Anybody here well versed in alternative health?

I've been going to the doctor forever trying conventional medicine, and thus far nothing is really helpfull. In fact I'm worried the Neurontin (Gabapentin) I was recently prescribed for chronic pain did permanent brain damage, as I still haven't fully recovered my mental abilities 1 week after quitting the stuff.

So does anybody know about/have recommendations (on particular items or brands) about alternative health products? You know, like aroma-therapy, herbs, nutrients, teas, plants, anything around those lines.

Particularily, I'm looking for items involved with:

- muscular pain relief (including a damaged nervous system)
- stress
- depression (which only comes when I'm in really bad pain, but that can last for days)
- Mental accuity

Thanks in advance to anybody who has any suggestions too :)

Neurontin is safe. I guess, it will make you crazy, if it's been linked to suicides.

Acupuncture, maybe?

Mr. Devious,

Hows it going.

Followed your story for some time about the martial arts related sports injury Judo/jujitso? Practice Lian Shi myself. Joints/nerves. But like to avoid fighting at all. Last resort only.

There is alot of information on the web about Omega 3 DHA, it can have many positive effects concerning inflammation and depression, and I think Ive read about nerves as well.

DHA fish oil acts as a blood thinner, anti-inflammatory, pain reliever, cortisone alternative.

You can use your search box and try different search combinations like:

Omega 3 DHA neck and back
Omega 3 inflammation
Omega 3 sports medicine
Omega DHA pain

etc.

Here is a link to the University of Maryland.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupple...tyacidscs.html

should get you started.

Some sports medicine pages have different combinations of vitamin E, C, Omega 3 DHA and so on. Other oils such as olive oil and natural sources of omega 6 are good too. Of couse avoid the cooking oils.

You will find a lot out there so do research.

For a supplement form of Omega 3 DHA you want a pure source of fish oil.

I use a brand called, Carlson Norwegian cod liver oil, Its also the best source of natural vitamin A and D-3. I prefer to go this route because this fish used comes from that part of the world. But its up to you. There are other sources such as Antarctic krill oil which is also rich in DHA.

Its best to derrive vitamins A, D-3, and E from non synthetic sources.
These are fat soluble vitamins. So if you get (A) for example from the fish oil dont take additional A.

Water soluble vitamins such as ascorbic acid, (C) are out of your system within hours, but if you take ascorbic acid 4 times a day divided your ascorbic plasma levels stay consistant, this will help with stress. Any combinations of tabs or powder mixed in non sugared o.j. can work. Refined sugar spikes insulin and blocks ascorbic uptake as they compete. Ascorbic is a mild acid so brush your teeth with plain water water after or use a straw. However its not nearly as damaging as phosphoric acid in soda.

This article will explain, there is an abbrievation list at the bottom, it is somewhat technical. http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/JOM4.html

Roughly 2-10 grams of ascorbic acid per day, divided 4 times a day, keep plasma levels constant. They fall rapidly in response to stress, smoking etc.

A B-complex vitamin supplement.

For vitamin E.
Carlsons E gems are non-synthetic and contain 8 forms of natural source tocopherols which cover the entire family with vitamin E, mainly d-Alpha tocopherol, d-gamma-Tocopherol, d-beta and d-Delta tocopherol. If you take too much vitamin e it will give you a headache.

As far as the prescription drugs. Some of those can make you worse and cause more problems. Those are pretty hardcore meds.

Of course I dont think its a good idea to combine both presription drugs and supplements. You may want to try to lay off the prescriptions and try a supplement route and sound diet route with lots of salmon etc since they arent working or making you worse.

Im sure you read the article "Orthomolecular approach to depression" as well in the thread history, (amino acid trips) has good tips such as ascorbic acid, folate and amino acids. Most of the aminos can be derrived from a sound diet of fish, turkey, chicken etc. organic though and not tainted with hormones.

All vitamins, minerals and aminos should be in place as they are all building blocks to one another. If one is missing the other cant function and do its job.

