Talk about health

It's easy to get carried away and think that everyone suffers from serious illness. We tend to overlook the fact that for most of us, it's the minor things in everyday life that bothers us.

Over the weekend, I managed to put in a few hours gardening - you know the kind of thing, cutting the lawn, removing a few weeds and so on. But then I got carried away and decided to take a few branches off a fairly large tree to give me some space aroung the base to plant some small things.

I think you can guess the outcome. The dreaded aching back!!!

As I relaxed in the evening, the pain developed... So, for a few days I shall be shuffling around, bent over to minimise the ache.

And, my daughter reported that she had been bitten by some unknown insect whilst she was camping. So, she had a swelling on her leg and couldn't sleep, for the discomfort.

To top it all, my wife has her annual bout of hay fever. Sniffing and blowing of the nose can be heard throughout the happy home.

You couldn't call any of this life-threatening, but together it is a nuisance and disrupts what you could call normality.

The answers to all these complaints are fairly simple. A few pain killers, a hot bath and perhaps a massage for me. An antihistamine and a tepid bath for the daughter, and an antihistamine and a box of man-size tissues for my dear wife.

And given a few days, we shall all be back to health.

In all my years as a pharmacist, a great many of my counter prescribing experiences were just the same - the careless worker, the unfortunate condition and the uncomfortable sufferer.
It's a bit more than tea and sympathy, but it wasn't rocket science either.

I wrote the following article recently to introduce my thoughts on alternative therapies. I am going to put it on my archive, but I thought you might be interested in reading it too, so I have copied it here. Do please let me have your thoughts on the subject and any other health topics that you want to share.

Alternatives for all

I suppose that most of us are well aware that conventional medicine holds a pretty strong hand in today’s medicine deck of cards. In many parts of the world it’s the first port of call. At least part of this is because the drug industry is very powerful. It generates vast amounts of profit through its “block-busting” products. Their publicity and marketing machines are efficient and influential, that influence reaching into governments and the very roots of medical opinion.

It has got to the stage now that you begin to wonder if the latest story of medical breakthrough arises from independent research or carefully massaged company PR. Recently, it has become clear that companies create new syndromes or diseases simply to match a drug to it. And, sometimes the flaws in the testing systems throw up highly publicised disasters such as when six young men became critically ill after just one dose of a new drug.

The upshot is that more people doubt the absolute right of conventional medicine to be the first and only port of call. Witness the inexorable growth of complementary and alternative medicine or CAM.

You can say that Cam has its faults, and it does. But, so does conventional medicine. Nothing is perfect, especially if it is man-made. Even the best of drugs cannot successfully treat every person with a particular set of symptoms. And this is true of CAM as well.

CAM points to hundreds or even thousands of years where people have been helped, while convention has scientific evidence of its actions. Science versus experience is what it boils down to.

Where do you stand? Maybe like me you have always gone to convention first. You visit your doctor or nurse and do what they suggest. If you don’t get better what’s next? Back to the doctor, perhaps a specialist, and try again.

But, there comes a time when you run out of doctors, consultants and the rest, and probably patience with the system, too. Then, where do you go?

In reality, you don’t have to look very far. There is an array of CAM out there waiting and willing to help you in your particular situation.

That is the crux, your particular situation! CAM usually looks at all of you, your physical and mental health, and your own circumstances at work and home. In other words, it is the holistic approach.

It means so much to be able to discuss how you feel and why. You can understand what is happening to you and how CAM can help.

Now, the trick is to find which speciality in the CAM spectrum might be useful. And for that, you need some pointers. Then you can narrow the choice down to something you can believe in and use positively.

For me, this is the step you absolutely need to take. You will benefit from becoming involved in all of the decisions about your own health. A little knowledge in health is something you need to have.

So, get some information on your symptoms, and add that to some facts on CAM. Then you can make up your own mind for what can help you. And go for it…

Wishing you the best of health.

Remember that you can access other articles, past newsletters and CAM booklets on particular therapies such as Flower Remedies, Herbs, Homeopathy and much more on my site at http://www.healthexplored.co.uk . Why not take a look?

Do you buy things online? For all my advanced years, I've done it for quite a number of various things ranging from books on Amazon and assorted items from eBay to e-books and courses. On the whole I've been happy with what I've got, but just occasionally I have been disappointed.

I bought a course on bookbinding techniques not too many months ago, and when I read it it was not at all what the sales letter had led me to believe. So, according to the guarantee, I got in touch with the seller and asked (politely) if I could have a full refund. No problem, was the response.

It never happened. I emailed again without reply, and I even e-mailed the guy who started the process by recommending the product in the first place. Silence.

But, should the fact that I've spent a small amount of money on something I can't really use colour my online purchasing for life? I don't think so. This has been my only problem amongst many successful dealings online.

Being a Scot, however, I hate to think I've been conned and this guarantee was worthless.

I've also asked for and got full refunds on one or two occasions. Sometimes the sales pages are too enticing for my own good, and I get carried away with the thought of owning a super, new book or coures that will surely make me rich and famous. No such luck, so far anyway!!

I've only recounted this story partly to make me feel better, but also to tell you that I have a guarantee with all of my products. And I shall surely honour it, if anyone is unhappy with my booklets, reports or anything else I supply.

I don't want to have any clients or customers feeling let down ( as I did) when I've taken the trouble to buy online.

I've said many times that there are no guarantees with health and life, but at least I can guarantee my publications.

Check them out at http://www.healthexplored.co.uk

Apologies for my little tantrum.

Wishing you the best of health.