Hello, I'm Agatha
Thrash a staff physician
00:00:01.98\00:00:03.68
from Uchee Pines
Institute in Alabama.
00:00:03.71\00:00:06.33
And we've been noticing
that a lot of people are turning
00:00:06.36\00:00:10.43
to alternative
medicine in recent years.
00:00:10.46\00:00:14.17
Now these alternative
medicines cost the people
00:00:14.20\00:00:18.12
in the United States more than
10 billion dollars every year,
00:00:18.15\00:00:22.64
so it's a big business.
00:00:22.67\00:00:24.28
And it is also a very
interesting phenomenon.
00:00:24.31\00:00:28.36
And we'd like to discuss
some of these issues in the next
00:00:28.39\00:00:31.23
little while with you,
so we hope you will join us.
00:00:31.27\00:00:33.16
Welcome to "Help
Yourself to Health"
00:00:55.55\00:00:56.53
with Dr. Agatha Thrash
of Uchee Pines Institute
00:00:56.56\00:01:00.28
and now, here's
your host Dr. Thrash
00:01:00.31\00:01:05.58
A large part of what
people spend their money for
00:01:05.61\00:01:08.56
when they're buying
alternative medicine is that of
00:01:08.59\00:01:12.78
herbs and supplements.
00:01:12.81\00:01:14.66
Now, we might
think of herbs as being
00:01:14.69\00:01:17.26
those things from plants,
00:01:17.29\00:01:18.79
and supplements as those
things that are extracted from
00:01:18.82\00:01:22.21
foods such as vitamins and
minerals and that kind of thing.
00:01:22.24\00:01:26.02
Now with the herbs, there
are a variety of types of herbs
00:01:26.05\00:01:31.36
and a variety of
ways to prepare them.
00:01:31.39\00:01:33.76
Some of those are simple and
some of them are very complex.
00:01:33.79\00:01:36.89
But in the home, for the most
part, people use two methods...
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Either that of
steeping, or that of boiling.
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And I have with me
today, Melissa Thrash, who is
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my granddaughter and she's
going to talk with you about
00:01:47.65\00:01:51.07
teas... what do you have there?
00:01:51.10\00:01:53.19
I've got tea here.
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The way you'd make a tea
would be to boil 1 cup of water,
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and pour the hot water
into some kind of glass
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and add 1 teaspoon of a leaf,
or 1/2 teaspoon of a powder
00:02:02.15\00:02:07.87
to the glass... stir it in
00:02:07.90\00:02:11.58
and cover the glass and
allow it to steep for about
00:02:11.61\00:02:15.19
15 to 20 minutes, or 30
minutes, depending on the herb.
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What do you use to
cover it with usually?
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A saucer maybe, a
little saucer ... Oh, okay.
00:02:23.72\00:02:26.61
Could cover it with the saucer.
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There are some mugs that
come with a little cap that
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will go on them but this
makes a very nice cover... Sure!
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You can just put the
spoon right here on it and...
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no muss... no fuss. Right.
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The standard dosage for tea
would be 1 cup 4 times a day,
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but for a child, the
dosage would be different.
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The dosage for a
child would be...
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the age divided
by the age, plus 12.
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So say for a
child of 4 years old,
00:03:03.79\00:03:08.55
it would be 4 + 12 = 16
00:03:08.58\00:03:14.65
4 into 4 would be 1
4 into 16 would be 4
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So a child 4 years old,
would receive a dosage of
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1/4 the times that
an adult would receive.
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Okay, now I'm going to
tell you about a decoction.
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Roots, stems, berries and
barks are used for decoctions
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because they're
harder to extract.
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You'd want to take the
roots, stems, berries or barks
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and take a heaping tablespoon
full of it into a quart full
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of water and gently simmer
it for 5 to 25 minutes depending
00:03:46.47\00:03:50.46
on the herb and then you
can strain it... if it has
00:03:50.49\00:03:54.56
big pieces in it and you
can cool it and drink it then,
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or store it in the
refrigerator for later use.
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Very good... do people
get real benefit from these...
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Have you seen
that to happen? Oh yes.
00:04:04.62\00:04:07.06
Have you ever taken an
herbal tea yourself? I have.
00:04:07.07\00:04:10.19
What about a decoction?
Have you ever taken goldenseal?
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Goldenseal... I have.
It's not very good-tasting,
00:04:14.43\00:04:16.76
but it really works.
00:04:16.79\00:04:18.44
Very effective... but
it is very, very bitter.
00:04:18.47\00:04:21.87
I think it's probably one
of the most bitter substances
00:04:21.90\00:04:24.29
that I've ever taken.
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I don't usually have a
problem taking bitter things,
00:04:25.85\00:04:28.25
but it can make you shutter.
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But when you're very sick,
you're very willing to take it
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because if you've had it,
00:04:32.92\00:04:34.39
you know that it can be
very beneficial for you.
