SexyRevealed said:
This has not been my experience. And there's no money in the cure? Wouldn't you pay for one if you needed it? Also, there are plenty of ongoing medical concerns we'll all be faced with in the course of aging....so they're not likely to go out of business by treating people ethically.

Exactly. There are shiesters and opportunists in just about every line of business and in almost every culture because, unfortunately, we humans have a tendency to enjoy the comfort and powers of acquisition that result from financial success.

I've been getting treatment for serious medical problems since December of 2004, and literally every medical professional I've encountered has done their part to try to get me cured. I also grew up with some serious esophageal problems and as a result was hospitalized literally monthly for my entire childhood. Again, noone wanted anything but the very best for me, and everyone focused on making me as well as I possibly could be.

The American medical system is fraught with issues that need to be addressed, but I do feel it's too easy (and simplistic) to scapegoat the doctors and hospitals. After all, they and their families get sick with the same degrees of frequency and severity as do we and our loved ones. The conspiracy theories just don't hold up under scrutiny.

Sorry, I really don't mean to be argumentative, but I've just had too many doctors in too many hospitals working their asses off in a sincere effort to get me well not to speak up in their defense.

I just don't think I need any kind of cleanse to rid my body of toxins, that's what my kidneys and other vital organs are for. We cleanse ourselves every day I definitely would NEVER personally do anything that required more than 1 day without solid food, starving has been bad juju for me in the past (unless under a doctor's supervision, of course).

This.

I have a liver and kidneys for a reason.

Also, I don't get the magic of lemon juice and cayenne.

Of course not all doctors and hospitals, that's not what I meant. I'm not implying that the doctors and nurses at your local hospital hold secret midnight meetings to discuss ways to conspire against the public. But at the same time, please don't be naive and believe that the healthcare industry as a whole always has your best interests at heart.

The healthcare industry is first and foremost a business. The main objective of any business is to turn a profit. The healthcare industry is certainly not exempt from this. If this was the case, there wouldn't be 9 million children in this country without health insurance. So what would be more profitable - a one-time cure for your illness, or a monthly need for your medication?

Please don't get me wrong. If I'm ever in a situation where I require medical attention, I won't hesitate to get it. But I also recognize that alternative methods do exist, and that these methods may not be profitable for the healthcare industry (and thus not publicized and accepted by the mainstream) but may indeed be the remedy I need.

I don't believe that I'm being naive in believing that physicians and hospitals have not abandoned all loyalty to the Hyppocratic Oath in favor of personal gain, nor do I think you meant to imply that they held secret meetings to plot against us. As for the 9 million children without medical coverage, I hold our political leaders and an apathetic, shortsighted nation responsible, not the insurance companies who only do what we allow. I said before that our medical system is fraught with problems, but I don't expect the insurance companies to fix them, nor do I assume that physicians are more interested in repeat business than healing their patients.

By all means, pursue alt treatment whenever it makes sense for you -- an ayurvedic cure helped me greatly when I got sick while living in Kashmir, India. I'm sure that you recognize that a huge percentage of those alternative methods don't send profit to the medical mainstream, but they usually send profit to somebody!

I am not anti-altie at all, and I do augment my mainstream treatment with alternative supportive treatments when it makes sense and is safe to do so. I just don't think that my refusal to demonize the mainstream medical community makes me naive, though, and it doesn't mean that I think our system is working very well at all.

I think we'll just agree to disagree on this one. Sorry, Jen, for hijacking your thread! We now return to our regularly broadcasted program......

Don't worry about it Sarah, it is always nice to hear different points of view about any issue.

Why I am bringing this up is that my dh has had some chronic health problems ever since he got his gallbladder out about 3 1/2 years ago and nobody (the doctors he has seen) has been able to pin down what the problem is exactly or how to fix it. He has tried a variety of medications and undergone numerous tests. We are starting to think about alternative treatments seeing as conventional doctors don't seem to be able to find out what is ailing him.

Also with regards to the human body having a liver and kidneys to filter the toxins out of the body...I seriously doubt that they were designed to handle some of the crap that we shove into our mouths. If we all went back to basics, eating unprocessed foods, more fruits and veggies, whole grains etc we'd probably all benefit. We've already had a few people say how much better they feel when they've eaten this way.

Something else I was thinking about this morning is that someone can live for years with allergies and not even know it. So if you eliminate those foods for a while, then it can help your body. The one thing I liked about "You: On a Diet" was that it did explain that "bad" foods can cause inflammation in digestive systems that we can live for years with. Once you start eating healthier, that inflammation can disappear.

Has your husband had an allergy test done? You might want to try looking into high allergy foods like dairy and grains (including corn) and see if that helps.

