I admit to being a bit of a conventional girl. I also come from a long line of Doctor Trusters. It took a lot for me to break with the medical profession when trying to find evidence based treatment for eating disorders some 4 years ago. However, I am not prepared to dismiss entirely the alternative medicine sector. Most of it is crackpot but I come from an era when physiotherapy was regarded as "alternative" and the cure for a "bad back" was to take to your bed for months, not do Pilates or Yoga. So keeping an open mind is necessary.
I sat next to a lady in the Day Unit last week, who talked to me about Apricot Kernels and their efficacy in treating cancer. I felt I should investigate and found myself in the surreal world of alternative cancer treatment. Now, I'm all for a nice conspiracy theory. My more regular readers will be well aware of my views on medical insurance industry pressure in the 1990's to lower the "normal" range of BMI, thus making over 60 million US citizens overweight, literally overnight, and subject to higher insurance premiums. I am subscribe to the food industry playing us for a doozie with "diets" ready packaged and promising you untold happiness when you lose a few pounds. The answer is to change your lifestyle, not sign up for some spurious "diet" food, via a glossy TV ad. "Lose 8lbs in a 2 weeks with the U R A Sucker diet plan - special offer this week, only $10 a day to eat cardboard and flavour enhancers."
However, this alternative cancer treatment stuff appears to me to be about as dangerous as some of the more weird and wacky ways of treating eating disorders that are peddled out there. (Stroke a horse every day for 5 months on our $300 a day ranch and you will be cured forever!).
Cyanide is cyanide folks. I particularly like the web MD uses for Apricot Kernel.
So am I being too cynical and demanding and siding with the establishment? Should I be more open minded about this stuff? Having been so taken with Lord Saatchi's article, should I not be considering medical innovations?
Oh gosh. A relative was bombarded with offers of natural healthy 'cures' when they were fighting cancer. From coffee enemas to drinking olive oil mixed with herbs and stuff... and other crazy stuff. Of course it all cost a heck of a lot of money. I really think people who try and cash in on the vulnerable are reprehensible. I also see this happening with eating disorders - people mortgaging everything they have to send their loved one to a miracle private clinic that promises them the world but rarely delivers.
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