Whenever I go to the western doctor, the nurse asks "what medications do you take?" They always seem very surprised when I answer "none" as if they have never heard that from a 60 something before.
At 64 we should be healthy. At 54 we should be healthy. At 34, at 24, at 14 and at 4, health should be the norm, not the exception. Yet here we are, nearly all of us sick. Sick with SOMETHING.
Conditions we are told are "normal" include: acid reflux, headaches, indigestion, bowel movement irregularities, frequent injuries, sinus congestion, cavities, bad breath, acne, and chronic pain of many types. For these, most of us head to the drug store, choose some expensive toxin for ourselves and hope it relieves the symptom. At this earliest stage of illness, we often mistake symptoms for causes.
Conditions the western doctors admit are more worrisome but still nothing unusual include: a broad range of auto-immune diseases, asthma, ADD, autism, mood disorders, arthritis, osteoporosis, blood pressure irregularities, heart rate irregularities, high cholesterol, sleep disorders, dementia, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, Epstein Barr etc. For these the doctors say "tut tut take this" and many of us just do so and hope it helps.
And then of course there are the horrible diseases, some of which we are told are rare even though we all know more than one person who has suffered from them or their like: MS, Parkinson's, cancer, and ALS. To treat these illnesses doctors prescribe either their most toxic drugs or nothing at all, and we just hope.
So why am I one of the rare 60-something humans with no medical conditions of any kind?
There are many reasons for this. One is my diet, which the doctors think is voodoo, but you and I know it's not. There is no best diet. Find the one that best suits you.
Another is my lifestyle. I get outside for extended periods everyday. I sing, dance and fool around with a couple of instruments. I write, I learn and I find things to be joyful about regularly. There is always something to be joyful about.
Whenever I do find myself uncomfortable in any way, I treat my symptoms by natural means, which can include homeopathy, diet changes, herbal tinctures and salves, rest if indicated, and careful use of essential oils. Sometimes I just need more sun. If something more serious comes up, such as the flu, I rest, take natural remedies as indicated, drink salted chicken broth, and let my body do the rest. I do not take pharmaceutical medications of any kind, except for aspirin if I am in extreme unrelieved pain, which is very rare.
I avoid toxins as much as possible in my food, my water, my cleaning supplies, my fabrics, my every move.
But then, I've known people who do all of these things, along with their vision boards and self-help books, and still contract some horrible disease. What sets me apart from them?
This is the question I have been mulling over for nearly two weeks now. I think the answer came to me just yesterday, and all I had to do to have my little epiphany was to step outside my back door.
I have a pot of swamp milkweed on my deck. I found five monarch caterpillars on it, ravenously eating the milkweed. The next day they were gone. Interestingly, the milkweed, while nearly defoliated, would surely live to flower. Those ravenous caterpillars were careful not to destroy their ecosystem.
On this day I understood that the earth and all her creatures have the power to heal themselves.
Yes, positive thinking, exercise, good food, and natural remedies as necessary (less is more!), are all part of health. But I think listening to the earth turn and the caterpillars eat and the trees talk is even more important. This leads me to the simplest of understandings.
I consider the body to be healthy even when it is sick. I trust my body to make its best effort to heal itself. I know that it will send me messages in the form of symptoms if it needs my help, and guide me to what that help should be.
The Earth does the same.
This is my entry to @ecotrain's Question of the Week: https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@ecotrain/ecotrain-qotw-what-is-more-important-for-good-health-emotions-diet-exercise-positive-thinking-or-something-else
For more on the milkweed: https://steempeak.com/wednesdaywalk/@owasco/wednesday-walk-without-butterflies
Thanks for reading! See you on the flip side!
such a special post! I submitted it for c-squared curation, and you got it! Congratulations, its really worth it.. your message is golden!
Oh thank you so much! And thanks for letting me know it was you. peace!
If @eco-alex hadn't already done it, I would have @owasco. :) x
So happy to hear this has been well received - what an honor and a gift.
It's the simplest things that are the most difficult to understand.
thank you!
I am sick but avoid doctors and meds since years. You won't see me visit a doctor for a soar throat, coughing, sneezing, allergies, my bloodpressure, a general check up, etc etc.
So I am healthy.
They all find it strange I have not seen a doctor in years, do not take meds. As I finally went they sent me to hospital (and could not find anything).
We are labelled, the older you get the sicker you are. High bloodpressure, weird hormone levels, diabetic, heart failure I should have it all. 😐
Yes then they tell us it's just normal aging and to get used to it. They have no idea what they are doing! Staying away is the best way to live a long and healthy life
Today I left the hospital. The doctor made me wait for hours although I was second so I left. She did not do anything the two times I had to show up before so it was a big waste of my time (had to wake up at 5:30 am to be there at 8 am). I have better things to do.
