Helen
was an active woman – she bowled, golfed, walked, and loved to play
with her grandchildren. She
was a Breast Cancer Survivor at 57!
She developed Shingles when she was 62, and the doctors were unable to cure it. Shingles is a sister illness to Chicken Pox – Herpes-Zoster. It is a virus that attacks the nerves. The residual pain that can remain after developing Shingles is called Postherpetic Neuralgia. The doctor prescribed the anti-depressant Amitriptyline for the pain. (Traditional Medical treatments for Postherpetic Neuralgia include steroids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and topical agents.)
Helen
took the Amitriptyline
for 20 years.
During
a routine physical at age 76, her Cholesterol was tested and found to be
high. Her doctor prescribed
Zocor.
At
age 77, she had a series of falls resulting in several broken bones –
a wrist, a hip and a femur and another hip.
The cause was determined to be osteoporosis.
Her doctor perscribed Bone Desity medication.
Soon,
her mental health began to deteriorate.
Helen
is my mother. I was watching her go down hill quickly.
There were days that she wouldn’t know me, and days that seemed
like a week to her. She was
angry, frustrated and confused. She was developing other symptoms and
other illnesses and I didn’t know how to stop it.
After the hospitalization of her last hip break, she suffered a
series of small strokes that affected her ability to walk, and is
now using an electric wheel chair.
In
the Spring of her 80th year, we were getting ready to move.
Her prescriptions were running out and she would need to see the
doctors again to have them refilled.
Both she and I were concerned about her current health and I
began to research the medications and conditions.
There
had to be a way to lower her cholesterol, treat the shingle pain and
strengthen her bones without putting an 80 year old at such
risk!
I
called my friend, Dr. Erin Post, a Naturopath.
She told me THERE WAS!!!
We
decided, instead of renewing her prescriptions we would try an
alternative Natural method.
Dr.
Erin recommended a program of diet and supplements:
To
strengthen her bones – CAL
MAG - Calcium/Magnesium,
Glucosamine/Condroitin
To
lower her cholesterol (which was 340 when we tested it) – Diet – Low
Carb
To
provide relief from the shingles pain –
The
Essential Oils of Tea Tree, Lavender, Peppermint and Geranium, and
Thai
Go.
Within
a few short months, my mother's mind began to clear.
She could remember things, people, events.
She regained her warm sunny personality.
We
tested her cholesterol after 30 days of diet adjustment – 188!!!
She
did fall down after that – but she didn’t break anything!!! She also
ran her electric chair into the bed frame onto her shins – No break
– no damage!!!
The
shingles pain is a little different.
It has taken a while to find a combination that worked for
prolonged periods, but she has been taking Thai
Go – a very powerful antioxidant, and not only has it
helped alleviate the shingle pain, but it is helping with her acid
reflux (brought on by the previous medications), and her Macular
Degeneration (for which she is also taking Perfect
Eyes with antioxidants and Billberry)!
I
have to say that my mother is thrilled with the results she has had with
the natural supplements. Instead
of masking the symptoms and creating new ones, she is healing and her
conditions are improving.
Helen
is now 83, and is an active part of this Natural Health practice.
Thanks
Mom! And Thanks Dr. Erin!