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Now, there are a wide variety
of herbs that can be used
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either as teas mainly, or
as decoctions, or they can be
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extracted with glycerin, or
with vinegar, or with alcohol
00:04:46.70\00:04:51.19
But, in the home, most of
the time, we simply extract
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the active
ingredient with water.
00:04:56.22\00:04:58.19
Either by using the boiling
water and the tea steeped
00:04:58.22\00:05:01.75
for a half an hour,
or boiling gently...
00:05:01.78\00:05:05.47
It isn't a vigorous boil
as a usual thing and then
00:05:05.50\00:05:09.72
that is usually
for a half an hour.
00:05:09.75\00:05:12.80
There are a lot of other
things in alternative medicine
00:05:12.83\00:05:17.06
and I have asked my
colleague, Dr. Winn Horsley,
00:05:17.07\00:05:20.93
to join me that we can
talk about some of the issues
00:05:20.96\00:05:24.83
that are involved now
in alternative medicine...
00:05:24.86\00:05:28.87
By the way, are you entirely
satisfied with this matter of
00:05:28.90\00:05:33.82
"alternative medicine"
when it is referring to you?
00:05:33.85\00:05:38.71
No... I'm actually...
00:05:38.74\00:05:41.78
Are you a holistic doctor?
00:05:41.81\00:05:45.20
That term I would prefer...
00:05:45.23\00:05:48.32
The problem with "alternative"
is that it sounds like a
00:05:48.35\00:05:53.21
devious... a second choice, like
it's not really the ideal thing.
00:05:53.24\00:05:59.98
When one goes through looking
at the reasonableness of how one
00:05:59.99\00:06:04.84
treats people...
hunting for what we could call
00:06:04.87\00:06:07.76
"rational therapy"
00:06:07.79\00:06:09.88
...REALLY, if we look
closely, one could say that
00:06:09.89\00:06:15.09
a lot of what
is done by doctors,
00:06:15.12\00:06:17.92
with use of the chemicals,
00:06:17.95\00:06:19.62
should really be a last
ditch alternative... that that
00:06:19.65\00:06:22.37
should be
considered alternative.
00:06:22.40\00:06:24.34
Nowadays, fortunately,
there are quite a few doctors
00:06:24.37\00:06:27.57
that are paying close
attention to what are the more
00:06:27.60\00:06:29.57
natural approaches...
00:06:29.60\00:06:30.77
Yes, like in hypertension.
00:06:30.80\00:06:34.03
A lot of times, a doctor
will tell the patient a lot of
00:06:34.06\00:06:37.28
mainline things which they
might call "alternative" but
00:06:37.29\00:06:42.97
we call mainline.
00:06:43.00\00:06:44.11
The natural, rational
treatment of high blood pressure
00:06:44.14\00:06:48.79
and only as a
LAST ditch measure,
00:06:48.82\00:06:51.72
would they go to the drugs.
00:06:51.75\00:06:54.04
What do you have against drugs?
00:06:54.07\00:06:56.65
That's a big question.
00:06:56.68\00:07:00.59
And one really should
start out by saying that
00:07:00.62\00:07:04.37
doctors... any well-trained
and thoughtful doctor is
00:07:04.40\00:07:08.22
very concerned about
the use of these chemicals
00:07:08.25\00:07:12.00
that are taken into the body...
00:07:12.04\00:07:13.01
...Chemicals that
are foreign to the body.
00:07:13.05\00:07:14.99
And, the medical
profession as a whole,
00:07:15.02\00:07:17.84
has for many years,
seen some of the bad effects
00:07:17.87\00:07:23.20
that can happen.
00:07:23.23\00:07:25.24
In the practice of medicine,
while looking first of all
00:07:25.27\00:07:30.67
at the regulating
agencies, the FDA,
00:07:30.70\00:07:32.99
has a requirement of
lots of scrutinizing of every
00:07:33.02\00:07:39.34
new drug that
comes on the market...
00:07:39.37\00:07:41.84
trials that must be done.
00:07:41.85\00:07:43.58
And then pretty much
every doctor uses one or more
00:07:43.61\00:07:50.83
standard books on drugs
such as what's called the "PDR"
00:07:50.86\00:07:54.47
..."Physician's Desk Reference"
00:07:54.50\00:07:55.95
And a large percentage
of what's written there
00:07:55.98\00:07:58.67
is problems of
side effects and so on.
00:07:58.70\00:08:03.10
The trouble is this though...
00:08:03.11\00:08:04.85
The side effects that
should concern us most
00:08:04.88\00:08:08.62
are not those immediate
side effects that bother people
00:08:08.65\00:08:12.30
right away... You
mean like a headache or
00:08:12.33\00:08:14.03
nausea, fainting...
Precisely, those kind of things
00:08:14.06\00:08:17.76
they're of course
written up in the PDR...
00:08:17.79\00:08:22.24
But what should concern
us most is the longer term,
00:08:22.27\00:08:26.41
in fact, the many years
until the damage will show up.
