Health Archives - Page 3 of 16

“Should I get the flu shot?”

Lots of people are still on the fence, wondering if they should get the flu shot. If you’ve ever uttered words to the effect of

“I’m not anti-vaccine! But, the flu shot…”

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There’s something you should know. You might not consider yourself anti-vaccine, but a pinch of the anti-vaccine crowd’s propaganda has almost certainly made it’s way past your defenses. Certain vaccines have a specific set of rumours and myths around them and the flu vaccine is definitely one of them. The amount of misinformation I see, propagated by otherwise rational people, isn’t surprising when you see how hard anti-vaxxers work at getting their dangerous ideas spread all over the internet. So, it’s important to counter it where we can, I reckon.

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Alternative Remedies for Pets are a thing

Alternative remedies for pets are a pretty confronting idea when you’ve read as much about them as I have.

I once took my cat to a local vet who seemed nice enough and didn’t suggest anything kooky or strange. On my last visit, though, I noticed some flyers in the waiting room. Reiki for pets. Yeah, no.

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If you’re not in the know, reiki is a quack remedy involving using your hands to draw out bad energy, magically curing the ailment. Except it isn’t magic because it doesn’t actually work. Bacteria, viruses, tumours, diseases and so on need actual treatment. Not a waving of the hands and a nice visualisation.

I didn’t go back. I couldn’t trust my furbaby to anyone endorsing this rubbish, even alongside conventional treatment. Knowing that there’s no proof that reiki does anything at all, I saw it for what is was; a way to extract money out of well-meaning pet owners.

People accuse pharmaceutical companies of greed, but it’s funny how they ignore the fact that alternative remedies aren’t free. They just lack something pharmaceutical treatments must have- evidence of safety and efficacy.

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Natural and Chemical-Free Cleaning

Natural and chemical-free cleaning tips are rampant online and have been for a few years now. You might even use some of them or at least have given them a whirl. Did you read the title of this post and maybe think about the diluted vinegar you use on the floors? The bicarb mix you clean the sink with? Or the fantastic cloth you bought (via an MLM seller) that allows you to clean things CHEMICAL-FREE? Cleaning your house is something we all have to deal with and there’s nothing wrong with re-examining how you do it and what products you use. There is, however, some serious flaws to what passes for natural and chemical-free cleaning. Not only because labeling that way is disingenuous; it’s also part of a bigger problem.

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You’d have to be living under a large, unscented rock to not notice the sudden resurgence of interest in aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the use of oils extracted from plants, based on the premise that those oils are beneficial. I know this because I actually studied aromatherapy myself several years ago. My course was taught by a couple of aromatherapists with decades of experience. One was also a registered nurse and both had been involved in a small amount of research into the possible therapeutic benefits of certain essential oils.

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Get The Flu Shot, Because Flu Sucks!

“Should I get the flu shot?”

FFS, Don’t Use Alternative Remedies for Pets

Alternative Remedies for Pets are a thing

This Post is 100% Natural and Chemical-Free

Natural and Chemical-Free Cleaning

Essential Oils: When Multi-Level Marketing & Pseudoscience Collide