The Doctor Dilemma

You may have recently read Rav Lazer Brody’s powerful article, Doctors and Meds, regarding if and when to go to the doctor. I would like to add several points to expand on what he wrote.

First, I’d like to discuss the controversial question that so many religious people have: “Should I go to the doctor or not?” Well, it’s a two-part answer. The first answer is: why are you even asking? If you don’t feel well and it’s more than just a flu or virus, then what’s the question? Go to the doctor! But, not so fast! Here’s the second part: If you’re already in the market for a doctor, always see a natural practitioner first!!

A naturopath, homeopath, doctor of Chinese medicine, chiropractor, etc. can be a lifesaver and, many times, will prevent you from serious, painful, and life-endangering treatments later on. Just look at Rav Brody’s example. Last year, his heart rate shot up to the stratosphere during some physical fitness tests. The doctors freaked out and made him go to the hospital. At the hospital, they monitored his heart rate and gave him medicine to return it to normal, which didn’t work initially.

That’s all wonderful. But it’s what came after that could have been very scary. They wanted to do an electrical cardioversion in order to shock his heart back into submission. Who cares that this procedure could scar the heart, cause a heart attack, or even kill him, G-d forbid? It’s all in the name of healing! Like I always say, an irregular heartbeat is better than no heartbeat.

Thank G-d, he decided that the electric shock/Coumadin combo were not as urgent as the doctors tried to convince him that they were. Instead, he decided to get to the root of the problem. Which is exactly the problem. Most people are still stuck in the Western medical mentality, which is drugs, surgery, more drugs, and more surgery!

People, we live in the 21st century. Most of us have online access, or know someone that does. Therefore, go online and learn about what’s causing your condition in the first place! Even better, see a natural practitioner before you go to the doctor!

You may think I hate doctors. Nonsense! They are extremely necessary and life-saving! You just have to know when to use them and when not to use them. Here is a perfect example. Just a few weeks ago, a close family member suddenly developed severe chest pains. His wife called 911 and they were rushed to the hospital. Thank G-d, he didn’t have a heart attack, but they found FOUR major blockages in his arteries. They scheduled him for an immediate (2 days later) quadruple bypass, which saved his life.

In this case, there was no other option than to have the surgery. But, certainly this could have been prevented with proper diet and lifestyle. In Rav Brody’s case, the problem wasn’t his heart at all. It was his thyroid. The thyroid does so many things, including controlling cardiac output, contractility, blood pressure, and other vascular issues. If he would have done what the doctors wanted him to do, he would have put himself on blood thinners for life, but more importantly, he would never have addressed the cause of the problem!

So many of our illnesses can be traced back to an unhealthy lifestyle, and it is the natural practitioners who are equipped to deal with that, not the MDs. Bottom line: there is no reason not to consider natural methods before going the mainstream route!