00:08:26.44\00:08:29.72
Now, of course, doctors also
realize this can be a problem
00:08:29.75\00:08:32.79
But I want to point out
that it's not at all easy
00:08:32.82\00:08:36.72
to find out what
these effects are.
00:08:36.73\00:08:38.88
It's not that doctors
don't want to find them out...
00:08:38.91\00:08:41.94
I've just got here, a paper,
just handed to me recently,
00:08:41.97\00:08:47.14
where 2 months ago, they
had a study that involved
00:08:47.17\00:08:53.41
Harvard University in which
they looked at serious adverse
00:08:53.44\00:08:58.39
effects of new
drugs that are coming out.
00:08:58.40\00:09:01.08
And what they pointed out
was that 20% of all new drugs
00:09:01.11\00:09:08.29
were found to have adverse,
serious or even life-threatening
00:09:08.32\00:09:11.99
effects that were
unknown or undisclosed
00:09:12.02\00:09:14.88
at the time the drug
was approved by the FDA.
00:09:14.91\00:09:18.15
An interesting...
That's very frightening.
00:09:18.18\00:09:21.75
One other point here is
that these bad effects...
00:09:21.78\00:09:27.34
It says half of these serious,
adverse effects were detected
00:09:27.37\00:09:32.19
within 7 years after the
drug was first introduced.
00:09:32.22\00:09:36.11
So the REAL testing of
a lot of these long-term,
00:09:36.14\00:09:39.92
dangerous effects is on the
patients who are getting them
00:09:39.95\00:09:42.66
during the period of time
after the drug is marketed...
00:09:42.69\00:09:45.32
But remember, only HALF of
those were discovered within
00:09:45.35\00:09:48.48
within the first 7 years...
00:09:48.52\00:09:49.49
In other words, it took
YEARS AFTER 7 years elapsed
00:09:49.53\00:09:52.76
to show up the last half
of what effects they found
00:09:52.79\00:09:55.95
in the study.
00:09:55.98\00:09:57.11
...And that doesn't
mean that that's the end of
00:09:57.14\00:09:58.55
the bad effects... there
are probably lots of others.
00:09:58.58\00:10:00.53
I have heard of women who
were taking contraceptive pills
00:10:00.54\00:10:05.78
having an increased risk
of migraines even 20 years
00:10:05.81\00:10:09.18
after they had
stopped taking the drug.
00:10:09.21\00:10:12.51
And that's one small example.
00:10:12.54\00:10:14.86
I had another one in mind...
maybe it was the same one
00:10:14.89\00:10:18.46
Methylsergide? Oh yes...
00:10:18.47\00:10:21.38
In that one, they found,
after people were taking it
00:10:21.41\00:10:26.53
to PREVENT headaches, but
it would have taken a number
00:10:26.56\00:10:30.28
of years for this to show up...
00:10:30.31\00:10:31.84
But scarring behind the
main organs of the abdomen
00:10:31.87\00:10:37.28
...way deep in...
Deep... retroperitoneal is
00:10:37.31\00:10:41.04
the term that used...
00:10:41.07\00:10:42.34
This scarring and
tightening bands of scar tissue
00:10:42.35\00:10:45.90
began to enclose the
tubes that go from the kidneys
00:10:45.93\00:10:49.97
down to the bladder.
00:10:50.00\00:10:52.25
Doctors began to
notice that there was some
00:10:52.28\00:10:55.21
occurrence of
patients that became anuric...
00:10:55.24\00:10:57.73
No urine was being produced.
00:10:57.76\00:10:59.33
And, of course,
a person will die
00:10:59.36\00:11:00.56
within a short
time when that happens.
00:11:00.59\00:11:02.88
Well... I'm just
imagining to myself...
00:11:02.91\00:11:05.23
How did they ever track it down
to the drug that was involved?
00:11:05.27\00:11:08.14
They finally were able to
find that THIS was the drug
00:11:08.17\00:11:12.46
that was
victimizing these people.
00:11:12.50\00:11:13.85
It is difficult because
since the lag time is so long
00:11:13.88\00:11:19.11
And what about antidepressants?
00:11:19.14\00:11:22.36
Have you had any experience
or have you been reading some
00:11:22.39\00:11:24.70
things on that?
00:11:24.73\00:11:25.90
Well, we could say
something about some of the
00:11:25.93\00:11:29.88
major
tranquillizers that are used.
00:11:29.91\00:11:33.15
The main type of...
major tranquillizers in here
00:11:33.18\00:11:41.17
Thorazine and other
drugs of its class...
00:11:41.20\00:11:45.07
What they do in a
fair number of patients...
00:11:45.10\00:11:49.24
We're not talking
about a rare side effect
00:11:49.27\00:11:50.87
...is that they cause changes
in the central nervous system
00:11:50.90\00:11:55.35
that will lead to
strange movements,
00:11:55.38\00:11:58.49
involuntary movements...
where people grimace and
00:11:58.52\00:12:01.87
contort their lips
and tongue and so on.
