I have known doctors
who cared nothing for patients
over their pockets.
The above haiku is, unfortunately, quite true.
Like many people, and especially women, I have gone to clinics and hospitals with real maladies only to be told it was my imagination, that what I told them couldn't possibly be true, and/or have had my hand metaphorically patted and been told to go home like a good little girl, and do as my doctor ordered.
Forgive my language, but screw them, and all doctors like them. They are a dime a dozen, infect the medical field at every level, and aren't worth a hundredth of what their parents spent on their woefully inadequate educations.
I've nearly died, more than once, due to some quack choosing not to believe me. As have friends, family members, acquaintances and co-workers. And a few actually died because their doctors ignored what they told them was wrong.
Then there are real doctors, the ones who really care, who actually listen when you speak, and consider what you have said seriously. They do exist in so-called "conventional" allopathic medicine, though they are rare and often difficult to find, but they are worth their weight in gold when you finally do.
I've had my life saved, more than once, by a doctor who actually listened, who believed what I told them, and who worked with me to find a solution.
God bless them, all those like them, and we need far more of their kind in the world. They save lives for real.
Sadly, the doctor who wrote the blog post to which I felt compelled to respond appears to be of the first sort, as he blithely ignored the actual science (and evidently didn't even bother looking any up), while going out of his way to discredit the use of natural alternatives.
He dismissed both elderberry and Oscillococcinum as nothing more than wishful thinking, when used in the prevention and treatment of influenza and flu-like symptoms, despite the longstanding clinically proven efficacy of elderberry, and the more recent clinical findings that Oscillococcinum is probably effective, but needs more study, and a larger sampling for testing.
Interestingly, in the final abstract I included in my (very long) comment to the doctor, their findings were that doctors who practiced empathy with their patients actually appear to stimulate their patients' immune response, resulting in decreased severity and duration of the common cold.
Natural healing in action.
Just a guess, but I'm thinking that his patients (if any) will most likely not experience those same results.
Frankly, I hope I'm wrong, and that he's actually a better doctor in person than he comes across as on paper.
My complete response to the doctor, including numerous citations and quotes from relevant research and clinical studies, follows.
You can follow the links to the complete abstracts, and, in some cases, to the complete articles in question.
My paternal grandfather was a conventional MD who, because he actually cared about his patients, commonly sent anyone who had joint and muscular issues to the chiropractor down the street, by whom he was also treated from time to time.
Why? because he knew, as an allopathic doctor, that he himself had NOTHING to offer them, aside from pain pills, which frankly he knew wouldn't help them in the long run, as it wouldn't get to the root of their problem.
Similarly, he had no problem with homeopathy, because it flat out works, if you actually know what you're doing, or consult with someone who does, and don't assume that you already know it all.
In case you need to be reminded, a high percentage of current pharmaceutical drugs are plant based, so quit looking down your nose at those of us who FOR GOOD REASON no longer trust most doctors, and do some actual freaking research BEFORE putting out an article that is so clearly slanted, biased, misleading, and outright false.
Sambucus nigra, aka black elderberry, has been a well-known and widely used healing plant since ancient times, and a LOT of modern research has borne that out, including numerous clinical and in vitro studies, which confirm (yet again) its antiviral and antimicrobial properties, as well as its overall efficacy against not only influenza and flu-like symptoms, but certain cancers, diabetes, and even HIV.
Here are a few to get you started:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
Abstract Title:
Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) supplementation effectively treats upper respiratory symptoms: A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials.
"This analysis included a total of 180 participants and evaluates moderators such as vaccination status and cause of the upper respiratory symptoms. Supplementation with elderberry was found to substantially reduce upper respiratory symptoms. The quantitative synthesis of the effects yielded a large mean effect size. These findings present an alternative to antibiotic misuse for upper respiratory symptoms due to viral infections, and a potentially safer alternative to prescription drugs for routine cases of the common cold and influenza."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9395631
Abstract Title:
Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama.
"A standardized elderberry extract, Sambucol (SAM), reduced hemagglutination and inhibited replication of human influenza viruses type A/Shangdong 9/93 (H3N2), A/Beijing 32/92 (H3N2), A/Texas 36/91 (H1N1), A/Singapore 6/86 (H1N1), type B/Panama 45/90, B/Yamagata 16/88, B/Ann Arbor 1/86, and of animal strains from Northern European swine and turkeys, A/Sw/Ger 2/81, A/Tur/Ger 3/91, and A/Sw/Ger 8533/91 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells . . .
