For thousands of years, natural supplements were the first line of defense against common ailments and diseases. It's no secret that natural herbs and remedies is what made this world go round before the advent of modern medicines. Natural supplement brands were used to treat everything from the common cold to cancer and these treatments have survived real world testing and thousands of years of human testing. Today natural supplements are still very much in use but are seen more as "Folk Medicine" and "Alternative Medicine". The use of natural supplements has come in and out of fashion over the last century due to the rise of the pharmaceutical industry. So what does mean today? Let's review.
Previous articles talked about the "evils" of pharmaceuticals, but let's clarify something. In 1900 the average life expediency for Americans was 47 years. Today its 76, that is in large part due to the pharmaceutical industry. In the past 100 years, pharmaceutical research has helped transform health care from a largely analgesic practice to a science-based endeavor. At the turn of the last century pneumonia and influenza were the leading causes of death in the United States, followed by tuberculosis and diarrhea. The number one cause of death in America today, heart disease was fifth. Many infectious diseases like diphtheria, chickenpox, scarlet fever, and rubella which were literally certain death are now an inoculation away from being treated. The advances of penicillin for example made these conditions nothing more than a minor inconvenience rather than a life threatening condition. Also, there are millions of people who would not be alive today had it not been for insulin. Today, pharmaceuticals are the fastest way treat or alter a condition which can lead to larger health issues, but it is usually when you have the larger health problems that pharmaceuticals comes into play. For example, if your cholesterol levels are dangerously high, pharmaceuticals can quickly bring your cholesterol down to a manageable level. But the flip side to this is of course are the side effects of pharmaceuticals which can sometimes be more of a problem than not using them at all.
Whatever the reason for using pharmaceuticals note that pharmaceuticals are deeply rooted (pun intended) in the natural supplements and remedies used for centuries. Pharmaceuticals use the essence of the herbs and plants and isolate the beneficial properties to provide a potent medicine for any given condition. The side effects are usually due to the refinement process of the active ingredient which is chemically treated, the counter agents nature built into a plant used for medicinal purposes for balance is removed. But modern biotechnology often focuses on understanding the metabolic pathways related to a disease state or pathogen, and manipulating these pathways using molecular biology or Biochemistry. Lastly and remember this point, pharmaceuticals are seen as part of the cure or management of a disease or condition, you will only be prescribed these drugs in the event of a serious illness, and remember that these drugs are man-made or manufactured specifically for the condition you are being treated for and like most man-made items there can be problems in the manufacturing process that can lead to a recall of the drug. This occurs usually when the patients exhibit violent reactions to the medication or even die.
Natural supplements on the other hand are seen more as preventative rather than a cure. Natural remedies can treat both the cause and effect in most cases before they become a serious issue. As an example, your cholesterol can be managed by using natural supplements thereby reducing the risk of heart disease or stroke. There are herbal remedies which can address heart health, bone & joint health, digestive health, anti-inflammatory issues, and brain health among others. The key is to know what you need to do to preempt any major diseases or conditions, many of you do not give heart disease or cancer a second thought unless it affects you directly or someone you love. How many times you lost someone close to you due to a serious health condition, or watch someone deteriorate from cancer or diabetes and how many times have you watched this occur and say to yourself I don't want that to happen to me? Many of you are sincere about making a lifestyle change after such an event, but don't know how to implement it. Natural supplements when administered properly can give you that change; they can be a benefit to you in ways you cannot imagine
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