Remember back-in-the-day, when we had the same family doctor no matter what was ailing us? Which by the way, was very rarely. In fact, I don't remember ever going to the doctor as a kid. Today, general practitioners still exist, but their numbers have dwindled considerably over the years, due to excessive specializations in the field of medicine.
Data shows that in 1940, about 75% of American doctors were general practitioners. By 1960, they were outnumbered by specialists, and by 1970, only 25% of physicians considered themselves general doctors. In the last 10 years, the patient referral rate made by primary-care physicians to specialists has nearly doubled and with this increase, medical expenses have skyrocketed. While some specialty doctors are necessary, the main reason for these exorbitant costs is simply 'too many hands in the till.' Each specialist evaluates one particular area of the body, rather than diagnosing the entire system as a whole. Imagine if car mechanics conducted business this way!
I have to say, I was a bit stunned when I learned that nutrition is not a prerequisite in medical school. Seems like a pretty key component of healthcare, no? I won't get into my theories as to why this is, as I suspect all you wise ones already know, but I will say that this type of nonsense, is exactly why it's so imperative that we place our healthcare back into our own capable hands as much as possible.
To get a better sense of just how far we've strayed from natural healing methods, lets go back in time to the 1800s, when doctors did house calls and relied on herbal remedies to help their patients. Inside their big, black, Gladstone bags they carried painkillers such as opium and morphine. Aspirin made from willow bark used to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and thin the blood. Feverfew and meadowsweet herbs to reduce fevers. Camphor applied topically to relieve itches and prevent infection, and milkweed commonly used as a purgative. Inside the doc's bag was honey utilized for insect stings and bites, apple pectin to mix in juice to help arthritis, and tea compresses to sooth burns and wounds. Castor oil was used as a general health tonic, as well as, chest compresses for colds and coughs. Salt water gargle soothed sore throats. Motherwort tea, a calm sedative, was used to relieve anxiety, red raspberry tea to help with menstral pain, shepard's purse to treat excessive bleeding, blue cohosh to ease labor pains and black cohosh to treat symptoms of menopause. Calendula tea was given to cure bladder infections, chamomile tea to help with insomnia and cocaine for toothaches and oral pain.
Many medical advances made since the 1800s have been extremely advantageous and regulatory standards of medicinal concoctions were certainly needed for safety reasons. However, the pendulum swung too far when the medical industry veered completely away from natural solutions, in favor of patented, synthetic pills and shots that do not resonate with our bodies, and produce a host of dangerous side effects.
Because of this, more and more people today are seeking alternatives to traditional western medicine and are getting more involved in making policy changes. Homesteading, gardening, accupuncture, massage, chiropractic care and herbal remedies are becoming increasingly popular again. In other words, people are choosing more holistic ways of living and healing.
Here Are 5 Key Ways To Kickstart Wellness
- Detox - The very first step is always a detox cleanse! Cleaning out our system, especially our colon, must be done first in order for all the other healthy steps we take to be fully effective. There are many ways to accomplish this, so take a few minutes to research options.
- Natural Remedies - There is a book called Today's Herbal Health, by Louise Tenney that I can't recommend highly enough. It is a reference guide to understanding herbs used for medicinal purposes. (It includes detoxifying herbs, too 😉). I have an old, worn out copy from 1992, but she has a 6th edition out now and has sold over 1 million copies. Definitely, well worth the spend!
- Eat Clean, Simple Foods - I know I talk about this repeatedly, but that's because it's the quickest way to feel better and improve our health. Most packaged foods are total garbage that simply feed obesity and cause numerous health problems. Preparing meals from scratch may take a bit more time, but the rewards are so worth it!
- Vitamins & Minerals - Rather than wasting money on multivitamins that our body can't even fully absorb, getting micronutrients from quality food sources will help our body get what it needs to function at its optimum best. Here are some great choices:
- Vitamin A: red peppers, dark colored fruit and leafy veggies, egg yolk, beef and fish.
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): eggs, lean meats, nuts, seeds, peas, black beans, white rice.
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): dairy products, eggs, green leafy veggies, lean meats.
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): avocado, dates, bananas, nuts, poultry.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin): egg yolks, legumes, milk, nuts.
- Vitamin B9 (folate): asparagus, broccoli, beets, beans (pinto, navy, kidney, lima), peanut butter.
- Vitamin B12: meat, eggs, poultry, milk.
- Vitamin C: peppers, broccoli, parsley, citrus fruits, strawberries, cherries, guavas, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, cantalope, mangoes, elderberries, cranberries, watermelon.
- Vitamin D: fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring. Dairy products like cheese, yogurt, butter, cream. And sunshine!🌤️
- Vitamin E: avocado, tomato, sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, papaya, mango.
- Vitamin K: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, fish, beef, eggs.
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it's a great place to start. As far as minerals go, we can get them by simply adding a pinch of good, clean salt like Redmonds to our drinking water. - Exercise & Sunshine - Sunshine is the best disinfectant on so many levels! Adding a 30 minute walk to our daily routine does wonders for our health. Not on a treadmill... go outside and catch some rays!
Learning about age-old treatments and cures that actually work, allows us to take charge of our health, and heal the way nature intended. With this knowledge, rather than popping pills, we can simply use nutritious foods, medicinal herbs and sunshine as our go-to farmacy.