"A complete cure was achieved within 2 to 3 days in nearly 90% of the SAM-treated group and within at least 6 days in the placebo group (p < 0.001). No satisfactory medication to cure influenza type A and B is available. Considering the efficacy of the extract in vitro on all strains of influenza virus tested, the clinical results, its low cost, and absence of side-effects, this preparation could offer a possibility for safe treatment for influenza A and B."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518
Abstract Title:
The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based, natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines.
"Sambucus nigra L. products - Sambucol - are based on a standardized black elderberry extract. They are natural remedies with Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days. Convalescent phase serum showed a higher antibody level to influenza virus in the Sambucol group, than in the control group . . .
"The most striking increase was noted in TNF-alpha production (44.9 fold). We conclude from this study that, in addition to its antiviral properties, Sambucol Elderberry Extract and its formulations activate the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production. Sambucol might therefore be beneficial to the immune system activation and in the inflammatory process in healthy individuals or in patients with various diseases. Sambucol could also have an immunoprotective or immunostimulatory effect when administered to cancer or AIDS patients, in conjunction with chemotherapeutic or other treatments. In view of the increasing popularity of botanical supplements, such studies and investigations in vitro, in vivo and in clinical trials need to be developed."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15080016
Abstract Title:
Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.
"Elderberry has been used in folk medicine for centuries to treat influenza, colds and sinusitis, and has been reported to have antiviral activity against influenza and herpes simplex. We investigated the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry syrup for treating influenza A and B infections. Sixty patients (aged 18-54 years) suffering from influenza-like symptoms for 48 h or less were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study during the influenza season of 1999-2000 in Norway. Patients received 15 ml of elderberry or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days, and recorded their symptoms using a visual analogue scale. Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo. Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza. These findings need to be confirmed in a larger study."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19641233
Abstract Title:
HIV type-1 entry inhibitors with a new mode of action.
"RESULTS: The compounds that blocked HIV-1 infection were flavonoids and A-type proanthocyanidins. The 50% inhibitory concentration values of these extracts ranged from 0.5 to 201 microg/ml for four different HIV-1 serotypes. Interaction matrices with the elderberry extract and enfuvirtide, a peptide HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, revealed significant super additive effects. This indicates that the compounds in elderberry that prevent HIV-1 infection are likely to bind to viral glycoproteins other than gp41 (the binding site for enfuvirtide). CONCLUSIONS: Optimized elderberry, green tea and cinnamon extracts rich in certain flavonoid compounds were shown to block HIV-1 entry and infection in GHOST cells. As such, these types of botanical extracts could provide a starting point for the development of possible safe and reliable cotherapies for HIV-1-positive individuals, as well as for the identification of new small molecules as leading drug candidates for HIV-1 therapeutics and microbicides."
These studies are the tip of the iceberg; a LOT more exist, which you could have found with even a cursory search, which clearly you never bothered to do. And I restricted my search to elderberry.
The search which brought me the above abstracts, and literally DOZENS more, took me all of fifteen seconds. So your research skills, from this example alone, seem to be pretty much nonexistent, since PubMed is considered a standard source among actual medical professionals.
In addition to Oscillococcinum, which I have personally used in the past with highly favorable results, here are a few more natural remedies for flu and flu-like symptoms that are at least equally effective as those given by conventional doctors, with far fewer side effects:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832025
Abstract Title:
Green Tea Consumption Is Inversely Associated with the Incidence of Influenza Infection among Schoolchildren in a Tea Plantation Area of Japan.
"Green tea is known to contain antiviral components that prevent influenza infection. A limited number of adult clinical studies have been undertaken, but there is a paucity of clinical evidence concerning children. We conducted an observational study to determine the association between green tea consumption and the incidence of influenza infection among schoolchildren . . .
Our findings thus suggest that the consumption of 1-5 cups/d of green tea may prevent influenza infection in children."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25294223
Abstract Title:
Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus brevis KB290 on incidence of influenza infection among schoolchildren: an open-label pilot study.
"SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: We demonstrated a reduction in the incidence of influenza in 1089 schoolchildren by continual intake of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus brevis KB290 (KB290), isolated from a traditional Japanese pickle 'Suguki'. The effect was especially evident in subjects not inoculated with influenza vaccine. This is believed to be the first report to show reduced incidence of influenza in schoolchildren taking a probiotic food. Further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of the probiotic strain KB290, which may be useful in the development of potential anti-influenza agents derived from common foods."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25847473
Abstract Title:
Anti-influenza virus effects of cocoa.
"BACKGROUND: Cocoa contains biologically active ingredients that have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which includes an inhibitory effect on influenza virus infection . . .
