my turn to officially rant
So I've never gotten to officially have my own rant here and today seems to be the perfect day. I'm just really REALLY pissed off (although the back pain is probably making it a hundred times worse.). >:( >:( >:(
...At people's blatant and ignorant attitude to natural medicine! I posted this msg asking about a complimentary medicine:
In reading one of my several complimentary pet therapies books I came across a therapy for cancer treatment I've never heard about. It translates to "activated lymphocyte therapy".
It seems to be more well-known and accepted here in Japan, but it mostly seems experimental in the US. (You can search for that term in the clinical trails DB and then also choose "include trials that are no longer recruiting patients." to get more results. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/action/GetStudy )
Here's a brief explanation in English from a Japanese company engaged in that research if you've never heard of it: http://www.takara-bio.com/medi_e/celltherapy_main.html
Has anyone heard of it used on pets in the US? The book by Chief Veterinarian at NORIKO Animal Hospital Dr. Noriko Miyano implies that it is being used as a treatment option here. She doesn't go into detail though because the book's actual focus is on Chinese medicine usage in pets.
and the only thing said person had to say was... well it's too long to post but they didn't even address the question. "There are thousands of natural poisons..." They gave a lengthy warning about how it's all unproven and 'many' chinese medicines have been recalled. Both statements of which are false to some degree. yes SOME have been recalled because what the formulas contained (usually other additional substances) but chinese formulas have been well-studied and approved in Asia so much so that not only are they used in hospitals, but insurance even covers them.
It really pisses me off because instead of that person just admitting they have no idea about the subject and saying "I've never heard of it used before", said person is actively discouraging people from looking into it when it may be their ONLY OPTION left. Said person isn't even a vet and the writer of the book IS!
Admittedly, because of my background, I'm a stickler from concrete evidence myself, but there IS scientific evidence it is effective. Chinese medicine and other alternative therapies like acupuncture, shiatsu. Not all of them and not necessirly the treatment I was asking about either. Hell, I remember the days when Chiropractic medicine was considered 'hippy' and alternative.
It really disgusts me when people do that. Especially people in power because they disempower others by their actions. If you don't know something just admit it or don't say anything at all! They offered NO useful information just discouragement to others who have found western treatments to be either ineffective of not an option.
>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Sorry for wasting board space. Thank you for listening. I think I can continue on with my day now.
:)
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Ferret Research: http://ferretknots.blogspot.com/
Ferret Resources: http://nippynihon.blogspot.com/
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"It isn't better to feel joy than to feel grief. It is certainly more fun to feel joy--but it isn't better. If something good is happening, it is appropriate to be joyful. If you have experienced loss, it is equally appropriate to be sad."
-LIFE AFTER LOSS, Bob Deits
I hear you! I am sensitive to many standard-issue drugs, so I go to a regular pharmacy that has a licenced herbal pharmacist. He's always helpful and full of info, but he works with 4 other pharmacists who are Galenic to the bone and are not above being rude, ridiculing or simply refusing to order an herbal remedy if he's not there at the time. One time they had it in stock (I had ordered it earlier) but when I went in to pick it up my "friend" wasn't there and the guy on duty denied all knowledge of the order!!
As a Christian I also run into people who ignorantly equate herbal remedies with some kind of black magic or whatever. Where DO they think the majority of medicines originally came from? Yes, we have many synthesised drugs now, but back in the day... ::) Never mind that the universe put those plants there to be used...but then I EAT plants, there's something wrong with me from the git-go... ;D
That's frustrating.
When my boss gets into meetings, he likes to talk and say "important things" even if he's out of his element. I have to sit across the room from him to not implode.
Thanks all. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a place to let off steam. :)
I guess my expectations are too high. And I doesn't help that in Japan it's a thousand times worse where even the Kindergarteners think they know it all! It really just blows my mind sometimes. Where do they pickup these attitudes from? I can understand olderpeople, but at such an early age!??
I had one creepy old man - the typical Japanese 'jiji' type - who, alas, happens to be a client give me the same crap recently. He asked where I was going in Kyoto. I named some typical places, some not so, but then I mentioned KIFUNE-san to which he burst out laughing saying 'Oh there's no Kifune in Kyoto". hahahahaha. and on and on. Excuse me?!?! And you are so positive because...???? It so happens that not only did I read about it before in a historical fiction novel, but I saw it in a Japanese guide book which I was lent by another Japanese client. >:( >:( :o :o :o >:( >:(
But that's a very common attitude here, more so than I've ever seen in the US - the we know it all because we are Japanese and you possibly couldn't. It's not everyone, but it's pretty rampant enough that I would label it a 'stereotypical' trait.
:P
Oh, and btw, he came back the next week and started talking about Kifune himself - no apologies for his obnoxious behaviour, but apparently he looked it up and found it DID exist. twit.
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Ferret Research: http://ferretknots.blogspot.com/
Ferret Resources: http://nippynihon.blogspot.com/
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"It isn't better to feel joy than to feel grief. It is certainly more fun to feel joy--but it isn't better. If something good is happening, it is appropriate to be joyful. If you have experienced loss, it is equally appropriate to be sad."
-LIFE AFTER LOSS, Bob Deits
natural medicine does have a tendency to do that to people. just because they don't necessarily understand the science to it now (besides, how many times have we thought we knew the science of something and it was incorrect ???) they discredit it.
that being said, yeah, i like knowing the science behind things, but i wouldn't discredit something immediately just because it couldn't yet be supported by science. >:(