[Medicine-for-people] Alternative Medicine Hall of Shame

Thu May 1 08:39:57 PDT 2008

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Medicine for People!

May, 2008
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Contents
  - Debunking Hocus Pocus
  - Alternative Medicine Hall of Shame
    - Liver Flush
    - Illness is Your Own Fault
    - Fluoride Scare
    - Homeopathic Rauwolfia
    - Mercury Amalgam
    - And the List Goes On
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=== Debunking Hocus Pocus ===

Last month I put forth the hope that we and our children will be able 
to access the best of the various schools of medicine discussed in 
our last newsletter 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2008/2008April.html.  Each 
of these healing systems has strengths and weaknesses.  Since most of 
our American experience has been with mainstream doctors, we know 
most about their shortcomings.

For many people, disillusioned about mainstream medicine, anything 
"alternative" carries cachet.   Unfortunately, this faith in 
alternatives creates an arena for errors, ranging from 
poorly-researched hope-based cures to outright fraud.  I urge you to 
be as skeptical about alternatives as you are about mainstream 
medicine, perhaps more so, since most alternatives have not been 
subject to substantial research or critical evaluation.

In this month's newsletter, I take a look at several popular 
alternatives that I find useless if not damaging.

== Alternative Medicine Hall of Shame ==

= Liver Flush =
The Claims: The so-called "liver flush" purports to flush gallstones 
from the 
gallbladder. 
(http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dietarytherapy/a/LiverFlush.htm) It 
involves drinking water, juice, olive oil and other 
substances.  Advocates of "colonic therapy" make the same claim and 
show their customers firm gray or black nodules that come from the 
colon.  They claim these are gallstones.
The Truth:  They may look like gallstones, but there is not one whit 
of evidence that they truly are gallstones.  Mix oil, water, and the 
contents of the GI tract and you can create a nodule of sludge.  Real 
gallbladder disease involves not just stones but irreversible changes 
in the gallbladder wall.  Most people with a real gallstone in their 
intestine suffer so much pain they rejoice at the suggestion of surgery.

Many people have consulted me about real gallstones appearing on 
X-ray or ultrasound.  Some of those people have tried a "liver flush" 
or colonic therapy to remove the stones.  Not one has 
succeeded.  While occasionally someone will find their discomfort is 
reduced by a restrictive diet, this is usually temporary.

A "colonic" involves instillation of fluid into the colon.  Usually 
the fluid lacks the minerals in our blood, which then leach from our 
bodies out into the fluid, quickly reducing sodium, calcium, 
potassium and other mineral levels in the bloodstream.  As a result, 
the person receiving the treatment will experience mineral fluxes in 
the brain and a mild alteration in consciousness as a result.   I 
suspect this is the real cause of whatever elevated feeling some 
people may experience during the procedure.  To the extent that the 
procedure treats constipation, it can replace an enema. Beyond that I 
am not sure it is of much value.

The Dangers:  Trying to flush out gallstones by drinking olive oil 
can induce nausea and vomiting or cause the gallbladder to contract 
excessively.  This can lead, albeit not usually, to emergency 
surgery.  Colonics can cause an electrolyte imbalance resulting in 
fatigue, nausea, headache and, in extreme cases, seizure.

= Illness is Your Own Fault =
The Claim:  All illness, including cancer, is a result of poor 
lifestyle, poor diet, pesticides from food or gardening, negative 
thoughts, or some sin from a past life.
The Truth:  Sometimes we just get sick and we don't know why. It's 
hard enough to be ill.  Don't let some quack tell you it's your fault.

= Fluoride Scare =
The Claim:   In sufficient quantities, fluoride is a poison.
The Truth:  Many substances are poisonous in sufficient 
quantities.   Too much oxygen is poisonous for a newborn.  Too much 
sodium and potassium will harm adults.  Fluoride exposure at the 
proper amount is a blessing.   One of my boys insisted on flossing 
his teeth with Snickers bars, but thanks to dental sealants and 
fluoride, his teeth look way better than mine.
The Dangers:  Avoid fluoride and end up with dental disease.

