The Wonders Of Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera, that cactus-looking plant that is actually a succulent, has more benefits than you probably realize. It is has anti- bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Normally thought of as a wonderful salve for skin problems, it also helps with many health issues when ingested in  juice form.

During some past flare-ups of my Ulcerative Colitis (UC), I drank aloe vera juice as part of my healing regimen. That, along with Robert's Formula (the brand I used is no longer available) and a product called Intestinew, quickly brought me back into remission.  Not all aloe vera juices, however, are the same. Some contain aloe latex (aloin) which can exacerbate problems with diarrhea if you have Crohns or UC, although if you have constipation it might be useful. Check the label to make sure it is aloin and preservative-free if you have bowel or other issues.  I used a product called George's Road Runner, expensive, but it is distilled and tasted like water- a quarter of a cup was all I needed. (Remember to always comparison shop when you purchase supplements in retail venues and online.)

The juice and gel can help with many health problems including:

Canker Sores
Crohns
Diabetes (can help manage)
Digestion (it's a great cleanser and detoxifier)
Heartburn
High Blood Pressure
Immunity
Irritable Bowel Syndrom
Sunburn
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcers
Weight loss (can help)

Personally, I wouldn't make my own juice from whole aloe plants, unless you know how to remove the aloin, but I have cut open a leaf and used the gel with success for skin troubles.

Remember to always research how to use supplements, and ask your health practitioner if aloe is right for you.  Since it is a potent medicinal plant, I would use it only as long as you are in the healing process, and not on a regular basis.

To Get The Best Prices For Herbs and Supplements Order Online

As someone who has a hefty regimen of herbs and supplements to take for two chronic conditions (Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis), I decided that purchasing them at the local health food store or Whole Foods was prohibitive.

Although I was never fond of ordering over the Internet, I succumbed when I discovered that I could get all of my supplements often for far less than I could at brick and mortar stores. I started by googling the products I take and discovered two online venues that consistently had the lowest prices: http://www.vitacost.com/ and http://www.luckyvitamin.com/. I have used both of these for years, depending on which had the lowest prices for the supplements I needed at the time. When they varied by a few cents I would then factor in shipping costs.  Lucky Vitamin has free shipping for orders over $100.00 (my orders are usually well over $100.00 per order) and Vitacost had a flat rate for all orders, but has had a free shipping for orders over $49.00 for a while, though that might end soon. 

If your monthly needs are low, then it's probably not worth ordering online, after you factor in the shipping costs.  Then again, it still might be worth it.   I have saved a ton of money over the years ordering online, and sometimes there is a huge difference in price between ordering online and purchasing a product at a vitamin or health food store.   

Recently, I started checking http://www.amazon.com/ for some of my items, and have found some great prices on there,  as well.  I have ordered a few things, but still find the two above mentioned websites to have the best prices.

For example, I have started using Kal's Cox-2 Control Body Comfort, as a replacement for Zyflamend for pain. Whole Foods sells it for $21.95 or so.  On amazon.com you can get it anywhere from $13.19 to $18.74. I purchased it for $11.10 on luckyvitamin since I bought 4 of them (they give price breaks for larger quantities) and since I ordered more than $100.00 worth of products I paid no shipping.  That's a 50% discount for the exact same item. Vitacost does not carry it.

Now you might think the herbs and supplements that you order from an online vendor are old and possibly expired, or they're a generic brand-  they're not, at least not from the vendors I have ordered from.  These are the exact same brand items.

There might be some new sites that have cropped up since I did my research five or so years ago that have better prices, and perhaps I will do another search, but for the time being I will continue to order from any of the companies that I have mentioned. I will update if an when I do make any changes.

FINDING THE BEST PRICE:

To get the biggest bang for your buck you need to compare prices.  Find out how much it costs you to purchase a product in your local health food store, vitamin shop etc. Then check the prices on any of the places I have mentioned above (I am not an affiliate of any of them) or google the product name and 'discount'. It will give you a list of websites that sell that product and their prices. Then check what their shipping charges are, if any. If there is a charge,  factor that in to figure out the total cost of the item.  More often than not, you will save  yourself a heap of money.  I know I have. 