00:12:01.90\00:12:04.82
It's given the term
"tardive dyskinesia"
00:12:04.85\00:12:08.30
Sometimes those effects
will stop when the person
00:12:08.31\00:12:13.26
stops using the drug...
but, by no means all the time.
00:12:13.29\00:12:16.86
There's quite a few people
left with permanent problems
00:12:16.89\00:12:20.60
that way... Amazing.
00:12:20.63\00:12:21.87
Dr. Horsley, I saw a woman,
one time, in another country
00:12:21.90\00:12:25.20
who had taken a
rather strong medication,
00:12:25.23\00:12:28.82
and her life had
been ruined by it.
00:12:28.85\00:12:31.66
She literally
could not sit still...
00:12:31.69\00:12:35.20
She made these so
called "athetoid movements"
00:12:35.23\00:12:38.54
and was constantly
in movement of some kind
00:12:38.57\00:12:42.07
And she would bend over
and even get on the floor
00:12:42.10\00:12:44.99
and wrap
herself around her chair
00:12:45.02\00:12:49.79
She was constantly
in a strain with that
00:12:49.82\00:12:53.27
and it really ruined her life.
00:12:53.30\00:12:55.41
It's something that I
think many of us have seen
00:12:55.44\00:12:58.98
I've seen, particularly these
grimaces that are SO disfiguring
00:12:59.01\00:13:03.16
and totally involuntary.
00:13:03.19\00:13:06.18
And, of course, the thing
that is so difficult there
00:13:06.21\00:13:10.58
is that it's a long way away
from finding the real problem.
00:13:10.61\00:13:17.75
What else can you tell us about
this whole subject and issues
00:13:17.78\00:13:21.83
that are
involved in medications?
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.78
Well, perhaps one could
summarize it this way...
00:13:24.81\00:13:30.93
That the most scary side effects
of drugs are those that are NOT
00:13:30.96\00:13:36.64
written in the PDR.
00:13:36.67\00:13:38.38
Now, they have found some,
like those that pretty much
00:13:38.41\00:13:42.45
every competent doctor knows
about... tardive dyskinesia,
00:13:42.48\00:13:45.78
and these major
neurologic drugs that are used.
00:13:45.81\00:13:50.16
But there, the connection
wasn't so hard to see...
00:13:50.19\00:13:54.45
It was harder probably in the
other one we were talking about,
00:13:54.48\00:13:56.87
methysergide.
00:13:56.90\00:13:57.98
But, we can think of
other ones where it would be
00:13:58.01\00:14:00.97
much more difficult to see.
00:14:01.00\00:14:03.32
Would it be all right to
name one other? Yes it would.
00:14:03.35\00:14:06.26
Diethylstilbestrol... Oh yes!
00:14:06.29\00:14:10.68
I remember first hearing
about this in a medical lecture,
00:14:10.71\00:14:14.93
and being so stunned
by what was going on.
00:14:14.96\00:14:19.73
A pregnant woman who
was given this drug...
00:14:19.76\00:14:23.66
since it is a female hormone,
00:14:23.69\00:14:27.24
perhaps it was thought
this wouldn't be such a
00:14:27.27\00:14:29.49
drastic thing to use.
00:14:29.53\00:14:30.92
Doctors are very careful
and try to avoid the use of
00:14:30.95\00:14:33.36
drugs during pregnancy.
00:14:33.39\00:14:34.83
Well, it was used and
with no apparent problem...
00:14:34.86\00:14:39.48
until many years later...
it must have been at least 15,
00:14:39.51\00:14:43.44
if not 20 years later,
that they began to notice
00:14:43.47\00:14:46.32
an increase... In fact,
my impression was that it was
00:14:46.35\00:14:49.14
basically a cancer that
had not been seen before this
00:14:49.17\00:14:53.16
NOT in the woman that took
the drug but in the baby girl,
00:14:53.19\00:14:58.20
the fetus that she had
been carrying at the time
00:14:58.23\00:15:00.47
that she took this.
00:15:00.50\00:15:01.57
A cancer of the genital
organs, which of course,
00:15:01.60\00:15:04.86
could be fatal.
00:15:04.89\00:15:06.80
An adenocarcinoma of the vagina
which is EXTREMELY rare...
00:15:06.83\00:15:12.42
In fact, I had never seen
one until we started seeing them
00:15:12.45\00:15:15.40
as a result of this drug.
00:15:15.43\00:15:17.91
You know, I'm actually
surprised that they found
00:15:17.94\00:15:20.80
the connection...
00:15:20.83\00:15:22.51
It's so many years before
because this did not show up
00:15:22.54\00:15:25.56
in the young girls until
they reached puberty at least.
