WARNING: This post is completely controversial and I know many of you will want to scare me back into compliance. I don’t think you can. (That was the warning.)

Every couple of years, I’m compelled to overhaul some piece(s) of The Physical System that keeps my mind so incredibly sharp. This bout started a few weeks ago. I was researching online and came up with more scary news about Ryan’s asthma inhaler…

Warning:
Long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonists may increase the risk of asthma-related death. Blah blah blah, big important words, blah blah blah.

Great. There are other warnings that long-term use of inhalers could stunt a body’s growth. Not that Ryan is stunted. The kid’s regulation teen-size and incredibly good-looking.

But he’s been on inhalers and anti-allergens for 80% of his lifetime. I can’t tell you (unless you have a child with something) what that does to you. Your kid’s on drugs for life, drugs that are "growing up" with him… Not one has stood the test of real time, like say aspirin. Add to that my firm conviction pharmaceutical companies are the Axis of Evil. They have ZERO motivation to make you well and EVERY motivation to keep you reliant. Why would they ever cure anything?

Asthma remains completely mysterious. No one really knows – at least they aren’t telling – what asthma is, what triggers it, what creates it. The only thing pharmaceutical companies are exploring is how to make another maintenance drug.

So, after finding the warning, I called Leah, my angel pharmacist, and asked her what other choices Ryan has for inhalers. She said Symbicort was the best, but why didn’t I take him off for a month, give it a rest, see how he does?

I know you won’t believe this, but I couldn’t speak for a few seconds. Take him off for a month? He won’t drop over dead? I can do that, it’s not too radical? Won’t I go to jail? "No," she said, "No jail. And, yes, you can do that. In fact, it’s recommended."

I am floored. NO doctor or pharmacist in the U.S. has ever suggested that. In the states, you are overwhelmed with fear and danger. Overwhelmed. You dare not mess around with FDA and AMA guidelines. Someone could get hurt.

I’ve probably mentioned once or twice that one of the things I love best about living in Costa Rica is NOT living in the U.S. I love not being scared to death all the time. I love not knowing what my terror alert color is. I love it that the Costa Rican government is not looking for ways to criminalize everything we do. I love that there are no chemtrails here. And I love that a) you can get generics for almost every drug at half the price, and b) doctors and pharmacists are not interested in scaring you to death. Yet.

Natural_medicine
Alternative medicine is widely accepted and practiced in Costa Rica. I guess because, in many villages, all you have is the local medicine man. Er, person. At every feria [FAIR-ee-ah, market, in this case specifically a farmer’s market], there is at least one stall selling medicinal herbs. Jam packed with ’em! My photo doesn’t do it justice – too close. ‘Cause he’s too cute. But this guy is surrounded by hanging dry herbs and all kinda bottles and bags claiming cures for everything you could ever have. Even asthma. I would LOVE to be fluent enough to be able to read the labels… one day.

Since I can’t read the labels yet, we start with something we know: chiropractic and acupuncture. Both proclaimed to be hugely successful treating asthma. Why not? Ryan is gung-ho. He is sick of taking meds, being the Sickly One. He’s ready to move on! While we are at it, I could use a tune-up. Every 52 years or so, it’s probably a good idea.

They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears and we’ve found the two best in Costa Rica! Dr. Jim McClellan is our chiropractor. He’s FANTASTIC, we love him. Except he told me to do a liver cleanse which I’m doing today (and tomorrow) and which I’m thinking is going to be the least fun I’ve had in quite some time.

And Dr. Kim is our acupuncture doctor. He is flat out incredible, wild about him, too. He told me I am allergic to sugar (I told him this was not possible) and dairy; that Ryan is allergic to both of those and wheat. BUT he can cure them all! He’s also given us an alkaline diet to follow. Guess what? Butter and chocolate cake are listed under EVITAR [a-vee-TAR, to avoid]. No wonder I need a liver cleanse.

Both doctors are funny, charming, smart and healthy. Isn’t it amazing
when you go to a doctor who looks like s/he’s on death’s door? I always
find that a little amusing in a sick sorta way. Not these guys: they
live what they teach and I am so impressed by that. Whatever they are doing, it is sure working for them!

How did Dr. Jim know I needed a liver cleanse? Iridology. How does Dr. Kim know about our allergies? Kinesiology. Hal just rolls his eyes, just managing to avoid laughing out loud. Not that he’s so in love with the AMA, au contraire. But whenever you mention a hoo-ha approach, he likes to roll his eyes. He’ll see. Once Ryan and I are healthy and perfect, he’ll be all making his own appointments.

Ryan’s been off his meds for about three weeks now and not a breath out of the ordinary. If something bad happens, we are on the alert, have good drugs here for an emergency, and only five minutes from a hospital. But he’s never had a serious attack and he’s never been better. We’ve been told many times that when a young person has moderate
asthma, like Ryan, it often disappears when they hit puberty. I’m assuming it’s the influx of testosterone, another misaligned hormone. But how would you know unless you quit the drugs???? Ryan’s at That Age, so the cures may just be coincidence… but it sure does feel good to be taking positive action toward health, instead of just waiting around to see what’s gonna kill you.

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Book sightseeing & adventure excursions at Viator.

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