Help me with a question about essential oils vs homeopathic medicine

[Katy]

There are a couple NutritionFacts videos on YouTube about homeopathy.  He's an MD who reads all sorts of studies on nutrition and alternative medicine.

Video 1:

 

Video 2:

 

Placebos are more than 50% effective, and there is some evidence that people prescribed something they know is a placebo are still happy with the treatment.

 

Essential oils do have actual plant compounds that can be very clinically effective, but they are not a cure-all, and brand names are not better than other food grade oils, no matter what the mommy that sells them next door tells you when she's pushing her overpriced oils on you.  There are only a handful of labs that make essential oils at all, and all of them come from those labs, even if some brands are diluted.

 

Also, we don't yet understand the negative effects of some of those oils, and there definitely are some.  An oil that kills bacteria kills good bacteria too, as one example.  Also, some oils have hormonal effects.

[TranquilMind]

We should equally realize if they never worked no one would buy them. It is insulting to imply people that turn to natural remedies (including some homeopath OTC medicines) would place their trust in a Hylands product or the like & not pursue other treatments or medical attention.

 

Anymore than someone receiving Tamiflu & later returning to the doctor when they had no relief -- you wouldn't just receive that one treatment and assume that's all you can do now, even though you still feel horrible.

 

I only turned to more natural remedies after my son was ALWAYS sick and another rocephin shot in his little thigh was about to make me insane. I knew there were better ways and less harmful ways to tend to our health. That doesn't dismiss medical care, but it broadens my range of how to treat our health without taking antibiotics or receiving shots every time. Diet being the most important IMO and never prescribed once by my ped

No kidding.  I had a specialist tell me to my face in all seriousness that diet played NO role in health.  He was dead before our next appointment, which I knew because the practice sent out a letter.  I thought he was nearing 80 when I saw him.  He was 63.

 

The demeaning tone to the answers to the original question here is unwarranted.  Either answer her question, or if you can't, don't lecture her on how what she says works cannot work.

 

Hey, if something completely benign works for her, great.  I'm always willing to try things with zero bad side effects, and have had some good effects.  Why not?  If you still need help, there are always allopathic doctors everywhere. 

 

ETA:  "Witchcraft"?  Seriously?  Taking some natural substance is "witchcraft"?  LOL

Edited October 6, 2016 by TranquilMind

[Laura Corin]

 

 

There are  fully HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITALS in INDIA and in Countries in EUROPE like ENGLAND, with ICU fully Homeopathic.  effective than drugs. What a shame you had to make such an incompetent remark, and misled the lady that was asking such a simple yet important question!

 

 

In case anyone is interested (zombie thread and all) there are a few homeopathic hospitals in Britain.  There is one within the NHS in England and one in Scotland.  They are highly controversial and definitely do not include ICUs.  This is a list of ailments 'treated' in Liverpool:

 

http://www.lmhs.co.uk/conditions.html

 

and in Glasgow:

 

http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/services/homeopathy/

Edited October 6, 2016 by Laura Corin

[Bluegoat]

Regarding essential oils, I think they have the almost opposite problem of homeopathy - they are pretty concentrated substances that can potentially be pretty powerful, and the ones sold OTC are not in any way regulated.

 

There is a good reason a lot of what we consider conventional medicine takes plant substances and refines or synthesizes them in a lab - it's important to be able to know that what you are getting is what it is supposed to be, to remove impurities that can cause problems, and be able to accurately dose.

 

I would be hesitant to use EOs without some really knowledgeable oversight, and people need to tell their doctors what they are doing because there could be drug interactions.

[TranquilMind]

Oops, missed the date on that one.  Oh well, hope she got whatever information she needed and that it all worked out.