It’s not often that we talk in depth about our health, but lately it’s been on our minds. Here we are thinking about starting a family, and the amount of information out there is amazing! Mountains of compiled knowledge, each fact contradicting another. How is anyone supposed to figure out what is true and what isn’t? This is true with any information. “Tap water is just as clean as bottled water.” “Don’t drink tap water, it’s full of metals and fluoride which can significantly affect your health.” A healthy bit of skepticism is in order when reading anything now days.
Matt and I are fact people, and tend to try and research things until we’ve exhausted either a subject or ourselves. There are moments of definite frustration as we explore new ideas. Definitive answers would be wonderful but as they aren’t available we have to use our own judgment. This has particularly been the case with my medication. As a Fibromyalgia patient the first thing the Doctor did for me was to prescribe an anti-depressant. Personal research showed me that this may not be the right medication for me and when I brought it up to my Doctor, despite being embarrassed about it, he agreed to place me on something else. That experience taught me that while many people have your best interest at heart, it really is you who has to make the decision for yourself. Every time my doctor sees me now, he asks me what I would like to try and thoroughly explains each medication because I insist on it. This helps me understand and allows me to prepare for anything I see as a warning sign for an adverse affect. Since recently I went off medication all together to try a natural approach, I’m pleased to say that my Doctor has whole heartedly agreed and suggested some natural solutions to some of my symptoms.
This probably seems cliché but it is my very green thought that a more symbiotic relationship with our Doctors will help us make better decisions for ourselves and our planet. Did you know that waste water is tainted with various medications? They get into our drinking water, and our oceans – meaning sea creatures people eat as well. These also stay in our systems for long periods of time. Talking to professionals may help us make better decisions for our environment as well as us. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take medications. In fact if a Doctor has prescribed something for you it’s probably best you consult them before making any decisions to stop medication. What I am saying is you should really make sure that you are involved in the decisions that you and your doctor make. I wish you good health!