💕
Did you find the chrysalis? Some appeared on our barn a couple days after the first post you made about the caterpillars.
I looked briefly, but no. I haven't found a single cocoon, as it they never existed. And there were SIX on that one small plant I can now see.
I read a post on another platform yesterday and they said wasps were killing off their monarch caterpillars. Several people chimed in and said it had happened at their place. made me think of your disappearing caterpillars..
We only had the 2 chrysalis this time...
Oh bummer! I didn't see any wasps though. I had LOTS of butterflies of many types before I saw the caterpillars though, more than ever.
Great writeup! I totally agree @owasco. We have to heal ourselves and listen to our bodies. Sun, fresh air and fresh water are better than any pill.
Milkweed is so important for the monarch butterfly. I was so happy to know you have some on your deck and the monarch caterpillars were eating it.
U&R
That's just one pot on my deck. I've been cultivating milkweed for years in the ground and have a lot of butterflies of many kinds in my little acre of suburbia
thanks for the resteem!
You’ve been visited by @porters on behalf of Natural Medicine!
We get the same reaction when we go see health professionals. It's rather sad that all those conditions are considered more or less normal and that there is not more preventative medicine working to keep ourselves healthy instead of just treating symptoms and conditions when they come up. I like your analogy of the monarch caterpillars not destroying their own environment and that we should not destroy and take better care of our environment we live in, that houses our being, our bodies! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your support and comment! I believe those conditions are indicative of imbalance in the body and are our first indication that something is wrong. It's unfortunate we are encouraged to regard them as normal and nothing to worry about.
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Oh thank you @hafizullah and @innerblocks!
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Such a wonderful observation @owasco. We learn so much when we quietly observe nature and don't interfere.
Like you, I believe that given the right conditions of natural sunlight, a healthy diet (that suits our body, mind and spirit's requirements) and lots of exercise or the best possible we can do, along with a clear and positive approach to our lives and all our surroundings:
Wonderful read. Thank you. ♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
Mother nature has been treating us really well, we just need to listen to "Her".
Howdy owasco! The earth sure does do the same! Excellent writing and example of how to live healthy. I've seen the same thing, at 65 people are shocked that I have no prescription medications and no sicknesses.
I say well, I'm sure I could GET some from any doctor but I know the poisonous affects and side affects are worse than taking the dang stuff.
Hi Janton thanks for stopping in!
If you go to a western doctor for any kind of ailment, you can expect to be prescribed at least one of the following three medications: anitbiotics, steroids, antacids. It's ridiculous. I am often prescribed antibiotics that I don't take, antacids are baloney, and steroids don't do a darn thing to correct whatever problem you have so it just comes back whenever you stop the steroids.
Thanks for liking my piece so much. I'm so busy trying to figure out the curve on voting rewards this week I am unable to do much else.
Howdy tonight owasco! It IS totally ridiculous. Do you have any naturopaths that you can go to up there?
Hey, let me know when you figure out the voting rewards thing! l have no clue. lol.
I so very much loved the idea that you view yourself t be healthy, even when you are sick, because this is simply the body's auto-correct at work. Lovely thought and one I shall tuck away and carry with me.
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Interesting read. I have heard it said that maybe 25% or our health or lack of it is:
1 enviromental
2 genetics
3 self inflicted, smoking, drinking, over eating, drugs etc
But that last part is the tricky part. Perhaps it would be mental outlook, will to live, world view etc...
I have MS and the doctors are taken my surprise when I answer 'none' to that question! Often they then respond by saying 'good for you'! I have always been more afraid of their medicines than I am of the disease.
wow! yes! good for you is right! show them how it's done.
Very well said @owasco. Too many of us in the western world rely on medicines (toxins). I really believe now more than ever that symptoms are made up in order to make people feel as though they are sick - in for the mighty dollar. It’s a “sickening” process quite frankly. When we are “one” with our beautiful Mother Earth, we can be at our happiest and most healthy. Thank you for sharing this beautiful post!
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Well thank you for thinking so! I'd give you a generous upvote, but it would be curved down so low as to be worthless. Imagine a shopping .02 upvote! Thanks for stopping in!
Thanks for posting great content about "TRUTH" - one of 5 tags celebrated and supported by @freedomtribe. Your post has been featured in our Spread The Love #39 curation.
There are actually many truths in this great post - thank you!
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