Reply #55: Yes, it's a pity that the FDA et al

[ForrestGump]

don't regard some of these herbal remedies as 'real medicine.' Some of them can do you in. It's scary, for example, that taking St John's Wort alongside a prescribed antidrepressant can make you dead....I wonder how many even know of that risk? Same with yam extracts and thyroid supplements.

I have to say that I'm still skeptical about homeopathy, mainly because it seems to me like the 'active ingredient' is watered down to the point that it's questionable whether there's actually any present in a given vial (or lactose pill). It doesn't help that I've been around more than a few crystal-waving frauds who have all these weird and wonderful ways of 'charging' solutions to do certain things and who use things like the avatar machine to make it all seem 'scientific.' My wife believed in homeopathy rather passionately, but nothing she gave me ever did any good - perhaps I was too close-minded, disabling not only any placebo effect but counteracting whatever the stuff was supposed to do.

These days I tend to not take anything at all, for anything.....even structural injuries I just let heal while keeping the joint mobile and strong. I really do need to go to the ER for an injury I sustained over a month ago, though - kinda didn't get around to it yet!