"In human intervention trials, participants were allocated to two groups, one in which the participants ingested cocoa for 3 weeks before and after vaccination against A(H1N1)pdm2009 influenza virus and another in which the participants did not ingest cocoa. Neutralizing antibody titers against A(H1N1)pdm2009 influenza virus increased significantly in both groups; however, the extent of the increase was not significantly different between the two groups. Although natural killer cell activity was also elevated in both groups, the increase was more substantial in the cocoa intake group.
"CONCLUSION: Drinking cocoa activates natural immunity and enhances vaccination-induced immune response, providing stronger protection against influenza virus infection and disease onset.© 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.”
It interested me a great deal to discover that many of these abstracts noted that protective effects were far greater in people who had not been vaccinated, over those who had. Why?
This following abstract may give an excellent clue:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21880755
Abstract Title:
Annual Vaccination against Influenza Virus Hampers Development of Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Immunity in Children.
"Infection with seasonal influenza A viruses induces immunity to potentially pandemic influenza A viruses of other subtypes (heterosubtypic immunity). We recently demonstrated that vaccination against seasonal influenza prevented the induction of heterosubtypic immunity against influenza A/H5N1 virus induced by infection with seasonal influenza in animal models, which correlated with the absence of virus-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. Annual vaccination of all healthy children against influenza has been recommended, but the impact of vaccination on the development of the virus-specific CD8(+) T cell immunity in children is currently unknown . . .
"Our results indicate that annual influenza vaccination is effective against seasonal influenza but hampers the development of virus-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. The consequences of these findings are discussed in the light of the development of protective immunity to seasonal and future pandemic influenza viruses."
When combined with the CDC's admission on their own website that the flu vaccine averages less than 50% effectiveness, and the knowledge that those who have been vaccinated, whether or not they get the flu, shed 600% - SIX TIMES - more live virus than those who have not been vaccinated, meaning that everyone they come into contact with is exposed to the flu whether or not they actually develop symptoms, the recommendation that all healthy children be vaccinated begins to look a lot more like reckless endangerment than sound science.
And it certainly disproves the lie of herd immunity.
Here is an excellent article delineating why vaccines are neither as safe nor as effective as we have been led to believe, not to mention why herd immunity is a complete myth:
https://thegrownetwork.com/is-flu-shot-effective/
In short, your grasp of science is lacking, your research skills as already mentioned are either nonexistent or you were simply too lazy to bother, and I have read my first and last post on your blog.
I choose to spend my time reading sources whose information I trust.
With this post, you have amply proven that your research and writing skills, combined with your obvious bias, don't qualify.
I'll leave you with one final abstract, food for thought, not that I think you'll probably put it into practice, judging by your writing style:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19582635
Abstract Title:
Practitioner empathy and the duration of the common cold.
"OBJECTIVE: This study's objective was to assess the relationship of empathy in medical office visits to subsequent outcomes of the common cold.
"METHODS: A total of 350 subjects ? 12 years of age received either a standard or enhanced physician visit as part of a randomized controlled trial. Enhanced visits emphasized empathy on the part of the physician. The patient-scored Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) questionnaire assessed practitioner-patient interaction, especially empathy. Cold severity and duration were assessed from twice-daily symptom reports. Nasal wash was performed to measure the immune cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8).
"RESULTS: Eighty-four individuals reported perfect (score of 50) CARE scores. They tended to be older with less education but reported similar health status, quality of life, and levels of optimism. In those with perfect CARE scores, cold duration was shorter (mean 7.10 days versus 8.01 days), and there was a trend toward reduced severity (mean area under receiver-operator characteristics curve 240.40 versus 284.49). After accounting for possible confounding variables, cold severity and duration were significantly lower in those reporting perfect CARE scores. In these models, a perfect score also correlated with a larger increase in IL-8 levels.
"CONCLUSIONS: Clinician empathy, as perceived by patients with the common cold, significantly predicts subsequent duration and severity of illness and is associated with immune system changes."
I am dedicating this post to #naturalmedicine, and in the hopes of furthering this initiative, half the liquid proceeds earned from my post will be awarded to their account.
I am not linking to this particular doctor's blog, as it is so egregiously biased - and provably false - as to beggar belief, and frankly I don't want to be responsible for gaining him a single reader.
The photo above was taken by me last year, depicting ripened elderberries from a bush a mile from my house.
I'm happy to note that at least two of the cuttings I took, and a possible third, are growing well, have overwintered on my covered front porch, and started leafing out well over a month ago. Woo hoo!!!
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art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics
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