Drugs vs Herbs or Other Alternatives
It seems like every week on the morning news programs, there is a report on yet another study claiming that taking additional vitamins, minerals and other alternative supplements do not work. Me, I rarely pay attention to these studies. Why? Because, based on my own experiences, I know different. I don't really care what the latest Journal of Medicine says - for the most part those studies are funded by those who wish that people wouldn't attempt to find a more natural, healthier alternative to high cost prescription drugs.
Take my achy bones, for instance. Sure, I could be put on some medication for arthritis, but then how many other drugs would I need to offset the side effects of the medication. And sometimes, when I listen to those advertisements for this drug or that - sheesh, the side effects are worse than the problem the drug is supposed to treat.
So I take my glucosamine sulfate twice daily and my body seems to love it. Gone are the aches and pains when a weather front (either high or low) is approaching. I seem not to have the kickiness, especially in bed that I used to have. I'll admit, the first two weeks I began taking it, my joints hurt worse than before. But after those two weeks, now the pain is almost non-existent.
And while I hear that shark cartilage is good also, I really don't want a shark, even a great white, or any other fish being harvested just so I can reduce my own pain. The trade off just doesn't seem fair to me. Less pain = dead fish. Somehow the karma of that equation doesn't seem very sweet.
So I'll stick with my glucosamine and throw in a calcium and vitamin d tablet just for good measure. So far they seem to work just fine. Adding extra tofu and TVP to my diet seems to help also.
So who's right? Ask me again on my 70th or 80th birthday. I really don't foresee myself taking a lot of 'medications' then either.