00:15:25.59\00:15:29.22
And so the mother,
or at least her doctors,
00:15:29.25\00:15:33.34
must have had a
record remembered,
00:15:33.37\00:15:36.30
or been in her medical
records and they were able
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.50
to track it down that
this, in fact, was what was
00:15:38.53\00:15:40.85
responsible for
causing this problem.
00:15:40.88\00:15:42.88
Now, of course, cancer and
death are rather big events
00:15:42.89\00:15:49.99
in order for a person to
start hunting and looking
00:15:50.02\00:15:53.01
But what if it had
been a more subtle effect.
00:15:53.04\00:15:55.48
Not so much as to
cause a severe retardation
00:15:55.51\00:16:02.44
in brain function but
some mild retardation...
00:16:02.47\00:16:07.38
Or some other effect
on the immune system.
00:16:07.39\00:16:09.70
Or some aberration of
the functioning of the brain
00:16:09.71\00:16:11.58
like autism... you
mean, something like that..
00:16:11.61\00:16:14.47
THAT KIND OF THING!
00:16:14.50\00:16:15.58
I'm not sure that people
would even try to find out
00:16:15.61\00:16:19.17
about the mother taking
a drug back during the time
00:16:19.20\00:16:22.09
that she was carrying the child.
00:16:22.10\00:16:23.64
Yes... you
wouldn't think to do that.
00:16:23.65\00:16:26.38
You would think that the
mother would suffer the problem
00:16:26.41\00:16:28.84
and not to her
offspring... Exactly.
00:16:28.85\00:16:30.77
Even the boys born to
these mothers who took the
00:16:30.78\00:16:34.55
drug, were more likely to have
infertility and other problems.
00:16:34.58\00:16:39.84
So... it is a very
serious thing... It really is.
00:16:39.85\00:16:43.04
Well thank you very much.
00:16:43.07\00:16:44.55
I appreciate this discussion
of a very difficult topic
00:16:44.58\00:16:48.64
because we are... all
of us who have been trained
00:16:48.67\00:16:50.87
as MDs, are so
careful about medicines...
00:16:50.90\00:16:54.28
and yet there's hardly a way
that we can be careful enough.
00:16:54.31\00:16:58.43
Which brings us to
the point of thinking that
00:16:58.46\00:17:01.95
if there is a way to
treat a person without using
00:17:01.98\00:17:04.97
a medication, or a way to treat
a person without using surgery,
00:17:05.00\00:17:09.14
then, of course, we would
certainly want to do that.
00:17:09.17\00:17:11.39
We'd want to look for
that remedy that would make it
00:17:11.42\00:17:15.85
so that we could avoid
the use of some kind of drug.
00:17:15.88\00:17:19.76
Now I have also
with me, Don Miller,
00:17:19.79\00:17:22.73
and Don Miller is going to
talk with you about an important
00:17:22.76\00:17:25.34
issue having to do
with this whole subject of
00:17:25.35\00:17:28.06
alternative medicine,
and I'm looking forward
00:17:28.09\00:17:29.85
to hearing what you say.
00:17:29.88\00:17:31.19
You know, Dr. Thrash,
after talking with Dr. Horsley,
00:17:31.22\00:17:33.94
I want to go back and look
at my mother's medical records.
00:17:33.97\00:17:35.96
These types of things really
start to make you be concerned.
00:17:35.99\00:17:39.73
And, I want to mention
just one thing, Dr. Thrash...
00:17:39.76\00:17:42.51
We're finding out now that all
these drugs that we're taking
00:17:42.54\00:17:46.06
most of which go
through the body quite quickly,
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.59
are now starting to
accumulate in the ecosphere.
00:17:48.62\00:17:52.46
And they're going to
have a real profound effect.
00:17:52.49\00:17:55.31
Now what's happening
with all the drugs...
00:17:55.34\00:17:56.93
We have the diuretic drugs.
00:17:56.96\00:17:59.54
We've got the
anti-inflammatory drugs.
00:17:59.57\00:18:02.10
We've got the pain drugs.
00:18:02.13\00:18:03.13
We've got all these drugs...
00:18:03.16\00:18:04.19
being flushed down the toilet
and going out into the water
00:18:04.20\00:18:07.53
where the food chain
is living for some people
00:18:07.56\00:18:11.10
It's not my food chain
but some people are eating
00:18:11.13\00:18:13.00
that food chain and we're going
to get some biomagnifications
00:18:13.03\00:18:16.37
because of the flow
out into their ecosystem...
00:18:16.40\00:18:21.68
and we're going to
see some problems there.
00:18:21.71\00:18:23.62
Now with all that that's
been said about drugs and
00:18:23.65\00:18:26.42
medicines, I will say
this... that medicines are good.
00:18:26.45\00:18:29.94
If it were not so, it
would not be mentioned in
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.83
Proverbs 17:22 that a merry
heart does good like a medicine.
00:18:32.84\00:18:37.34
Now there's some real
proof there that they've been
00:18:37.37\00:18:40.00
finding out scientifically
that a merry heart...
