Natural healing is not new, but rather, very old. Long before pharmaceuticals and hi-tech medical equipment, and even nutritional supplements, people relied on plant sources and natural methods to treat health problems. The ancient Mayans, for example, believed that health was a “balance”, and illness, therefore, was an “imbalance”. There were factors that influenced balance such as the seasons, one’s age, gender, and personality. Environmental factors such as extreme temperatures and diet also played a part in achieving balance.
The Mayans used several plants such a the Ek’ Balam shrub to heal damaged blood vessels, the bakalche tree to close wounds, and chaya, the Mayan spinach, for its high nutritional content of protein, calcium, iron and vitamins.
The Mayan’s form of physical therapy included the use of stones such as ‘piedra de ijada’ or known to us as ‘jade.’ Jade was recognized to have healing benefits to the kidneys. In fact, the stone was also named ‘lapis nephriticus’ and this is where the word ‘nephritis’ roots from, which means ‘inflammation of the kidneys.’
Natural Healing Today
Natural healing today may include nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic manipulations, biofeedback, and meditation.
Lupus is classified as an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself because the immune system fails to function properly, or in a sense, ‘functions too well.’ Most typically, the organs such as the skin, joints, kidneys, and lungs are affected.
Medications for lupus are typically ones that suppress the overactive immune system in lupus patients. The most recently FDA approved drug, Belimumbab (also known as Benlysta), has been shown to be effective as a lupus treatment; however, there had been side effects reported. A patient taking Benlysta may experience headache, muscle pain, infection, and other flu-like symptoms. An extra word of caution: it has also been reported that Benlysta is linked to higher suicide rates (Lupus Alliance of America, Mar 2011.)
Natural healing alternatives may complement a medical treatment by preventing flare-ups, by treating the multiple symptoms of lupus, and by offsetting the negative side effects that come with conventional medication. As with any treatment, however, natural treatments and methods come with their own risks and require the guidance of experts in the field. For more information on natural health, visit Alliance for Natural Health at http://www.anh-usa.org/.
