Monday, July 5, 2010

Snake oil and quackery

I'm not a crunchy-granola hippie - I haven't checked my shampoo for phthalates; I eat lots of frozen foods chock full of unnatural preservatives; I love coating myself in chemicals to fake a tan; I got the flu shot; I plan to vaccinate my kids. But I was going to a midwife and planning a natural birth and I am open to the idea that modern science might not have all the answers; that you can't necessarily isolate one part of the body and diagnose it without looking at the rest of the body as well.

Today I went in for a consultation at a natural healing center, which was recommended by several people. I figured it couldn't hurt to see what they said about getting my body in balance and the best health it can possibly be in for the next baby.

During the consultation, I told the herbalist/healer/owner guy about my medical history (it's always so comfortable telling guys about your period, amiright? Or is that just me??) and about what I hoped to achieve...namely, a baby. Full-term. Alive.

He checked a pressure point in my ankle, my eyes, the pulse in both wrists, my ear, and my tongue. He said that my pulse is pretty sluggish and that I might be slightly anemic. He also diagnosed a food allergy by looking at my tongue - which one he can only guess at, but that he's confident that I have one. He also mentioned (based on a slightly inflammed pressure point and history) that I might have minor thyroid issues. He advised that I continue to take the supplements I currently am taking (Vitex, Pom juice, fish oil, Green Tea, acidophilus, prenatal) and added a fertility one and a tincture that he explained in detail, but I can't remember the details other than that he was adding something for digestive health and stress. I've had issues with dairy before, so he advised trying to cut that out for a week, then the last day adding it to all three meals to see how I feel. If that doesn't seem to be the allergy issue, I'll add it back in and cut out something else the next week.

In a month or two when we're actively trying to conceive, the supplements will change, and once I get pregnant, they'll change again. He said that he knows of several herbs and supplements that are thought to help strengthen the amniotic sac and can help prevent pPROM.

Whether any of that is backed up by actual medical science, I couldn't tell you. But I'd drink the urine of a unicorn if someone told me it'd help. So I'm giving it a month or so to see what happens - whether my cycles become more regular, if I feel like I have more energy, if I'm sleeping better - and if so, I'll continue it. I'll also likely add in acupuncture at some point. It certainly won't replace modern medicine, but I'm hoping that supplementing it with a more holistic approach will help. And if it doesn't do anything, then no harm done...right? RIGHT?!?

2 comments:

  1. Right! I'm all for pairing modern medicine with other stuff. I really believe it works though! My acupuncturist worked with me on a few problems and it visibly worked!
    I hope you like it!

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  2. Heck yes, anything we can do to help our bodies prepare for our next babes .. I am all for it. I found out that my insurance also covers some of the costs of acupuncture so I will be asking my drs about that too.

    *hugs* wishing you all the best

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