The responses were something like “I use two drops of a tincture of Bulgarian Horse Thistle applied to the crook of my elbow” or “Fugwort Juice and a Nettie Pot”.
The initial problem expressed by my friend on FB was “I’ve got this terrible allergy and my eyes itch so bad I can’t even go outside”. That pretty much started an avalanche of recommendations like the two I mentioned; not a single rec about using Claritin or something similar.
OK, that started my rant on alternative medicine. I use alternatives whenever I can that makes sense, but, jeez, when an allergy is so bad it’s depriving you of appropriate levels of serotonin and dopamine, thereby generating fear, depression, and diarrhea it’s time to use an antihistamine, f’cryin’ out loud.
The people making recommendations were kind of Organic-Herbal-Martyrs that are fearful of anything healing that wasn’t used by ancient druids from Middle Earth or food that wasn’t fertilized by anything other than being excreted by a live animal less than 2 weeks ago. Now come on, people, there are advantages to a simple chemical fix that will restore a normal endorphin level which protects you from cancer or insanity. I’m willing to bet that someone who feels good is less likely to get sick….whoa, radical thought there, I’d better watch what what I’m saying.
I admit to having done the whole macrobiotic, organic farm, thousand yogic therapy, love your goat dung life for 20 years, but man, that was back in the day, when we were all stupid. But then, maybe everyone has to go through that period of “doing that country thing”, yearning to walk behind an ox-pulled plow.
Annnd, I’m willing to bet that all the people with the aforementioned cures for terrible allergies wouldn’t EVER suggest my friend take an OTC antihistamine; but they would immediately take something like that if they had a terrible pollen allergy for a week and a close friend offered a simple white pill that will stop the craziness. Or…..an infection that required an antibiotic….wait, they’d rather suffer for a really long time treating it with golden seal and coltsfoot?…NOT!
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