00:18:40.03\00:18:42.86
that's caused by being
happy is good like a medicine.
00:18:42.89\00:18:46.88
And going back to
the very word "drug,"
00:18:46.91\00:18:49.45
we sit there and say,
"Oh drug, that's a bad thing"
00:18:49.48\00:18:51.96
and we're not going
to talk about drugs...
00:18:51.99\00:18:54.02
And there's good reason to
say that because, basically,
00:18:54.05\00:18:56.77
33% at LEAST of
diseases are caused by drugs or
00:18:56.80\00:19:01.91
iatrogenic sources... the drugs,
the treatment... whatever.
00:19:01.94\00:19:05.69
And so we have to be
careful from the drugs.
00:19:05.72\00:19:07.78
And as a matter of
fact, there's more people
00:19:07.81\00:19:09.23
dying of prescription
drugs, than there are
00:19:09.26\00:19:11.51
from illegal drugs.
00:19:11.54\00:19:13.07
So "drug" has gotten a bad name.
00:19:13.10\00:19:15.24
But where does the
word "drug" come from?
00:19:15.27\00:19:17.61
Quite simply... it's
from the Dutch word "droog"
00:19:17.62\00:19:20.26
which means dried plant.
00:19:20.29\00:19:22.60
I want my drugs
coming, as Melissa showed us,
00:19:22.63\00:19:26.22
from the dried plants.
00:19:26.25\00:19:28.05
I was in the St.
Louis Zoo some time ago...
00:19:28.08\00:19:30.38
As a matter of fact,
with Melissa and my daughter,
00:19:30.41\00:19:32.50
and my granddaughter... it was a
quite nice day we spent there...
00:19:32.53\00:19:34.87
And there was one particular
part of the zoo we went into
00:19:35.66\00:19:38.41
and there was a big display
about the tropical rainforest.
00:19:38.44\00:19:42.45
And there was a statement...
if I get it correctly,
00:19:42.48\00:19:45.27
it said something like,
"Two-thirds of all medication
00:19:45.30\00:19:49.05
found their origin from
the plants growing in the
00:19:49.08\00:19:53.27
tropical rainforest. "
00:19:53.30\00:19:54.56
And, I want to get my
drugs at that level, rather than
00:19:54.59\00:19:58.80
the synthesized level
that we're getting it in now.
00:19:58.83\00:20:02.09
There are about 275
thousand different plants
00:20:02.12\00:20:05.26
in the world today.
00:20:05.29\00:20:06.34
And, in those things, you've got
hundreds, to thousands, to even
00:20:06.37\00:20:09.64
millions of
chemical combinations
00:20:09.67\00:20:11.77
And we start messing with
those things, we have problems.
00:20:11.80\00:20:14.71
I guess it was back at about
1803, that the first doctor
00:20:14.74\00:20:18.64
sat down and he separated
out of a plant... an alkaloid.
00:20:18.67\00:20:22.76
The plant was opium and
the alkaloid is something
00:20:22.77\00:20:26.20
that we've used
quite a lot since then...
00:20:26.23\00:20:29.64
But they've starting taking
the plants and finding the
00:20:29.67\00:20:32.88
alkaloids or the
different constituent in there
00:20:32.91\00:20:36.27
that might have an
effect upon the body...
00:20:36.28\00:20:38.42
They somehow
make that themselves.
00:20:38.45\00:20:40.83
One very common one
is the salicylate family.
00:20:40.86\00:20:44.65
We go to the store and we
buy a bottle of salicylates
00:20:44.68\00:20:47.33
or aspirin and we take
those things and we realize that
00:20:47.34\00:20:50.85
these things have lots
of adverse side effects.
00:20:50.86\00:20:53.95
But where did the
salicylate come from?
00:20:53.96\00:20:56.51
Well, they would watch the
old folks and the Indians and
00:20:56.54\00:21:01.48
people who were the
old, you know, the rubes
00:21:01.51\00:21:03.86
out there on the farms...
00:21:03.89\00:21:05.36
That they, for years and
years and for centuries would
00:21:05.39\00:21:08.03
use a product,
not really a product,
00:21:08.06\00:21:10.99
but basically is a product...
00:21:11.02\00:21:12.13
the inside of the bark
of the white willow tree
00:21:12.16\00:21:15.66
and they found that
to be a pain reliever.
00:21:15.67\00:21:18.00
They found out that it
was the salicylate in there
00:21:18.03\00:21:20.63
and they started
using that as a drug.
00:21:20.66\00:21:23.12
I have used the
white willow bark,
00:21:23.15\00:21:25.89
and it works just as
well for me without all of the
00:21:25.92\00:21:28.40
negative side effects.
00:21:28.43\00:21:29.66
My stepfather was one
of those and there are many
00:21:29.69\00:21:33.61
people like this... who was
EXTREMELY sensitive to aspirin.