You do have to make sure you order well in advance, before you run out, or you will wind up having to pay premium prices at retail stores, as I have, until the shipment arrives, and that can vary greatly.

Stop Bleeding Naturally With Traditional Chinese Medicine- Yunnan Baiyao

There is nothing more panic-inducing than seeing blood where it shouldn't be; that is - anywhere other than coursing through your veins. Women are used to seeing blood monthly during their menses, but other than that, blood belongs inside one's body. Cuts can usually be dealt with easily, if you haven't chopped off a limb, but when you see blood in your stools it can send one's cortisol levels into overdrive.

Blood in your stool is an indication that something is definitely not right with your innards. Those of us with Ulcerative Colitis (U.C.) are intimate friends with rectal bleeding- it is part and parcel of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and invokes a certain sense of fear when it first appears. It can mean 1 of 2 things, the U.C. has returned, or worse yet, the possibility of colon cancer, since U.C. increases the potential for colon cancer. For those without U.C. it could mean other things.

There are a myriad of reasons you might find blood in your stool or on your toilet paper ranging from relatively harmless hemorrhoids to stomach ulcers to colon cancer. Bright red is an indication that it is closer to the anorectal cavity- hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, IBD. Stools are dark red or maroon with Diverticulosis. Stools can be both bright or dark red with Colon Cancer, but usually dark and "tarry". The darker the color usually indicates blood loss is higher up the digestive tract. There are various allopathic methods of diagnosing blood loss from colonoscopies to capsule endoscopies, which you will definitely need to avail yourself of, if the bleeding continues.

With Ulcerative Colitis, if there is profuse bleeding, high doses of prednisone are often prescribed. I had a terrible time with corticosteroids, so will never take prednisone again, particularly after my amazing experience with a Chinese herb called Yunnan Baiyao, prescribed by my acupuncturist.

Yunnan Baiyao aka Yunnan Paiyao, yunnan pai yao, yun nan bai-yao, yunan bai yao, yunan paiyao, yunnan pai-yao, hunnan baiyao, yuhnahn pie yow or "White Medicine from Yunnan", as it is known in English, comes from southern Yunnan province in China and is a popular formula used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for both internal and external bleeding, among other things. It is truly a miracle herbal medicine, at least for internal bleeding. In my case, it stopped the U.C. bleeding almost immediately on various occasions, and ultimately for good.

HISTORY: It was formulated in China by TCM doctor Qu Huanzhang in 1902 and became an instant success when, after 30,000 bottles were donated to the Chinese Army during the 1937 battle of Taierzhuang, many lives were saved. The formula was later donated to the Chinese government which still manufactures it today. I've been told that it was used by Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War, and that the dead were usually found with an empty vial . Apparently, they would use it to help stop bleeding wounds while they waited for help.

LIST OF INGREDIENTS: From what I understand there are different companies that manufacture Yunnan Baiyao in China. The original formula was and still remains a secret, other than some common ingredients. Although the formula has a proprietary secret blend of who knows what, most of the brands contain Pseudoginseng root (san qi), Chinese yam root ( shan yao), wild yam root (chuan shan long), sweet geranium ( lao guan cao) and lesser galangal root (gao liang jiang). Other substances can include ox gall bladder (bai niu dan), borneol (bing pian) herb of clarke (san yu cao).

USES: Stops bleeding internally and externally. Can be used internally for heavy menstruation, bleeding ulcers, Ulcerative Colitis, and topically on wounds, including gun shot wounds. There are many other uses listed for Yunnan Baiyao including, but not limited to, carbuncles and arthritic pain. Although I am not endorsing any of the following sites (that also happen to sell the product since I prefer to purchase mine through my licensed acupuncturist) they give more detailed information on the variety of uses: Chinese Medecine Herb , Help Of Chinese Medecine.