Excellent points Nelie - I've satyed quiet on this thread, but IMO - if you look close enough, you'll see there is someone who is profiting from this too. (and sorry, I don't agree with it - nothing I would want me or anyone I care for to do)

The only people who profits monetarily from water fasting... is well... no one. Juice fasting profiters are the farmers (who need the profits-albeit small)... I bought my Juiceman Jr. almost ten years ago for 69.00 and it still runs strong. Juiceman hasn't gotten a cent from me since my initial purchase.

That's true! You know, I read once that the reason there isn't much actual research done on water fasts is because there's no industry around it. I don't know if it's true, but it's an interesting commentary on much of the non-academic research (which is frequently sponsored by the company whose products are being promoted).

I do a cleanse and love it... but i use fresh juices......

My husband has been through the wringer with all kinds of tests including allergy tests, blood tests, lactose intolerance tests, colonoscopy and endoscopy and biopsies done with both those procedures. He is considering trying a cleanse. Thanks Nelie for that point about inflammation. He's been tested for gluten intolerance (Celiac disease) and he doesn't have it but who knows what other kind of food he might actually be allergic to without knowing it. We have thought of these things and a million others and really he has not changed the way or what he eats. The gallbladder surgery though could have triggered something, who knows?

About somebody making money off this I am sure this is referring to those folks who write books about fasting and sell stuff on web sites. I don't disagree with this but they are not advertising it as a method of weight loss, they are saying it is a way to detoxify your body. On the web sites I have looked at the weight loss benefit is mentioned secondary to how much better people feel because the toxins are being purged. I am sorry that I even mentioned it as something that will help lose weight. I AM NOT DOING IT! My husband is interested in it, HE DOES NOT NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT, he has chronic health problems that conventional medicine does not seem to be able to diagnose or treat. Also give me a break about people making money off this. The weight loss industry makes billions of $$. For every book someone has written about cleansing or detoxification there are probably 50 books printed about weight loss. These people are a drop in the bucket comparing the amount of money people spend trying to lose weight.

All I'm going to say is that my Aunt had breast cancer about 15 years ago and needed a bone marrow transplant. Luckily, one of my mom's cousins is extremely wealthy and paid for everything because her insurance wouldn't cover it and the hospital and Doctors wouldn't begin ANY treatment without a $50,000 down payment. When ability to pay determines life-saving course of action....I have a HUGE problem with that. In fact, in my opinion it is a criminal act. If you haven't encountered a situation like that...don't think it doesn't happen....just consider yourself fortunate and pray you never do. Caring doctors exist...I won't try and say they don't....but we wouldn't be in a healthcare crisis if caring was the "norm" for doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and all who influence the business of medicine....those two things are incongruous.

my cousin did it and after she was finished she couldn't go at all. She was all messed up when she started eating again. I told her that I was thinking about trying it at one time to get all the crap out and she scared me straight.

I was born in Canada and lived there until I was 28. I've been in the states for almost 9 years. I have also worked for a major medical insurance company.

From my humble experience - the US has FAR better medical then Canada. However the systems has it's flaws. (But I do NOT suggest socialized medical by any means)

1. We do need to become responsible for our own health. Of course there are exceptions to this that our beyond our control. I'm talking here about our weight. I am NOT helping the system by being overweight. I'm a part of the problem. If I need extra medical attention or drugs due to the fact that I like ice-cream that should become my responsiblity.

2. I believe the system should be two tiered. One cash - the other some type of socialized medical. Cash for preventive check ups and minor illnesses and standard births. Goverment controled major medical.
Same thing would go with drugs. It makes no sense to me that birthcontrol pills and viagra are covered under most insurance but condoms are not.

Another moral issue is drugs for seniors. Here is the problem... the drug companies make massive bucks - so they use some of that for research on great drugs that prolong our lives. 1/2 the seniors that are alive today would have been dead 25 years ago if it wasn't for the drugs we have today. Of course it's great that we have been able to prolong their lives - but there is a cost with it. You can't have one without the other. How much are you willing to pay for your Grandma to live to 95? I know it's a sick question - but I do think it needs to be asked.

Just things to ponder.

What I know for sure is that I have been lucky. My family only spends about $1200 a year for medical - that is what was covered by the insurance company. I did pay them over $12,000 for my premium (that includes what my dh's emloyer paid too) is it worth it? I think so....

If I had the choice to pay cash for the items I used.. and have premiums at half price to cover major medical I would.

My doctor visits that are 10 minutes long cost about $120.. that's nuts!

sorry this is such a rant.. but it's an important issue to me.

btw.. I worked for the insurance to understand how the system worked. I have saved over $1000 easy by understanding it better.