00:21:33.64\00:21:37.00
As a matter of fact, 1
grain could have killed him
00:21:37.03\00:21:39.78
And so, he had to be
very, very careful about
00:21:39.81\00:21:43.01
those types of things
00:21:43.04\00:21:44.04
And as Dr. Horsley has already
mentioned, and Dr. Thrash
00:21:44.07\00:21:47.46
has been talking about...
00:21:47.49\00:21:48.56
We don't know the effect that
these drugs are going to have
00:21:48.59\00:21:52.57
in our body down the line.
00:21:52.58\00:21:54.18
Eli Lilly,
basically the beginner of the
00:21:54.21\00:21:57.00
Eli Lilly Drug Company...
00:21:57.03\00:21:58.88
He once said something quite
interesting which I agree with
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.49
100%... He said, "If it
does not have a side effect,
00:22:01.52\00:22:05.06
it's not a drug. "
00:22:05.09\00:22:06.50
And so, I have not found
too many side effects of herbs
00:22:06.53\00:22:10.81
As a matter of fact... oh
yes, we've already mentioned
00:22:10.84\00:22:12.91
goldenseal and, Dr.
Thrash, it has a side effect...
00:22:12.94\00:22:16.04
it makes my face scrunch up!
Oh, that's nasty-tasting stuff!
00:22:16.07\00:22:19.63
But that's not a problem!
00:22:19.66\00:22:21.53
You know, those things
aren't BAD side effects.
00:22:21.56\00:22:24.05
Now, Sir William Osler
said something else and I think
00:22:24.08\00:22:28.89
this is one of the
most important things I try
00:22:28.92\00:22:30.82
to teach the
people where I go...
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.88
And basically, he said
that it's more important
00:22:32.91\00:22:37.83
to know the patient, than
it is to know the disease.
00:22:37.86\00:22:41.60
We spend all of our
time looking at a disease
00:22:41.63\00:22:44.13
and we don't spend much
time looking at the patient.
00:22:44.14\00:22:47.28
Let's talk with the patient.
00:22:47.31\00:22:48.55
I'll tell people where I'm
teaching... wherever it might be
00:22:48.58\00:22:51.28
I say... "The best diagnostic
tool that we have is a good
00:22:51.31\00:22:55.71
foundational history. "
00:22:55.74\00:22:57.39
Talk to the person.
Spend time with the person.
00:22:57.42\00:22:59.99
Trouble is in today's world,
we don't have that much time
00:23:00.02\00:23:02.63
to spend with our patients.
00:23:02.64\00:23:04.02
And so we run them through
and give them a prescription
00:23:04.05\00:23:06.57
for a drug which... who
knows what effect it will
00:23:06.58\00:23:08.75
have down the line.
00:23:08.78\00:23:09.77
And so, we need to get
good herbal books and find out
00:23:09.80\00:23:12.85
what can we do NATURALLY.
00:23:12.88\00:23:14.90
Now, herbs are
getting a lot of bad press and
00:23:14.93\00:23:17.84
rightly so for this reason...
00:23:17.88\00:23:19.61
If you take an
herb which is effective,
00:23:19.65\00:23:22.73
with a drug which is
effective in its sphere,
00:23:22.76\00:23:26.02
both of those together,
gives you a double whammy.
00:23:26.05\00:23:28.66
Let's say someone taking an
antidepressant and then they
00:23:28.69\00:23:34.36
also take St. John's Wort...
00:23:34.39\00:23:36.89
Well that's two at one
time and that's not good.
00:23:36.92\00:23:39.98
And so, we're hearing in
the press, "You shouldn't take
00:23:40.01\00:23:42.49
St. John's Wort
because it's bad.
00:23:42.52\00:23:44.32
Well, the problem is
taking BOTH of them is bad
00:23:44.35\00:23:47.65
I would say, let's
try the St. John's Wort
00:23:47.68\00:23:49.89
And there's
many other drugs that
00:23:49.92\00:23:51.19
fall into this category.
00:23:51.22\00:23:52.60
So we need to
sort of narrow it down
00:23:52.63\00:23:54.19
and not start building it.
00:23:54.22\00:23:55.32
And I will say even this...
00:23:55.35\00:23:56.74
it's not good to make many,
many many herb combinations
00:23:56.77\00:24:01.28
because we don't
know how they react.
00:24:01.31\00:24:03.05
Every herb has its own chemicals
that are going to intermix
00:24:03.08\00:24:06.66
And so we usually like
to sort of draw the line
00:24:06.69\00:24:08.71
at 6 or 7 different herbs
in a concoction or a decoction
00:24:08.74\00:24:12.99
and not go into these 70 and
80 different herbal combinations
00:24:13.02\00:24:17.06
because, again, we don't know
00:24:17.09\00:24:19.11
how they're going to
react with each other.
