a journey from traditional medicine to natural health

green i am — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:08:00 GMT

For most of my life, I have faithfully used "traditional" medicine and believed this approach was best for my family. However, over the past few years, I've begun to experience and research "alternative" practices such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, chemical free products (food, cleaning, personal care, etc...), diet, vitamins, herbs, and the PH Miracle. What I've discovered is that the more informed and the closer we can get to more natural approaches to caring for ourselves, the better, which means the potential for less disease, less side effects from medications, vaccinations, etc...AND a higher quality of life!

A great example of a journey from traditional medicine to integrative to natural medicine is found in that of my son - Watson. After a healthy in utero experience and an all natural delivery, he began to have respiratory challenges at the young age of 2 weeks. (To learn more about this very scary event, I invite you to read "postpartum care...who's cleaning.") For 2 years, we relied on traditional medicine - such as antibiotics, over the counter medications, breathing treatments, ear tubes, etc... During this time, I never once inquired about more natural ways to approach improving and maintaining my son's health. At no point, was I asked or did I ask about household chemicals (cleaning, shampoo, bath wash, etc...) and the potential connection to my son's health.

It wasn't until I discovered the "real dirt on clean" that I started to think about my son's health differently. I guess, at this point, you could stay we started practicing an integrative approach to health. We continued our traditional medicine regime but began to ask questions and occasionally push back. Most notably, we greened our home - out with the toxic cleaners/personal care products and in with safe non-toxic cleaners/personal care products - Get Clean, which is great for laundry, floors, dishes, countertops, windows, mirrors, etc... and Shaklee baby, which is great for baby wash, lotion, diaper cream, and massage oil.

After de-toxing our home, I began to help my son build his natural immunity. Afterall, Watson's immunity had been stripped by all the antibiotics, weakened by the toxins, and he had developed a dependency on respiratory steroids. Immediately, we stopped giving him synthetic children's "junk" vitamins, which you should know are a total waste of money and time. Instead, Watson started taking an all natural, balanced, whole food multivitamin/multimineral supplement, probiotics (to build up good intestinal bacteria, which translates to stronger natural immunity), omega (great for so many things...since it's a natural anti-inflammatory, for Watson, it helped with lung inflammation), The best news - he started experiencing great health naturally and sustainably. Before we knew it, Watson was off his breathing treatments! Woohoo! It's know been over 2 years since he has had a breathing treatment and/or traditional medication.

Now, when the occasional ailment comes our way, we attack it naturally. Our "medicines" of choice include garlic, which is a natural antibiotic, and vitamin c, which is a natural antihistamine. These 2 all natural "medicines" and Watson's daily regime of multivitamin/multimineral, probiotic, omega and a chemical minimalist home have forever changed the course of his life. While Watson's life started with a traditional approach to medicine, I'm grateful we learned that there are other options. As of now, Watson -at the age of 4 1/2- has experienced more integrative and now natural approaches to health. How empowering to know that I helped make that difference just be becoming informed AND taking action! Here's to your journey! May it be filled with great health naturally!!!

Unfortunately, not all vitamins are created equally or with integrity. If you're interested in learning more about what to look for in a vitamin and/or nutritional supplement, contact me - penny@greeniam.org. And if you mention empoweredmommies, you not only get a free consultation but also a 10% product discount

living well…going green : vitamins, natural

a journey from traditional medicine to natural health