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There is no doubt that modern medicine can cure certain illnesses and diseases, but what a lot of people don't realize is that modern medicine had its start in folk medicine, also known as, alternative medicine.

Back in the day when man was known as the hunter/gatherers, they observed the foods, nuts and berries that animals ate, and noticed their reactions. Certain foods made them regurgitate, others made them put on weight, and still others seemed to give them stamina.

From these observations, our ancestors began to use roots, barks, and berries, and soon learned which healed, which soothed, and which were nutritious. Today, modern man still uses these herbs, roots, barks, and berries as an alternative to modern medicine and also in compliment.

Herbs can be made into syrups, tinctures, poultices and teas that heal and soothe. For years I used fresh, sliced onion and brown sugar to form a syrup which will break up chest congestion effectively. It also works as an excellent cough medicine.

Garlic is one of the best natural antibiotics known to man - a mixture of minced garlic and honey is excellent for a sore throat and kills certain bacteria on contact.

Cinnamon is also an excellent antibiotic and has been known to help lower blood sugar in diabetics.

Sprinkle garlic powder on athlete's foot and the fungus will soon fade and disappear. Wash the affected area first with apple cider vinegar. You might smell like a salad for a little while but when that horrible itching has subsided, you really won't care!

Hawthorne has been used for years to lower blood pressure and help a weakened heart.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin are well know for their assistance in making the pain from arthritis subside because together these compounds hydrate sore joints; many doctors today prescribe this combination for their patients.

Oregano is also a very strong antibiotic and can be used in oil form or capsule form to help alleviate infection.

Pumpkin seed is known to soothe male prostate troubles, along with saw palmetto berries.

I believe that alternative medicine therapy works best when used in conjunction with modern medicine because then we utilize the best of both worlds .. the old and the new.
The problem I see is when we begin to artificially create chemical compounds that mimic the natural compounds which actually do more harm than good. Sometimes, the cure is worse than the dis-ease. However, all this being said, living naturally and allowing nature's remedies to work in our life ~ gently ~ will go a long way in keeping us from needing modern medicines which can upset our body's equilibrium.

Learn more about this author, Dolphyn Wisdom.
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