows that they are right for everyone? This same nurse friend had a grandmother who passed away in her 90s with a cholesterol level of 400! “They” say our cholesterol should be below 200. Years ago 200 was normal and 226 mid and 240 high. Who decides these numbers? I know I know there are boards of intelligent physicians who set these. Not going to get into any controversy about kick-backs from drug companies.
So back to natural. I have discovered a wonderful new natural medicine. It is turmeric. I have seen it mentioned in a couple of places as an anti-inflammatory spice. This last time I read about it I decided to give it a try. To share with you what it is and from where it comes I went to the web. (1)
Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and while it is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.
Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and has a tough brown skin and a deep orange flesh. Turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. Turmeric was traditionally called “Indian saffron” because of its deep yellow-orange color and has been used throughout history as a condiment, healing remedy and textile dye.
I was surprised to see just how many things it can help from IBS to cancer, arthritis, and even Cystic Fibrosis. It was quite enlightening to read further on the web as I write this about my own experience.
The article that I read that convinced me to buy this product was a blurb in a woman’s mag that you buy at the checkout counters. It said it must also contain Bromelain which is an enzyme found in pineapples. I found the pill online and it was $13 for 60 pills and I thought this was not too bad so ordered it. I started taking one pill a day when it arrived.
Sadly as an aging woman, eclectic writings or not, I have to face that my body does not work the same as it did when I was younger. My mind is still fairly sharp yet many other muscles are sore and arthritis is beginning as evidenced by my halted gait and crooked fingers. The additional weight (according to ‘their ‘charts) I carry of course does not help. It is hard to exercise as aforementioned aches and the weight remains despite less food intake. Lately I have been walking slower as my right knee has a severe pain which causes shooting pain when pressure is put on it and walking down stairs has become a two feet on one step at a time proposition before going to the next step. I am walking older than my years really. I remember my great-grandmother with huge knees and barely walking and accepted this as a hereditary issue. This is one of the reasons for ordering turmeric and bromelain – what did I have to lose?
It has been 4 weeks and even after one week I was almost bounding up stairs. I noticed it on July 25th when delivering one of the grands I walked down a set of stairs without holding on to anything. I can now walk up and down stairs with ease and even the lifeguard at the pool said I was ‘looking good’. She had seen me trudge in daily with the grandchildren. She was surprised at how well I was walking. Asked about it and I told her what it was and sent the link to buy the 100% Hawaiian Turmeric that is vegetarian as well. Anxious to hear her results. Hoping they are as good as mine.
I have not lost a pound or changed anything else in my life except add this spice based pill. I have more a bit more ache now as my knees are being used more and getting back into condition. I will take this happily and work further to strengthen them. The sharp pain is gone. I can get out of our high truck without pain as I touch my right foot to the pavement. I know longer have to plan trips up and down the stairs (except from laziness) as it hurts so much to go up and down. I am amazed. My boyfriend is surprised and happy for me. I am telling everyone I know about this. Golly $13 for a health fix? Why not?
I know many will poo poo this as junk. Fine with me. I am not a doctor and I do not play one on TV or in real life. I simply am a person who wants to live the best life I can in good health. So far so good. Turmeric has helped. I am not prescribing for anyone – I am simply sharing what has helped me. Off to bop upstairs to do the laundry. Tumeric has erased much pain not the chores. It is NOT a wonder drug.
…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…
(1) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78
ktsquared 