HOW TO USE: It would be best to consult with your alternative health practitioner for dosing information and/or follow directions on the box. It's available in powder form, capsule, tincture, plaster and spray. With each vial or packet of capsules comes a small red pill. This should only be used in very severe cases of bleeding where there is the possibility of shock.

For external wounds apply directly to the wound, after cleaning. If the wound is deep, squeeze the wound together, place the powder on top of the wound and release after several minutes.

For internal bleeding take as directed. Usually, 2 capsules 4 times a day for adults. 1 capsule 4 times a day for children ages 5 to 12. (Check with your practitioner for how long you should use this product).

Although I have never used it topically, I can personally attest to the fact that it works in amazing ways to stop internal bleeding. The first time I used the product for a week, and the bleeding stopped very soon after using the product. A few times thereafter, I would notice a small amount of blood, but within a day, it would be gone. It has been over a month and I have not seen any recurrence of bleeding. I do know, that if I do see any, one dose will take care of it.

Normally I am very careful about what I ingest, and the fact that not all the ingredients are listed isn't very appealing, but when one is anemic stopping blood loss is of tantamount importance. I suppose, in this case, what I don't know won't harm me.

WARNINGS: Should not be used if pregnant. Keep out of reach of children. Some brands recommend avoiding broad beans, fish, sour or cold foods for 24 hours after taking.

Manufacturer Disclaimer

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Side Effects- Why I prefer herbals over pharmaceuticals

Sometimes the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs are far worse than the actual disease, or at least equally horrendous. If you listen to any of those pharma ads on television or read the massive list of potential side effects on the insert with your drugs, it's enough to scare you half to death. And there are particular ones that can actually cause one's demise. Even some of the commercials add that disclaimer. So, if the disease doesn't kill you (even if it's a non-life-threatening one) the drugs you are given just might. Or cause something worse than what you already have. Some of the biologic drugs given for Rheumatoid Arthritis (like Enbrel, Humira etc) can actually cause serious infection or lymphoma or tuberculosis, so not only will you have to suffer the pain of R.A. you can add the possibility of cancer, and T.B. to the equation. No thank you; and that's why I declined when my rheumatologist initially insisted I take Enbrel.

I have been struggling with anemia since my flare-up of Ulcerative Colitis this past spring, even though I have had no bleeding in a very long while. So my hematologist has been giving me Iron infusions (to boost my ferritin levels), and Procrit shots to boost my hemoglobin, which doesn't seem to want to rise above 9.7. Procrit most often is given to cancer patients to increase red blood cell production, but on the front page of their website it states

WARNINGS: INCREASED MORTALITY, SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR and THROMBOEMBOLIC EVENTS, and INCREASED RISK OF TUMOR PROGRESSION OR RECURRENCE

So, in other words, if you have cancer it could make it worse, or recur. That's encouraging. As for my experience with Procrit, I noticed shortly after my first shot that all my joints were suddenly aching again. I had my R.A. pretty much under control with herbs and supplements for well over 3 years, so I wondered what might have set off what appeared to be an R.A. flare. I then realized that the pain would start to subside towards the end of the 2 week waiting period between shots, and rear its ugly head after each shot. I checked with the hematologist and sure enough, one of the many other side effects of Procrit is joints and muscle aches. Bingo. So now I have to endure the pain of R.A. to get my blood back in order.

For some reason, I seem to be very susceptible to adverse side effects with pharma drugs. When I was prescribed heavy doses of prednisone for the Ulcerative Colitis flare this year, I got all the miserable side effects: from Cushings Syndrome (the chipmunk, moon face) and blurred vision to edema and hair loss. Even though I started bleeding again once I tapered off, I refused to go back on prednisone. Just as well I didn't listen to my Gastro because my acupuncturist put me temporarily on some Chinese Herbs for bleeding, Yunnan Bai Yao (spelled many different ways) and the bleeding stopped immediately. No side-effects.

