Home Remedies- What Doctors Aren't Telling You

by Jamie Schroeder

Our western medicine has fallen behind the times. Students pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to attend medical school, yet the health of our nation gets worse. The US has access to unlimited technology which could be used to prevent but most used diagnose. Our media also has fallen behind the times. We live in such a “free” society that advertisers are able to sell us anything with the right campaign. Companies hire famous actors to sell us a product and they tell us it’s good for us, but they don’t mention the whole truth. Most times the actor doesn’t even use the product. They're merely cashing the fat paychecks from selling to us. Why because we somehow trust them because he or she featured in a movie we liked.

Doctors not speaking the truth is happening right now in your own back yard. Here are some personal experiences with the medical staff working with my loved one.

When my grandma was diagnosed with dementia, people said her outlook was grim and that it would just get worse. Family members were told dementia is an incurable disease. But what the medical doctors didn't disclose was that diet and environment could greatly affect her quality of life. Let me give you some examples from a real life experiences.

I helped my grandma move out of her assisted living facility into the nursing home where she currently resides. While cleaning out her freezer, I found over 20 frozen dinners. The great depression era mentality set in and no one wanted to throw them away, so I took them home. We ate those frozen dinners for a week. That was one of the worst weeks for our health. I suffered from sever headaches and my children were acting out more than usual. I had a suspicion it was the frozen dinners. I looked at the ingredients. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, MSG, corn syrup, and nitrates were just a few of three dozen ingredients. I realized the lack of nutrition, high sodium content and preservatives were the cause of this disturbing change in our my household. I threw the meals away and our symptoms got better. Within a week, we were back to normal.

I realized my grandma had been eating those dinners almost every day. It’s no wonder her symptoms got worse. Her health was directly affected by what she was ingesting. She wasn’t eating properly. When she got to the nursing home, her symptoms didn’t improve- they got worse. Four years ago when she entered the “rehab” facility she was able to walk. Today she is wheel chair ridden, can’t speak, and she’s not able to eat well on her own.

While visiting during meal times, I noticed her plate had anything but healthy things on it. It was filled with boxed, canned, and highly processed foods. I remember her complaining to me that the food was no good. Looking at her plate, I agreed. When she could eat, I brought her foods she liked. Foods that gave her a body a boost. Like nuts, dark chocolate, whole grain banana bread and dried fruits. Grandma always had a sweet tooth so I tried to bring in healthy alternatives to help her cravings. I observed her room was filled with food gifts from family members. The table in her room was filled with candy, cookies, and junk food. I realized, not only was she missing the good nutrition from the cafeteria menu but she was indulging in junk foods that family members brought with good intentions. I strongly believe her diet is one of the contributing factors of her condition today.

I’ve continually asked family members if the nursing home staff is addressing grandma’s dietary needs. I’ve specifically asked if there are any foods she should be eating or avoid to help her fight this disease. I was told "no".

The nursing home staff and doctors are wrong. It is not the truth. After reading a few books, magazines, and articles on the web, I’ve learned countless suggestions with improving the health of memory patients. But none- not one of the nursing home staff members including the staff dietitian mentioned this for grandma. Why I ask. It is a fact heart patients are told to stay away from salt and fatty foods and Diabetics are told to limit sugar, people who have anxiety disorders limit or avoid caffeine- you get the picture. Why isn't this being addressed for memory patients?

According the book The Peoples Pharmacy guide to Home and Herbal Remedies by Joe and Teresa Graedon, it may be possible to prevent and slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s disease with the right kind of diet. This also applies to cancer, MS, arthritis, and a dozen other conditions. They recommend eating the right kinds of fats. We’ve all heard of saturated fats and trans fats. These are found in most processed foods like crackers, store bought bakery and breads, some cereals. These types of fats are no good for the brain and should be avoided. I recommend that you resist temptation and avoid bringing these items to your loved ones-it will only make them worse. Instead make the effort and bake them a whole wheat loaf, or some homemade granola to snack on-the libraries are filled with holistic cookbooks. It's my personal belief that an unhealthy snack occasionally (once per month) isn't an issue. Everyone has cravings for comfort foods, so an occasional outing at a burger joint, is fine, but should be kept to a minimum.

Research has found eliminating the wrong fatty items and replacing them with omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial. Some of the brain foods listed are Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Herring. It lists other “brain fish” like Mackerel, however this and other game fish are not recommended for eating by Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, because of the recorded high mercury level found in these fish. It’s been proven that even small amounts of mercury can damage the brain. It’s been known to cause memory loss, numbness, vision changes and even more so in older adults.

So to be safe from mercury overload, avoid the big game fish stick with Pan fish these are known to have the lowest mercury levels of all the fish. So bring your loved one some tuna or salmon salad with organic crackers. To snack on. Bring a plate of fresh baked herring or pan fish. This will require more preparation and work, but it’s worth it knowing s/he will have a good meal full of omega-3 fatty acids to give that brain a boost.

Moving along, as we’re on the topic of mercury. Let me address another common cause of memory loss. Have your loved one checked to see what their Mercury level is. Mercury overload can also in addition to memory loss, can cause allergies, tiredness, headaches and a metallic taste. It is possible one can have a high level if their mouth is full of amalgam fillings. If the level is high, then see a dentist willing to remove all the amalgam fillings and replace with a non-metal substance. I had a debate with a Dentist. He insisted that the Mercury wasn’t a problem in such small amounts and is only harmful when it comes apart. According to the ADA American Dental Association the amalgam is safe to use. However, many other independent researchers says Alzheimer’s, MS, autism, and even certain types of cancers have been linked with dental amalgams and are a source of mercury vapour.(*1) So whose telling the truth. The independent research company or the ADA whose got so much to lose. Let’s face it, Dentists have been using metal filling to fill teeth for over a century. What do you think would happen in Dentistry if the ADA admitted the metal fillings are bad? You be the judge. There is endless research on the hazards of amalgam fillings, in fact some dentists have stopped using it altogether. Others use it in rare cases only.

My grandma has a mouth full of metal, since she’s unable to speak and voice her aches and pains she could be suffering from dental pain. Being 80, her mouth is full of metal. Her doctor hasn’t checked her mercury levels.

To sum it up, I recommend to have your loved one's Mercury levels checked, introduce better nutrition like omega-3 fatty acids, and avoid bringing in processed foods for your loved ones. Getting involved at all levels of their care including dietary needs is important.




Sources
(1) International Health News Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
By Hans R. Larsen MSc ChE

The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies, Joe Graedon adn Teresa Graedon, PH.D.

Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources



coming soon
Part 2
Be watchful of what Doctors tell you & more healthy alternatives