For minerals Id say just lots of green vegetables is the best way to get that.
Although I personally take 50mg of zinc.

zinc and d-3 are real important prostate cancer prevention and folic acid will keep cell multiplication in check. This is why folic acid is given to pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Its a cell regulator. Same when you start getting older.


Hopefully that helps you out.

Also good nutrition referrences can be found at the Organic Consumers Association.org

On 1st link to University of Maryland. Click on supplements then go to DHA

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ganjasaurusrex

Mr. Devious,

Hows it going.

Followed your story for some time about the martial arts related sports injury Judo/jujitso? Practice Lian Shi myself. Joints/nerves. But like to avoid fighting at all. Last resort only.

There is alot of information on the web about Omega 3 DHA, it can have many positive effects concerning inflammation and depression, and I think Ive read about nerves as well.

DHA fish oil acts as a blood thinner, anti-inflammatory, pain reliever, cortisone alternative.

You can use your search box and try different search combinations like:

Omega 3 DHA neck and back
Omega 3 inflammation
Omega 3 sports medicine
Omega DHA pain

etc.

Here is a link to the University of Maryland.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupple...tyacidscs.html

should get you started.

Some sports medicine pages have different combinations of vitamin E, C, Omega 3 DHA and so on. Other oils such as olive oil and natural sources of omega 6 are good too. Of couse avoid the cooking oils.

You will find a lot out there so do research.

For a supplement form of Omega 3 DHA you want a pure source of fish oil.

I use a brand called, Carlson Norwegian cod liver oil, Its also the best source of natural vitamin A and D-3. I prefer to go this route because this fish used comes from that part of the world. But its up to you. There are other sources such as Antarctic krill oil which is also rich in DHA.

Its best to derrive vitamins A, D-3, and E from non synthetic sources.
These are fat soluble vitamins. So if you get (A) for example from the fish oil dont take additional A.

Water soluble vitamins such as ascorbic acid, (C) are out of your system within hours, but if you take ascorbic acid 4 times a day divided your ascorbic plasma levels stay consistant, this will help with stress. Any combinations of tabs or powder mixed in non sugared o.j. can work. Refined sugar spikes insulin and blocks ascorbic uptake as they compete. Ascorbic is a mild acid so brush your teeth with plain water water after or use a straw. However its not nearly as damaging as phosphoric acid in soda.

This article will explain, there is an abbrievation list at the bottom, it is somewhat technical. http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/JOM4.html

Roughly 2-10 grams of ascorbic acid per day, divided 4 times a day, keep plasma levels constant. They fall rapidly in response to stress, smoking etc.

A B-complex vitamin supplement.

For vitamin E.
Carlsons E gems are non-synthetic and contain 8 forms of natural source tocopherols which cover the entire family with vitamin E, mainly d-Alpha tocopherol, d-gamma-Tocopherol, d-beta and d-Delta tocopherol. If you take too much vitamin e it will give you a headache.

As far as the prescription drugs. Some of those can make you worse and cause more problems. Those are pretty hardcore meds.

Of course I dont think its a good idea to combine both presription drugs and supplements. You may want to try to lay off the prescriptions and try a supplement route and sound diet route with lots of salmon etc since they arent working or making you worse.

Im sure you read the article "Orthomolecular approach to depression" as well in the thread history, (amino acid trips) has good tips such as ascorbic acid, folate and amino acids. Most of the aminos can be derrived from a sound diet of fish, turkey, chicken etc. organic though and not tainted with hormones.

All vitamins, minerals and aminos should be in place as they are all building blocks to one another. If one is missing the other cant function and do its job.

For minerals Id say just lots of green vegetables is the best way to get that.
Although I personally take 50mg of zinc.

zinc and d-3 are real important prostate cancer prevention and folic acid will keep cell multiplication in check. This is why folic acid is given to pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Its a cell regulator. Same when you start getting older.


Hopefully that helps you out.