I have also had major troubles with the Mesalamine Drugs for the Ulcerative Colitis. Lialda gave me major abdominal pain. Apriso, did not help, so was switched to Pentasa, all of which have caused (in addition to the prednisone) major hair loss. Thankfully I had very thick hair, but I have lost well more than half, as a result of taking the drugs. Even though the drugs all have disclaimers about

Mild hair loss characterized by "more hair in the comb"

Mine has been more than mild. There is more hair on my floors, carpets and hair brush than on my head. Clumps of hair come out when washing my hair, not a pleasant sight. Since I finally seem to be in remission with the Ulcerative Colitis after 9 long months- thanks mostly to herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture- I am weaning myself off of the Pentasa. I am now taking 2 per day (down from 8) and will continue with 2 for a little while longer, and then be done with it. Am hoping the hair will grow back once I am off it altogether.

Granted, there can be side effects with certain herbs (though virtually none with homeopathics), but certainly not as many as with pharmaceutical drugs. I will always opt for the natural route over the allopathic since it works far better with far less side effects.

UPDATE: My Ulcerative Colitis and Acupuncture

I thought I would update everyone on my progress since my last post on alternative treatments for Ulcerative Colitis.

ON THE MEDICAL INTUITIVE AND HOMEOPATHY

When I last wrote, I had just started on the herbal and homeopathic protocol prescribed by the medical intuitive, which turned out to be a huge mistake. Perhaps it was mere coincidence, but I took a major turn for the worse a short while after starting the regimen. Whereas I had no problems with urgency to go, beforehand, I suddenly had a terrible time controlling my bowel movements. I also became very nauseous, so I decided not to continue. My visit to the gastroenterologist was also disastrous. Had I not needed to have my health back on track by the beginning of June, when I was scheduled to start rehearsals for a play I had committed to last year, I would have said "bye-bye" and found another gastro; but pressed for time I opted to deal with him, anyway. He prescribed a new mesalamine drug called Lialda, and Canasa medicated suppositories, and scheduled my colonoscopy a week before I was due to start rehearsals. With no other choice, I waited the 3 weeks for the test. In the meantime, after taking the first Lialda, I suddenly developed a terrible pain in my left side. At first I thought it might be gas, but it got worse, and after 10 days, upon the docs approval, we switched to Apriso, another mesalamine drug. Miraculously, the pain ceased. Although the doctor was sceptical about the pain being caused by Lialda, I am convinced it was.

ON THE COLONOSCOPY:

In the meantime, because of the nausea, I started losing weight. Food became totally unappetizing to me, so I started seeing an acupuncturist, twice a week. It helped quite a bit, until my dreaded colonoscopy, which set me back even further. The doctor had prescribed MoviPrep, and as anyone who has ever had a colonoscopy knows, the prep is worse than the test itself. I've had colonoscopies before, but have never experienced anything like this. Because of the nausea I was having a very difficult time with the liquid. Scheduled to start drinking 4 - 8 ounce glasses (plus an additional 16 ounces of liquid) at 5 p.m. the day before the procedure, and then again at 5 a.m. the following morning, I was able to down all but the last 1/3 of my 4th glass, when I proceeded to vomit most of the liquid up. Several hours later, I was vomiting blood, so a call to the doctor saved me the torture of drinking another 4 glasses the following morning, but I was told to use fleet enemas (which were too painful to use) and Dulcolax which did nothing. So when I dragged myself to the facility, the following morning, I had to have a warm water enema, which took 3 times to finally be done with, since I was in such pain.

ON THE DIAGNOSIS

As expected, I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis, and this time it was all the way up the left colon. I was also told I had mild gastritis, and the doctor prescribed 40 mg of prednisone, and Rowasa enemas, in addition to the Apriso. Again, had I not been had a show to rehearse, I would have refused the prednisone. I was to take it for 10 days and then decrease by 5 mg every week. Since I was to be out of town for 6 weeks, we also arranged to have a followup with a doctor in that city.

