It can be difficult to stay healthy. We are told about all the germs that constantly surround us, the people who are fighting viruses and infections, and the less than nutritious food that most of us consume at least occasionally. That said, these are not the only things that keep us from being healthy.
There is a growing trend in the United States of people wanting to focus on staying healthy through natural means. At the same time, there is continually more resistance toward these people. From those who choose not to use prescriptive medications, to those who seek naturopathic/homeopathic remedies, we are the people now forced to the fringe of society.
There is a growing trend in the United States of people wanting to focus on staying healthy through natural means. At the same time, there is continually more resistance toward these people. From those who choose not to use prescriptive medications, to those who seek naturopathic/homeopathic remedies, we are the people now forced to the fringe of society.
Why Is Focusing On Eating Well So Wrong?
Over the last few years, I have learned a lot about food, what it contains, and what it takes to eat healthy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still eat the occasional fast food and pizza. However, what I choose to eat most of the time are healthier options, choosing to eat organic, and preferably from sources that I actually know something about.
Apparently, there is a relatively new diagnosis for people with an “excessive preoccupation” with eating healthy. This is called orthorexia nervosa. Now, there are people who may be obsessive about it to a point of actually being malnourished. However, what this kind of diagnosis does is creates a stigma about people who think like this, which creates a hesitation toward being healthy.
Apparently, there is a relatively new diagnosis for people with an “excessive preoccupation” with eating healthy. This is called orthorexia nervosa. Now, there are people who may be obsessive about it to a point of actually being malnourished. However, what this kind of diagnosis does is creates a stigma about people who think like this, which creates a hesitation toward being healthy.
What About Seeking Natural Or Alternative Remedies?
What actually spurred my desire to write this was an article I saw on Health.com about why the FDA is really honing in on homeopathy. Now I understand the desire to protect people from so-called snake oil sellers. However, as the article points out, a few bad apples can spoil the whole bunch.
Medicine, traced back to its roots, comes back to people sharing with each other the things they found to help with whatever ailment they were fighting. Even in modern science, medication starts with someone finding something that seems to work.
Medicine, traced back to its roots, comes back to people sharing with each other the things they found to help with whatever ailment they were fighting. Even in modern science, medication starts with someone finding something that seems to work.
What Regulation Is Really All About
While the thought of regulating things for our safety is noble and all, I have to challenge this thought with follow the money. The FDA receives on average over $100 million just for an application for a new drug, with the total costs bringing a new drug to market up to around $2.6 billion.
With that kind of money invested, there is a certainly a desire to protect that investment, and to create scarcity for the solution. Naturopathic and homeopathic options are more widely available, including through home development. This creates competition for the drug companies, and threatens their ability make a profit on their investment.
While this may seem very cynical, consider that things may not be the way you have been taught to look at them through your whole life.
With that kind of money invested, there is a certainly a desire to protect that investment, and to create scarcity for the solution. Naturopathic and homeopathic options are more widely available, including through home development. This creates competition for the drug companies, and threatens their ability make a profit on their investment.
While this may seem very cynical, consider that things may not be the way you have been taught to look at them through your whole life.
Open Your Mind To Other Possibilities
Before about 4 years ago, I was totally sold on the approach and philosophy to modern medicine. However, that has since changed, mainly because we had to look for other alternatives for some of the challenges our second child faced as an infant. The result has been an awakening to information and evidence I was previously biased against. If you truly desire to live a healthy life, open your mind, and be willing to consider that you may need to relearn what you consider to be healthy, and what you consider trustworthy sources of information.
How have you had to change the way you think about things over your life? Share your story with us in the comments below.
How have you had to change the way you think about things over your life? Share your story with us in the comments below.
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