= Homeopathic Rauwolfia =
The Claim:  homeopathic doses of rauwolfia lower blood pressure.
The Truth: Rauwolfia, an herb, is effective for high blood pressure. 
( http://www.rienstraclinic.com/health_info/documents/Carditone.pdf ) 
Indeed, when I was in medical school, under the brand name Serpasil, 
it was one of our few remedies.  Later largely abandoned by medical 
authorities, it has recently enjoyed resurgence as a homeopathic 
remedy.  Homeopathic theory says that if something causes a symptom 
at high doses it will trigger the opposite symptom at low doses.  By 
that theory rauwolfia which lowers blood pressure in high doses would 
raise blood pressure in homeopathic doses. Both in theory and 
practice this product is total and complete nonsense.
The Dangers:  Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attack 
and stroke.  Mainstream methods, including lifestyle changes and 
medications, safely and effectively lower blood pressure, preventing 
thousands of strokes every year.

= Mercury Amalgam =
The claim:  Mercury amalgam in your dental fillings is a toxin that 
causes brain damage in children, Alzheimer's in old folks, stomach 
aches, lethargy, and the list goes on.  To stay healthy you must 
remove the mercury amalgam and replace it with some other 
substance.  The mercury fillings must be removed correctly or more 
harm can result.
The Truth:  Mercury is a poison.  However mercury in our teeth is 
like the asbestos in the pipe insulation.  As long as it is 
sequestered, it doesn't cause significant harm. That said, if you 
don't have mercury in your teeth, ask your dentist to keep it that 
way.  They have pretty good plastics these days, and dentists are 
happy to use them.

One of my patients consulted two different "holistic dentists" on the 
Olympic Peninsula.  Both used an instrument purported to measure 
electric currents ion the teeth caused by the mercury fillings so 
they would know which fillings to remove first.   Each came up with a 
different result, and the patient decided to trust neither one.  As 
the years passed and his fillings came up for replacement, his usual 
dentist switched them all to plastic or gold.
The Danger:   I've seen too many sick people put thousands of 
hard-to-come-by dollars into mercury removal, and I've not seen 
long-term success.  They come in and say "I still feel bad.  What do 
I do now?"

= And the List Goes On =
To read about more candidates for the Alternative Medicine Hall of 
Shame, follow these links to past newsletters:
Mexican Yam "Hormone Substitute" 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/health_info/hormones/yam_scam.html
Multi-level Multiple Vitamins 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2002/2002Nov.html
Coral Calcium http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2003/2003May.html
Ear Candles http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2002/2002Oct.html
"Purifying" Rashes http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2004/2004Oct.html
Supplement Quality http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007April.html
Pseudo-Science and Alternative Cancer Treatments 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007October.html

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=== Recent issues of Medicine for People! ===
April, 2008  Integrating Western and Alternative Medicine 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2008/2008April.html
March, 2008  Evolution of a Doctor 
http://rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2008/2008March.html
February, 2008  Diagnostic Testing 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2008/2008February.html
January, 2008  Love Your Colon; Honor Your Anus 
http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2008/2008January.html
December, 2007  What I Learned in 
Jail  http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007December.html
November, 2007  How to Talk to your Doctor, Winter and Vitamin D, 
Mercury-free Flu 
Vaccine  http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007November.html
October, 2007  What is Science, Colon Cancer Screening 
Update  http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007October.html
September, 2007  Perscription Medicines: When to Use them, When to 
Lose Them  http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007September.html
August, 2007  Resist the Hype, Summer 
Scrapes  http://www.rienstraclinic.com/newsletter/2007/2007August.html

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Medicine for People! is written by Douwe Rienstra MD, edited by 
Carolyn Latteier, and published at Port Townsend, Washington. 
Copyright May 2008.

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