3 WEEKS OF HELL

I was able to arrange an appointment with the doctor a week after I arrived at my destination, but in the meantime I had a call from my gastro that my hemoglobin was 9.4 and that he wanted me to take 150 mg of iron a day, along with 500 mg of Vitamin C, and to have my blood monitored weekly. I decided I would continue with acupuncture and made appointments with 2 different acupuncturists. One was from China, the other was western trained. At first I wasn't sure which I preferred, but both had different techniques and the western AP utilized different modalities, so I chose to see them both. So for the first 3 weeks I was there, I went 4 times a week, before my 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. rehearsals.

By now, the nausea was terrible and I had to force myself to eat. Even a few bites of food was a challenge, and I was dropping pounds very rapidly. I actually wound up losing almost 30 pounds, during this whole episode, which was great for the play, since the description of the character is a slim, plain woman, but this was not the way I would have wanted to lose the weight, and I was starting to look anorexic.

When I finally had my appointment with the new gastro I was told I was one step from the hospital and that he would do his best to keep me out, but no guarantees. He upped the dosage of Apriso to 6 per day, for 4 weeks, extended the prednisone for another 10 days at 40 milligrams. I was to continue with the enemas for 4 weeks (or until I was done with the boxes I had). He also told me to take Reglan for 2 weeks (for the nausea- although I stopped after 1 week, because it made me dizzy) and also prescribed Kapidex for the gastritis, to be taken for 12 weeks.

ON THE MIRACLE OF ACUPUNCTURE

It took a tremendous effort to get through the rehearsal day, some days worse than others, but the acupuncture was my saving grace. If I had a stomach ache in the morning, it would be gone after an AP session, and finally by the Friday before we opened, the nausea had gone, I had my appetite back, and day by day I felt better and stronger. 1 1/2 weeks before I left, after an acupuncture session, I finally started having formed stools. Even though my hemoglobin kept getting lower (a blood test on June 30th indicated it was 7.7), I felt strong, and I attribute that to the acupuncture. Both acupuncturists were dealing with the U.C., the anemia and stress. The Chinese acupuncturist prescribe some Chinese herbs, but on the two occasions I took them I got very sick, so decided it would be best to wait until I am done with at least the prednisone, before I start taking them again.

I am back home now, and have set up an appointment with another acupuncturist because I had a bit of a set back, due to some stress, but I'm sure he will have me back on track again.

I saw my gastro here last week and took another blood test. The other doctor had upped my iron to 300 mg a day, and it seems it might be finally kicking in as my hemoglobin is up to 9.4. This doctor wants me to get an iron infusion, but I think I would like to wait another few weeks to see if it continues to rise. I am ever hopeful.


UPDATE 9/27/2104: I have been in remission since 2010

My U.C. story and what helped back then.

Help for U.C. bleeding with Chinese herb Yunnan Baiyao.

Ulcerative Colitis- Natural Alternatives To Healing

Other than a great way to lose weight, there is NOTHING about Ulcerative Colitis (UC) that is fun.

I was diagnosed with UC back in 1990, or so, when I was living in Minnesota. I had just gone through a very stressful period of time, and after several weeks of profuse rectal bleeding I reluctantly made my way to a gastroenterologist. I have never been fond of, nor had any faith in allopathic medicine. In fact, it had been years since I had even taken any vitamin or herbal remedy, let alone an aspirin; but a toilet bowl full of blood and other nasty looking liquids was enough to scare me into seeing a doctor.

I was treated to my first humiliating (and painful) sigmoidoscopy, and was told I had severe Ulcerative Colitis. The doc was actually amazed that I wasn't in more pain, considering the severity, but I knew the healthy, high fiber diet I had been on for years had held me in good stead. I went on western meds, and after a while went into remission. Since then I have had quite a few flare-ups, but long periods of remission. In fact, my last flareup (until a month or so ago) was in 2001.

