Naturopathy is something I've seen great benefits from, on a variety of different conditions, as it is something I've both studied and practiced in my personal life and businesses for years.
While the majority of my formal training is in aromatherapy (to be clear; aromatherapy is not just about making pretty smells, but includes the isolated chemical reaction of essential oils by way of inhalation, dermal absorption, and/or ingestion in order to calm or stimulate specific biochemical reactions within the body) and reflexology (which is something similar to acupuncture; but not nearly as effective) outside of that I've also studied and placed into practice many culturally traditional medicines which are based in natural found ingredients and I've found many of these old time treatments to be highly effective as well.
For shits n giggles, I studied iridology and phrenology once upon a time, and these so called "sciences" are indeed nothing more than hokum.
Ear candling as well is something I took the time and money to invest in and was sadly disappointed in; but at least I learned that the claims and practice itself is complete and utter tripe.
The use of crystals, medicine bags and different metals and/or talismans are nothing more than a placebo; they will work if you believe they work simply because the mind is a powerful thing and does indeed have a effect on some areas of health and wellbeing.
I also did some basic (independent text based) studies in Chinese natural cures and many of these seem to have some valid implications (though not all); but I didn't continue with many practical applications of what I had studied simply because I find it hard to justify the use of endangered animal byproducts to simply indulge my personal curiosity, though I had observed that a great deal of the botanical remedies suggested did indeed have beneficial effects, or so it seemed.
What I have found is that essential oils and organic ingredients (when used correctly) do in fact have true chemical properties and therein the ability to treat, improve, remedy and/or calm different ailments of the mind and body, and being as many of our modern day medicines are derived and/or otherwise inspired by these old age treatments I personally can't help but feel it gives these areas of natural medicine further validity as truly beneficial treatments.
In short:
Homeopathy- I'm still very much on the fence with that because as I've said I've not seen enough evidence (whether it be via controlled scientific studies or my own personal observations) to be confident in its chemical properties or abilities as a valid source of treatment; but it had worked for me, which is why I wouldn't completely discount it at this point.
Naturopathy- In my personal experience and observations I can say that there are some valid forms of natural remedies which do in fact work, but there are many other methods of natural "treatment" which have about as much credit as the divine psychologies (= complete and utter BS) so I would highly suggest that anyone who might be looking at natural remedies do some research prior to placing too much stock into some of the available "therapies" out there.
Hope this helps
I can't help but it find your reference to "snake oil" to hold a bit of comedic irony OG because the homeopathic remedy which I was prescribed (and which worked for me) was python regius- lol
Also OG, I would love if you would be open to offering some insight as to how this may have worked, if you firmly believe it's simply a placebo because as I said, I'm a skeptic, and as such I
still find it hard to accept that python enzymes are what I need to take in order to effectively treat my condition.
Here's a bit of background on my personal condition:
The condition we were treating was numbness spreading throughout the left and than right side of my body.
Because the symptoms I was experiencing very closely resembled the onset of MS, I had been sent to neurologists and given CAT, MRI, oracular nerve testing and other test which I don't remember (in 2003), all of which came back clear; but the numbness was still present and persisting- spreading to my right side until one day it seemingly just stopped.
Nerve damage seemed to exist in that I never recovered full sensation in my left side (the feeling was always somewhat desensitized following my 2003 episode); but it was less, and non invasive, until its reappearing in full force again in 2010, at which time I tried homeopathy in an attempt to rid myself of the numbing nightmare without having to wait for it to naturally subside as it had in 2003 (it had taken just over a year to dissipate on its own).
If you read my previous post, you'll see that I tried very hard to account for placebo because I honestly did have a very hard time accepting that the treatment was in any way valid; but it did work (even when I didn't know if I was taking it or not) and continued to work until I had run out of the remedy I was taking, at which time the numbness had come back despite my trying to out will its existence.
While the degree of numbness very much tended to wax and wane, in 2012 it had hit me moderately hard again, and I tried very hard to undermine it's existence and will it away. During this time I had used some of my essential oils in an effort to increase circulation (hoping to stimulate blood flow to the numbed nerve endings or to induce a placebo effect) but to no avail.
Come 2014 the numbness was in full spectrum; again spreading from my left side in to areas of my face and over to my right side. At this point I was sick of trying to will myself back to normal and gave in to finding the python regius online and having it delivered to my house. Within a few doses the numbness subsided, against my belief that it would in fact work again because so much that I had tried had failed me; but it did work, despite my disbelief.
Now the questions I have (if you're willing to indulge me) are:
1. If modern medicine could not find a medical reasoning for the numbness, where did it come from?
2. If I was skeptical about homeopathy, how did it in fact work to relieve my symptoms (numbness) the first time I tried it?
3. If it was in fact a placebo effect which had alleviated my symptoms, than why didn't something I truly believe in (aromatherapy) have the same effect in later years?
4. Why does the numbness return (in whole or in part) if I stop taking the python (which I typically do simply because I think its silly that snake juice is something I need to take on a long term basis)?
5. Everything in my logical mind tells me that this remedy shouldn't work, thus how can it be a placebo if I doubt its very validity/reasonable grounds for effectiveness?
Thanks so much for your time and any insight you might be able to give here because it still boggles my mind that this remedy has actually worked for me.
Pam
