Interesting article:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21462-ancient-chinese-medicine-could-fight-ageing.html
Although the headline of this article is about controlling ageing, it is relevant to all with autoimmune disease.
Very intriguing, thank you for posting this, I wonder if it is possibke to have a person who specializes in chinese herbs, to work with a rheumatologist
A good book to begin to understand Chinese medicine is "The Web that has no Weaver". A couple of other books that may interest your are "The Art of Shen Ku" and I think its "Acupressure 1 2 3".
Unfortunately, Western Medicine (regular doctors including Rheumies) don't believe in Eastern Medicine (alternative medicine.) There is much more money in prescribing drugs than alternative medicines. When I mentioned the leaky gut syndrome and anti-inflammatory diets to my Rheumy, he said that they really do not work.
I guess that I would argue that though some rheumies don't believe in Chinese medicines, it's not necessarily because they are some how making money because they prescribe Western drugs. They don't get money from what they prescribe.
Do many of them have a specific cultural point of view? Sure. But I don't think it's necessarily profit that is the motive.
they do what they are trained to do
J&J was taken to task for bribing doctor to Rx their brands. I think the settlement was about 72 million US dollars.
That's not the rule though (bribing to use RX's)...it's the exception. By in large, I think the do what they are trained to do (like Jazzlover said). They really believe they are helping (or trying) because it's what they know.
Better living through chemicals? More bad drugs for higher profits.
There were a number of other manufactures that were doing the same and had recently been fined.
Back to Chinese medicine...Tia Chi, and Chinese Health Balls.
I think what we could also learn from this short article is that we must learn to live with a little hunger in order to control inflammation. Not the sort of hunger that would drive you to rip off someones leg and eat it, but the sort when you are feeling a little peckish and reach for a bar of chocolate or a peanut butter sandwich.
By eating just 3 meals a day and no snacking we can maybe bring down or even eliminate inflammation. OK, it's no cure but controlling inflammation will help ease the worst excesses of Sjogren's.
http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v2/n6/abs/100155a.html
I wonder, you guys, is it possible to seek out a person who specializes in chinese herbs and be treated with chinese medicin and with full disclosure, go and also be treated with western medicine.
Or is it just apples and oranges, you can only do one or the other
Pharmaceutical companies employ salespeople who cover doctor's offices and other medical providers and "teach" the doctors all about the newest medicines. Many doctors get their information this way. It's easy -- the information comes into their office and is clearly explained. They also often bring donuts or lunch!
In order for them to learn about Chinese medicine and other alternative forms of medicine, the doctors have to actively search for correct information. In my experience, they're also biased in their thinking, having been taught for years that by altering a person's body chemistry they can heal.
I don't think it's because the doctors don't want to help people, it's just that the pharmaceutical companies are so very pro-active about inserting themselves into doctors' practices.
Jellyb, there are some doctors, and clinics that are open to Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). CAM is more than just Chinese Medicine. Chinese Medicine is more than just Herbs. Herbs, Acupuncture, are two pillars of treatment Tia Chi and Meditation are also important.
Dx in Chinese medicine comes in many forms, Pulse, Tongue, Eye, Face, Hair, Nails, and symptoms that you present to the practitioner. 50 years ago you would walk into see your GP and He would go through these motions. He did not look for the signs or patterns that the Chinese practitioner did.
Selavy59, article does not make any mention of autoimmune diseases, however does discuss controlling inflammation.
"The low inflammation status may contribute to the reduced incidence of osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases and cancer in the aging subjects."
However, we know that increased inflammation also aggravates our symptoms so I am sure diet does play a role in exacerbating our symptoms.
Everyone:
But before anyone considers going on special herbs, need to work with your Rheumy or doctor who is prescribing meds to make sure there are no reactions. If alternative medicine really did work for autoimmune diseases, wouldn't you think we would have heard more about this? It has not been proven science, but either has Western Medicine. Western Medicine just throws drugs at the problem. This is especially the case with autoimmune diseases. Rheumy keeps on trying different drugs until he/she finds a combination that works.
Also as a side note. I asked my Rheumy, why is it that the only FDA approved drugs for Sjogren's are only for dry eyes and dry mouth? There are no FDA approved drugs for joint pain, fatigue, nerve pain and other extraglandular issues. Plaquenil, Methotrexate, Rituxan are FDA approved for other things including RA but they are still prescribed for Sjogren's. Everything I have taken is off label for Sjogren's.
My Rheumy said that this is because there is no money for the drug companies in doing research for Sjogren's as it does not affect as many people like cancer, diabetes, MS... He said that Lupus finally has a new FDA approved drug. The last FDA approved drug for Lupus was 40 years ago. It is some med that starts with a "B." Lupus effects about 1 million people. Sjogren's about 4 million. But Lupus can be more serious than Sjogren's (I guess.)
I went to an Ayurvedic doctor for a while. Ayurvedic is the ancient Indian system of medicine. They use things like turmeric for joint inflammation, and have done a lot of work on diet and overall health. I still follow the Ayurvedic guidelines for diet for my type, and find them to be the best approach to food for me. Ayurvedic also has specialized oil massages which really help to relax your body.
The doctor was trained in Ayurvedic in India and also had some medical training in the US, and he would tell me to go get treatment from a "regular" doctor when he felt the Ayurvedic was not what was called for.
Both the Chinese system and the Ayurvedic system consider the person as a whole, not just individual symptoms and body parts, and just that overall care can make one feel better.
Genko
I tried Ayurvedic with a naturopath. She had me taking 30+ supplements in the morning, afternoon and then still more in the evening. She put me on an elimination diet where I lost 33 pounds in a month. I stopped going to her as impossible for me to swallow all of those pills with Sjogren's. Doctor said I did not look good losing all that weight and it is not healthy for anyone to lose so much weght in a month. I think it was a cash cow business with all of the supplements she put me on. One of them was also tumeric. She wanted me to go on this GAPS diet. NOt able to eat any grains for two years. This includes rice and any of the gluten free substitutes for grains. She said that I needed to heal my gut as this is what is causing the inflammation. I am now very skeptical of naturopaths and alternative medicine.
The cash cow issue is why I advocate everyone do their own research on everything they take no matter what the source is.
Ayurvedic is another CAM therapy system.
Dear Male w/sjogrens:
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Ayurvedic. My doctor prescribed just the turmeric, diet, and fennel tea to settle my stomach (it really helps); and the diet is not near as extreme as what you are reporting. I guess the quality of practitioner really varies. As Joe says, it is important to do our own research.
Genko