Although most doctors will tell you it has nothing to do with diet, they are WRONG. Yes, stress is a huge factor but diet plays a major role in UC, at least in mine. Every single flare-up I have had has been a combination of stress and diet. I just can't eat cheese. A little cream cheese isn't problematic, but any kind of hard cheese from swiss to parmesan, from cow to goat, has contributed to a flare-up. I have learned the hard way that dairy is not my friend. Prior to one flare-up I had read that goat's cheese did not have lactose. Not true. I used a little goat cheese to add a little zest to my tasteless soy cheese, and within a short time, there I was bleeding again. Needless to say I stopped using dairy cheese altogether, because I realized that it was a major source of my UC. But, I didn't stop dairy altogether. I used a little parmesan very occasionally, and didn't worry about eating something that had milk in it, like a pudding, once in a while, but that was an enormous mistake. While my sister was visiting at the end of December last year, and then again in Feb, I overindulged in dairy-based desserts and used parmesan cheese too often, and after 8 years in remission, it came back with a vengeance.

Although I have used western meds in the past, for flare-ups, I have had much success, at times, with various herbal protocols, which I am going to share with you here. Although, please note, I am not giving medical advice, just sharing what has helped me in the past.

CARROT/SPINACH JUICE:

During one flare-up, I was able to go into remission after a few months of juicing. Juice fresh carrot and spinach, about half and half and drink 3 times daily. Sip slowly. I was not on allopathic meds, at the time. However, I did try this the following flare-up, and it didn't seem to help. But it's worth a try.

ALOE VERA JUICE, INTESTINEW, ROBERT'S FORMULA:

During my last flare-up, after 9 months of zero relief from the western medicine I was on (Asacol and Rowasa Suppositories) and my gastro basically giving up on me, I decided to experiment with some herbal protocols. I did some research on the Internet, and read a great book by Jini Patel Thompson entitled "Listen To Your Gut" that gives some great advice regarding a holistic approach to dealing with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I chose the following 3 products:

George's Road Runner Aloe Vera Juice - 1/3 cup, 3 times daily. Has great healing and antiviral properties and helps with the inflammation. Tastes like distilled water. Thompson recommends this particular brand because it has no additives, and the Aloin is removed, which is the component in Aloe Vera that has a laxative affect. Something, none of us needs.

Intestinew (by Renewlife)- 2 capfuls per day, upon rising and at bed time. Mix in glass of water. I use a small wire beater to mix the product in the water. Intestinew

Supports the integrity and healthy function of the intestinal lining.

Robert's Formula- I used the product made by Gaia Herbs, but they recently took it off the market for other than licensed practitioners. It was a liquid, that worked wonders. It is specifically for IBD sufferers. They do sell it in pill form, though some contain animal derivatives,whereas Gaia's did not. It isn't easy to find, however.

I immediately started the protocol, while weaning myself off the Asacol and Rowasa. Within several weeks I noticed a marked change. The symptoms started disappearing, and except for a setback after a month, because I started eating too much fiber too soon, within 3 months I was totally symptom free.

So when I started noticing problems a few months ago, I immediately started on the same regimen. This time, however, I did not have the results I expected. I also had to stop the Robert's Formula because the main ingredients are Echinacea/Goldenseal, and since they are immune boosters, they started kicking in the R.A. (Rheumatoid Arthritis), which started making me feel very achy.

So, I have chosen to go to a gastroenterologist, but in the meantime, consulted with a medical intuitive who has me on some homeopathic and herbal remedies. No improvement yet, but I will update this if I do.

Good luck with your path to healing. And remember, please research before you take any herbal remedies, and check with your doctor if you are on any western meds that might not sit well with the herbs.

The wonders of Holistic medicine

Frasypoo, from This and That blog, is jumping on board with Mind, Body and Spirit. Frasy hails from India and is very knowledgeable about Ayurvedic and Homeopathic remedies, so when she has time, she will be posting about those alternative healing methods.

