Hi Everybody,
INTERESTING QUOTE: The following is a testimonial from Dr. Larry Baskind, a pediatrician from New York who began using Chinese Medicine in his practice:
“I prescribed Chest Relief (a Chinese Herbal Medicine) to a hundred or more children and used the product for every member of my family. There have been no adverse effects reported to me. I’m certain that there would have been, because my patients’ parents are quick to call when, for example, they experience rashes or gastrointestinal upset while taking antibiotics.
“On the contrary, I have found that Chest Relief, as well as other Chinese Modular Solutions products, have been extraordinarily safe and effective. Here is my logic as a practitioner who cares deeply about his patients, deeply enough to spend many, many hours and late nights and vacations researching “alternative” medicines to offer what I consider the best and safest remedies to my patients and their families. I have great respect for conventional medicine and practice typical Western pediatric medicine. I support immunization and tend to use antibiotics for acute, febrile ear infections.
“Last year the Working Group Advisory Committee to the CDC issued a statement about using restraint and discrimination in prescribing antibiotics for ear infections. The CDC the year before recommended a policy of “watchful waiting”, suggesting that pediatricians not use antibiotics for uncomplicated ear effusions and non-strep pharyngitis. While this is prudent on scientific grounds, where does this leave the practitioner?
“Well, Mrs. Jones, I’m glad to inform you that Johnny doesn’t have an ear infection, strep throat, or any infection treatable by antibiotics today. Unfortunately, since studies have failed to demonstrate any benefit in using decongestants, antihistamines, or any other preparations for symptomatic relief, I can only recommend that you watch for the development of a more serious infection that I can then treat with an antibiotic.” I know this sounds facetious, but it is not really. This is the clinical scenario of a policy of “watchful waiting”. I would like to add that I think this is fine, and certainly safer than prescribing antibiotics promiscuously with the attendant complications.
“But I have to say that I would like to do more for my patients. I would prefer that they don’t develop the bacterial complications of routine viral illnesses and I would like them to feel better as quickly as possible. To this end, I have researched herbs, and other remedies, and sought out reputable manufacturers like Kan. I believe and have found that certain “alternative” medicines offer a safe and effective therapeutic approach to what are considered mild and benign childhood diseases. We have used Chest Relief in a variety of clinical situations, especially in asthmatics that tend to wheeze with minor upper respiratory infections. As is the current standard of care, we provide them with nebulizers and peak flow devices and instruct them on using Albuterol, and when to begin steroids, but we would prefer not to have to start this sequence. We have found that giving Chest Relief early in the course of an upper respiratory infection may attenuate or prevent a serious asthmatic exacerbation.
“I have one last example about another formula. Windbreaker. A few weeks ago, my associate consulted with one of the ENT specialists at our hospital. He seemed to be a bit surly, and when asked about this, he blurted out: “Why don’t you send any of your [myringotomy]tube cases to us? My associate was taken aback, but then searched his memory for recent cases of persistent otitis media that required myringotomy tube (ear tubes) placement. He couldn’t recall any,and I can only think of one child I’ve seen this winter who had tubes put in. This is somewhat unusual for a practice as large as ours (over 12,000 patients). I believe that a good part of this is our adherence to the principle of restraint with antibiotics and our implementation of alternative medicine protocols like Windbreaker and garlic oil for chronic otitis and persistent middle ear effusions (as well as our policy of careful follow up and hearing testing in these cases).
“Chest Relief and Windbreaker have proven to be effective and safe medicines in clinical use. I would like to add that they are some of the few herbal medications that children will actually take without a major protest. This includes my highly discriminating sons.”
Larry Baskind, MD, FAAP
THE POINT: Even medical doctors who honestly look into natural medicines are almost always pleased with what they see. The ones that are against chiropractic, acupuncture, chinese medicine, and other alternative therapies usually have no idea what the practices are really about.
**NOTE: We are having a clearance sale on several of our vitamin and herbal products. Drop by the office during our business hours and check out our 40% off table.**
Hope this helps,
Dr Matt and Dr Robin
mattandrobin@yahoo.com (email)
This week’s bit of Useless Information: Seabirds have salt-excreting organs above their eyes that enable them to drink saltwater; sea snakes have a similar filter at the base of their tongues.
This email is courtesy of Matthew Barnes, D.C. and Robin Barnes, D.C. Neither this nor any of our emails are intended to be medical advice and should not be taken as such. They are opinion and are for informational purposes only. None of the nutrients discussed here are meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.