I’ve decided to choose a random site to learn from each week. This week’s site is called Healthy Fellow. This is a blog that is frequently updated (how I wish mine was too) - and the articles look very helpful - for example, Tai Chi and Diabetes and Ginseng for Colds and Flu.

Apparently women are more likely to seek pharmaceutical medication than are men. I am a woman. I totally understand. I love being alive so if a doctor recommends a drug I think, “Oh yes, I want that… it could improve my life… the doctor says it will help, so I must give it a try.” That’s what happened with me to get me hooked on Synthroid for hypothyroid and Atenolol for hypertension. I was such an idiot to take those drugs without researching natural remedies.

Recently I quit using Synthroid after learning that most hypothyroid disorder is caused by an iodine deficiency. I’ve been using Bladderwrack (a seaweed supplement) for iodine and will go see my nurse practitioner soon to see if my condition has improved. I’m happy to report I haven’t been feeling any negative effects from quitting the Synthroid.

Anyhow, I ran across this article today: Pharma: Still Chasing Skirts. Thought I’d share.

Cures for eczema? I’m sure if you have eczema, like I do, you’re as interested in finding a cure as I am.

My first outbreak of eczema happened when I was twenty during my first pregnancy. Something changed in my metabolism to cause an extremely bad set of itchy rashes that appeared mostly on my arms and legs. The doctor I consulted told me it was “just one of those things”. She suggested that I not use soap when bathing to avoid further irritation.

When my pregnancy ended so did the eczema. Within a few months it was no longer a problem… until six years later when I got pregnant again. After this second pregnancy the eczema never went away completely, though it was never as bad as it was during that first pregnancy.

For most eczema sufferers, pregnancy isn’t part of the problem, and until recently I never had an adequate reason given for why eczema could occur. Then I watched this video from asktheholisticdoctor on YouTube:

Note the doctor mentioned digestive health…

Well, earlier this year I went on the master cleanse fast, also known as the lemonade diet, for ten days. After breaking my fast I used this daily probiotic for several months, and during that time I had no eczema! I think I made a mistake when I stopped using the probiotic, so I just ordered two more boxes. This is the brand I use:

Click here to purchase or learn more about this probiotic.

My daughter’s paramour looked for eczema cures in his extensive herbal library, and found that Neem Oil* is one of the best things to put on it. Neem oil comes from the Neem, which is an evergreen tree in India. There’s a strong odor so many people prefer to use it in a lotion or salve - but I’ll take the oil straight. I want to make sure I’m using only the purest product. This isn’t a good solution for pregnant women, however. Neem oil is a herb that pregnant women should never use because it can cause miscarriage. Also women wanting to get pregnant shouldn’t use it because it can prevent implantation.

Another caution: Long term use of Neem can cause liver damage, so don’t plan on using it forever. This is something I’ll use only until the rash clears up, something I’m hopeful the probiotic will take care of.

Neem oil is not to be used in cooking.

Mainly it is used to treat eczema and other skin conditions including acne, and even leprosy. It is also used for fevers, inflammations, rheumatism, malaria, and TB. It is even used as a bio-pesticide for organic gardening.

My daughter’s friend also told me that Aryurvedic doctors prescribe Bacopa Extract to eczema sufferers because eczema can be caused by stress. I did some research on Bacopa and was intrigued by its effect on memory and intelligence. I’ll be getting some of this too:

Wikipedia articles: Neem Oil, Bacopa

Of course if I lived near one I’d go see a naturopatic doctor about my eczema. They probably have other options for treating eczema. But I live many miles from natural medical care; I’m in the boonies. For now I’ll use these things and will report back about how they work for me.

[Update 12/30/08 - Today Dr. Mercola sent out the link to an article about eczema treatments! He's got lots of great ideas there, though I will not be using animal based oils since I'm a vegetarian. See the article and his video: Fend off Psoriasis and Eczema with Simple, Inexpensive Remedies. He mentions probiotics as part of the cure. Thanks, Dr. Mercola!]

[* Update 2/4/09 - I purchased the Neem Oil and used it on my dry skin and eczema. At first it cleared up several spots very quickly, but then I developed a sensitivity to it because I was using it straight from the bottle. I recommend that if you use it, you should dilute it with olive oil, or almond oil, or some other carrier. Several drops of Neem oil in a tablespoonful of almond oil should help.]

[Update 3/19/09 - I found a good article on healing eczema naturally at Shirley's Wellness Café. She had an extremely bad case of eczema and healed it with a variety of herbs, food and water. Read: My testimonial of Healing My Lifelong Eczema With Natural Means.]

[Update 3/27/09 - I'm now trying another essential oil (mixed with almond oil) on my eczema- Rosemary Oil. Also I found a startling article about eczema: Eczema cases rise by 40% in four years .]

Are flu shots worth the danger of possibly contracting Guillain-Barré syndrome like Richard Ryan, 44, did? Ryan, a Canadian, got his flu shot last year. A few weeks later he was in so much intense pain he sought treatment at a hospital emergency room. The doctor there knew what he had as soon as the words, “flu shot” were mentioned.

Richard Ryan was hospitalized for ten weeks and spent three of those weeks in intensive care, paralyzed.

I’ve often wondered if it might be worthwhile to get flu shots, but so far, have avoided them. Last winter I discussed this with a co-worker at a restaurant I was then working at.

Cook: “I’ve never had one. One winter someone working here got one and was sick all winter, and I never got sick.”

Me: “I’ve never had one either. I wonder what they put in those shots.”

Cook: “They’re having the flu shot clinic tomorrow. It’s a drive-by clinic. You don’t even have to get out of your car.”

Me: “No thanks. I didn’t get sick at all last winter either. I take precautions like washing my hands a lot. And if I start to feel under the weather, I take a couple Golden Seal capsules. Works every time.”

Cook: “Golden Seal? What’s that?”

Me: “It’s a herb with mild antibiotic qualities. I usually take some Golden Seal, Vitamin C, and orange juice. Not all at one time of course - I like to space things out.”

Cook: “And it really works?”

Me: “For me it does. Just be careful not to take too much. Read the directions.”

Two other employees were feeling sick and the cook told them I recommended Golden Seal. One recovered almost immediately after using Golden Seal extract; the other didn’t. [Note: I don't know how much she took; it may have been minimal as it was the one who actually purchased the Golden Seal that recovered.]

Meanwhile, back in Canada, Richard Ryan has never fully recovered from the effects of his flu shot. The Guillain-Barré syndrome symptoms are in remission, but it could return at any time. Ryan’s illness turned into CIDP - Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. He still uses medication, can’t work, and has developed memory loss.

Source: B.C. man paralyzed after flu shot warns of risks published in CDC News on October 22, 2008.

One more thing: You can learn a lot by reading the 100+ reader comments on the article I referenced.