Ayurveda, like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is an ancient system of healing which has helped people for centuries. Homeopathy is relatively newer (from the early 1800s), but equally efficacious. As with allopathic (western) medicine, a certain amount of experimentation is needed, as certain methods will work better on certain people, but it is well worth the effort.

I have always been interested in alternative and complementary medicine, because not only does it work, there are far less risks involved when dealing with herbs etc. The major difference between western and holistic medicine is that western medicine merely treats the symptoms, whereas holistic medicine treats the body, mind and spirit as a whole. Those 3 aspects of our being are inextricably linked, and when one is out of balance, it can adversely affect the other aspects. So when you see a holistic practitioner, they will usually spend about an hour or an hour and a half for the initial consultation. They will ask a series of personal and health-related questions to get an idea of what might be out of sink. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners (TCM) will check pulses and your tongue. This enables them to gauge how best to treat you. Unlike, allopathic medicine, it is definitely not a one size fits all kind of treatment.

I have had great success with alternative medicine. About 16 years ago I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis (ulceration of the colon), an Auto-Immune disorder with no known cause or cure. Although most western doctors deny that nutrition has any bearing on the dis-ease, I discovered that cheese was always a factor in my flare-ups, so now I refuse to eat it. Thankfully, I have been in remission for 4 plus years, but my last flare-up lasted 9 months on western meds with no end in sight. Fed-up with my Gastroenterologist, who was at a loss as to why his meds weren't helping, I did some research on herbal remedies and opted to try a protocol of Robert's Formula (specifically for U.C.); a product called Intestinew by Renew Life (strengthens the integrity of the lining of the stomach and colon), and George's Roadrunner Aloe Vera juice (healing agent). Even though my doctor insisted herbs would be of no use, within a month I was starting to heal, and within 3 months I was in total remission. I've been fine ever since, without taking anything. That sold me on herbal remedies. Needless to say, I never went back to the doctor.

Then, in December of 2004, I became very ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis, another auto-immune disorder with no cure or known cause. Within 5 short weeks every joint in my body, from my shoulders down, was in excruciating pain. At one point I was hospitalized because they thought I was bleeding internally, from the 6 Advils per day that I was taking, which, by the way, did absolutely nothing for the pain. My SED Rate (the measure of inflammation in one's body) was 121, when I was first diagnosed. Normal is 0 to 20! I could barely walk, couldn't move my arms more than an inch or 2 from my body, because my shoulders froze from lack of use. It was just too darn painful to move them. I wish someone had warned me about the importance of exercise, even when in pain. It's very important to exercise when you have arthritic conditions.

At first, my Rheumatologist wanted to put me on Enbrel (a heavy-duty auto-immune suppressant) claiming my hands would become crippled and deformed if I didn't. Stubborn as I am, I refused. I agreed to take Bextra, but in the meantime I started seeing a TCM/Acupuncturist. I reached a plateau with him, and stopped. Meanwhile, had to have physical therapy (for the frozen shoulders). When I was done with that, I started seeing a Naturopath/Acupuncturist who helped me reach another level of wellness. In the meantime, I started researching and experimenting, on my own, with various herbs. Bextra went off the market, and yet I kept improving with just the herbs and supplements, much to the amazement of my Rheumatologist. My SED rate now fluctuates between 1 and 7, well within the normal range. And my knuckles are as perfect as they always were. Although a major sceptic at first, my Rheumatologist is now a believer, and has even told other patients about my success.

The only downside is that the healing process ,with most natural remedies, often takes longer, and you need to have patience. But for me it was truly well worth it. You also need to thoroughly research the products, so it is usually best to use the guidance of a holistic practitioner if you're not willing to take the risks, particularly if you are on western meds, as well.

The wonderful thing, though, is that there are certain complementary therapies, like acupuncture, that are becoming more widely accepted by the western medical establishment. I think people will benefit greatly from that emerging awareness and acceptance of the benefits of alternative medicine.