00:24:19.15\00:24:20.82
So we need to be wise and
we need to take some of that
00:24:20.85\00:24:24.14
"merry heart" that does good
like a medicine... Dr. Thrash.
00:24:24.17\00:24:27.11
Yes that does.
00:24:27.14\00:24:28.30
I'm glad you
mentioned about herbs...
00:24:28.33\00:24:31.04
It is important that we learn
about herbs and not all herbs
00:24:31.07\00:24:35.48
are safe, such as...
00:24:35.51\00:24:38.62
ginseng, lobelia and
pennyroyal and some others
00:24:38.65\00:24:42.74
So generally, if you don't
know what the properties are,
00:24:42.77\00:24:46.69
of an herb, then it might
be well if you studied that
00:24:46.72\00:24:49.85
before you take it.
00:24:49.88\00:24:51.45
Now I've asked Dr. Horsley
to talk with you again about
00:24:51.48\00:24:55.35
some other issues that
are involved in this matter of
00:24:55.38\00:25:00.01
alternative medicine.
00:25:00.04\00:25:02.71
And so, Dr. Horsley,
what other thing do you have
00:25:02.74\00:25:05.95
that you can share with us.
00:25:05.98\00:25:07.21
Well, briefly, perhaps we should
just say what alternative...
00:25:07.24\00:25:12.87
In fact, let's use the
word "rational" treatment should
00:25:12.90\00:25:16.07
begin with.
00:25:16.10\00:25:17.19
But not with
herbs? I don't think so.
00:25:17.22\00:25:20.33
I agree with you.
00:25:20.36\00:25:22.17
We really should begin with
00:25:22.20\00:25:24.58
what is the
foundation of good health...
00:25:24.61\00:25:27.15
And I think everyone
from their mother has heard...
00:25:27.18\00:25:31.64
...you know, as one
has said many times,
00:25:31.67\00:25:34.41
"Eat your vegetables.
" "Eat the right foods. "
00:25:34.44\00:25:36.99
And other
components that everyone knows
00:25:37.02\00:25:39.75
have to do with good health.
00:25:39.79\00:25:41.07
Drinking enough
water. Getting your exercise.
00:25:41.11\00:25:44.54
Those habits are the
first step toward good health.
00:25:44.57\00:25:50.67
It's been summarized
in the word "NEWSTART"
00:25:50.70\00:25:55.62
Nutrition, exercise,
water, temperance, and so on.
00:25:55.63\00:26:00.14
If we need to do
more than that...
00:26:00.17\00:26:03.37
and often people don't
realize how just maximizing
00:26:03.40\00:26:06.94
those aspects of good
health will relieve many
00:26:06.97\00:26:10.86
of their symptoms... Yes.
00:26:10.89\00:26:12.15
Often people don't realize
just what is the best nutrition.
00:26:12.18\00:26:17.16
And so, doing that
will OFTEN HELP or even CURE
00:26:17.19\00:26:21.03
the problem.
00:26:21.06\00:26:22.42
If we need to go
further, the next step down
00:26:22.45\00:26:25.44
then would be use of herbs.
00:26:25.47\00:26:27.54
And one could also add
in some other treatments
00:26:27.57\00:26:31.78
at this next step
down such as massage...
00:26:31.81\00:26:34.99
And all sorts of water
treatments... water and steam
00:26:35.02\00:26:38.95
and ice...
Hydrotherapy as it's called.
00:26:38.98\00:26:41.63
Use of heat with water
to apply it is excellent.
00:26:41.66\00:26:49.46
Then, if we want to go
a further step below...
00:26:49.49\00:26:53.34
I would say that "extracts"
of herbs, or for that matter,
00:26:53.37\00:26:57.90
extracts of foods...
00:26:57.93\00:26:59.39
And I feel even less
comfortable about extracting
00:26:59.42\00:27:03.68
trace quantities... than taking
something that's the major
00:27:03.71\00:27:07.62
component of food...
For instance, vitamins.
00:27:07.65\00:27:09.42
Yes, you can easily get a MAJOR
overdose with one little pill.
00:27:09.45\00:27:15.60
And it's very
easy to swallow it.
00:27:15.63\00:27:17.46
Thank you very much.
00:27:17.49\00:27:19.58
We certainly see that this
is a BIG subject not possible
00:27:19.61\00:27:26.43
for us to cover in one
small discussion of it.
00:27:26.46\00:27:31.45
But, let me
read something to you
00:27:31.48\00:27:33.60
that I think will
be very helpful to you.
00:27:33.64\00:27:36.27
"To secure a strong,
well-balanced character,
00:27:36.30\00:27:38.90
both the mental and the physical
powers must be exercised
00:27:38.91\00:27:42.73
and developed.
00:27:42.76\00:27:43.92
What study can be more
important than that which treats
00:27:43.95\00:27:47.41
of this wonderful organism
which God has committed to us
00:27:47.42\00:27:51.10
...His own
equipment. " Thank you.
00:27:51.13\00:27:53.20