Also good nutrition referrences can be found at the Organic Consumers Association.org

---

Now that's a lot of usefull stuff! Thanks a lot man, I didn't expect such a thorough response form anybody.

any idea if aromatherapy has any credibility to it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mrdevious

Now that's a lot of usefull stuff! Thanks a lot man, I didn't expect such a thorough response form anybody.

any idea if aromatherapy has any credibility to it?

---

No experience with aromatherapy, I dont think there is crediblity to it.

Im very impressed with the University of Maryland site data base. Bookmark that for your future referrences. On there, under "browse documents" "conditions" go to "B" (backpain,lower) and there is a formulation of supplements and herbs already prepared to take the guess work out it.

For another resource of herbs only. Go to Herbchina2000. (searchbox)
Scroll to "contents by section" then "muscoskeletal diseases" and you will find "sciatia". Click on individual pics to learn about these individual herbs.
Good resource for a herb approach, and preformulated for sciatia.

You have many options available.

One thing to keep in mind about amino acids and vitamins is that some oxidize and some reduce. That is natures way of balancing things. Both functions are needed in nature. You just dont want to load up on too many things that oxidize.

Ascorbic is the best reducer known to man and the least toxic. An antioxidizer molecule like ascorbic acid carries two free electron donors. This is how it neutralizes an oxidized molecule that is electron deficient.

So the ascorbic donates an electron to neutralize it instead of the oxidized molecule taking it from healthy tissue. This is why ascorbic (vitamin c) is a powerful biological reducing agent. Small doses are ineffective. Medium doses, 2-10 grms are prime and high doses are great for certain disease states.

http://www.ceri.com/ffredox.htm

The fish oil DHA will oxidize so you want to make sure you complement that with a reducer. Vitamin C and E complement one another and reduce.

Of all the amino acids certain chains oxidize and certain ones reduce.

For example.

L-arginine, one of the aminos is a nitrate oxidizer and does a similiar function to viagra. Both are nitrate oxidizers, however viagra has the added calcium citrate.

The problem with viagra is the side effects because the oxidation is not reduced. There really is no need to take viagra anyway when really the problem is most likely dietary deficiencies of available amino acids, zinc etc.

There are several natural combinations you can take for the similar function. But of course L-arginine needs to be reduced as well and you dont want to just take plain L-arginine alone. It has to be balanced.

(For this Dr.Lin.com is the MAN, Chinese sex specialist). He is very smart about viagra alternatives and proper balanced formulations. Knows how to detox the liver as well from toxins. Concentrates heavily on the liver function as it relates to sex function.
Although I dont need him yet, but have experimented, good future referrence! Definently knows what he's doing.

Several aminos can be manufactured from L-glutamine alone within the body.
The joint lubricant glucosamine is manufactured by the amino acid, L-glutamine. (something to keep in mind for disc lubrication).

So you see that many things that go wrong with the body are simply deficiencies or oxidized caused disease.



Have a good one.

Hmmm, do you think he meant, literally, "well-versed"?

Hah, hah...screwdrivers. :glugglug:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mrdevious

Now that's a lot of usefull stuff! Thanks a lot man, I didn't expect such a thorough response form anybody.

any idea if aromatherapy has any credibility to it?

---

Ganja always goes out of his way to provide plenty of info!

There've been a several studies, which I'll see if I can find links to, that make me believe there are some benefits to aromatherapy. Not necessarily to cure disease, ease physical pain, or make certain conditions go away. But there's certainly evidence that certain aromas can help to calm nerves and have beneficial effects on people.

My sister, who is a cancer patient, has had good luck with lavendar, which seems to have a calming effect and lessen her anxiety. Some of this may be the placebo effect, but even if it's nothing more than that, if she believes it makes her feel better, then that, to me, is beneficial. (She also feels very strongly that having one of our cats around and petting him lessens her anxiety, too, and while probably no mainstream doctor would make the leap to tell cancer patients that housecats are the key to feeling better, Buddy the cat does indeed seem to help her. Scientists have known for a while that although pets may not make disease go away, they can have significant beneficial health effects for many.)

This is all a long way of saying keep your options open regarding aromatherapy. (And don't rule out orange tabbies, either!)