Sunday, January 25, 2009
The power of influence and control that male doctors have over women is something to behold. Why are we women so easily coerced into doing things by the medical profession that we intuitively and factually know are not right for our own health and for our family? Why do we bow down to men suffering from MDiety Syndrome? Who are the real healers?
It never ceases to amaze me how readily a male doctor is to remove female body parts. Men certainly don’t allow their male organs to be removed en masse.
Why is this happening? Is it that male doctors think they can control women easily? Is it that women have been indoctrinated to believe that men are the authorities and disciplinarians? Is it some sort of intimidation or control factor? Do male doctors have an inappropriate self-perception of power? Is this a form of abuse?
I remember talking to a number of women in tears, browbeaten by their physician to take estrogen replacement therapy. They were told if they didn’t they would lose all their bones and have a heart attack. These women knew the advice wasn’t right, but often took the medication anyway. After battling and educating on this issue for over a decade, the long overdue day came when doctors did an about face on this issue. Just think of all the lives this bullying cost.
I find it interesting that men will ignore the advice of their doctor and can’t be dragged to a doctor in the first place unless they are half dead. Then there are women who can’t make the easiest decision about their own health on their own. They have to get agreement from their doctor before they can start the most basic natural health program, as if their doctor’s blessing somehow makes the program legitimate. They live haunted by their own doubts and uncertainties – appearing quite weak to anyone analyzing the situation.
When I was 20, I took rounds with a team of doctors and interns along with some other nursing students. This was part of my internship and I was expected to listen and observe. I was familiar with one of the patients that we visited. I had worked with her, read her charts, knew her diagnosis, and her medications. She stated that she was feeling anxious, this was new for her. The young doctor on her case hardly had time to review her current medications and immediately prescribed an anti-anxiety medication.
Being familiar with the patients’ medications and the side effects of each; thinking I could help her and naively not considering the real consequence, I asked the doctor very politely, “Do you think that the anti-depressant that she is taking could be causing her anxiety?” Abruptly, and in an instant, the doctor without an answer scolded me, “Don’t you ever question me or any doctor again!”
I went on in my life to become a natural health educator as I saw that my role in life was to help others know that it is very important that they take responsibility for their health. Yes, listen to your doctor, but understand all aspects of what they are telling you to do and know your options before making major decisions about your health care.
I taught everyone I could that it is very important to understand how to prevent illness and disease, this is your job, do not expect to learn how to do this from your doctor. Pull out your Physicians Desk Reference and use it as a tool. This book can now be found on line and lists all contra indications of medications (PDRHealth.com).
Be in the know when prescribed a medication by your doctor. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to a medication or surgery that you know is not in your best interest. Know your natural options, it is your right, you have the wherewithal to do this.
It hasn’t always been this way for women. After all, many years ago, it was women who were the gatherers while men were hunters. As gatherers women needed to know the nutritious and medicinal value of plants. They needed to know the toxic ones, the ones to avoid, and the ones to use to stay well and often time to save lives. Women were the healers, the doctors. This was their job to keep their children and themselves healthy.
Then, as time went on, men became more dominant, no longer with the sole role of hunters. As the agricultural society evolved men were needed to stay back and protect the land, the women and children.
Women eventually lost their role as the medicine woman, the doctors of their day. As science progressed it was men who got the higher education which was now needed to officially be a doctor. Women continued to be expected to stay home to care for the children. Patriarchy changed the role of women as healers.
I see that the many times that I have stood up for myself and my children with doctors regarding our health care has been well worth my effort. I have spent countless hours over the past 35 years educating myself on health and natural health options that work. I came up with health, dietary, nutritional supplementation, exercise, and activities protocols that worked so well in our family.
Our four children, now all grown adults, went through their childhood with virtually no medications or surgeries as I took the time to learn about health in general, the incorrect information that I had been told during my childhood and in nursing school, and I took the time to learn the other health and health preventative information that I had not been taught. Doing this has helped our family stay well, naturally.
Going outside the box, taking the initiative to dig to find the information I was missing was so important so that I could then make informed decisions and with confidence when communicating with doctors, nurses, dentists and the public school system.
I had the knowledge and the confidence to say “No, I do not want you to give my child all of those vaccinations. No, I do not want that antibiotic; I want to try natural remedies that work first. No, I do not want silver nitrate put in my child’s eyes after birth, he does not need it. No, I nor my children want x-rays every time we get our teeth cleaned. No, I do not want a flu shot and my children do not either. We do not get the flu, our immune systems are strong.”
Thirty-two years ago I had the knowledge and strength to also say, “No, I do not want drugs during childbirth, I want a natural childbirth.” At the time this was daring and cutting edge.
You may have similar stories and how you educated yourself and proactively stood up for you and your children. If so, you are one of the trail blazers, a leader, and an example for other women.
Educated women will be in the know and be empowered with comprehensive and accurate knowledge. When your doctor tells you something that you do not understand, or you do not have enough information about it to know if it is your best option, remember that you can always find access to the full information.
Instead of coming into a doctor’s office ready to “be a good student,” as Dr. Oz directed millions of women on the Oprah Show in early January of 2009 to do, know that assigning yourself your own homework is an essential part. Then, as an informed consumer, you will have the confidence to make the right decisions for you and your children and you will live a healthier, happier life.
If you have not yet taken such steps, it is not too late for you to take this approach. You may need some time to catch up on your health information. But you can certainly discard your subservience to male doctors in an instant. Beware of some of the women doctors who seem inclined to continue the dominance and were trained in the mold that caused MDiety Syndrome in the first place.
Now is the time for us women to team together and as one collective voice strengthen our responsibility and take an active role in our health and that of our children. This is what it really means to take charge of your health. It is our duty to be the real healers.
It never ceases to amaze me how readily a male doctor is to remove female body parts. Men certainly don’t allow their male organs to be removed en masse.
Why is this happening? Is it that male doctors think they can control women easily? Is it that women have been indoctrinated to believe that men are the authorities and disciplinarians? Is it some sort of intimidation or control factor? Do male doctors have an inappropriate self-perception of power? Is this a form of abuse?
I remember talking to a number of women in tears, browbeaten by their physician to take estrogen replacement therapy. They were told if they didn’t they would lose all their bones and have a heart attack. These women knew the advice wasn’t right, but often took the medication anyway. After battling and educating on this issue for over a decade, the long overdue day came when doctors did an about face on this issue. Just think of all the lives this bullying cost.
I find it interesting that men will ignore the advice of their doctor and can’t be dragged to a doctor in the first place unless they are half dead. Then there are women who can’t make the easiest decision about their own health on their own. They have to get agreement from their doctor before they can start the most basic natural health program, as if their doctor’s blessing somehow makes the program legitimate. They live haunted by their own doubts and uncertainties – appearing quite weak to anyone analyzing the situation.
When I was 20, I took rounds with a team of doctors and interns along with some other nursing students. This was part of my internship and I was expected to listen and observe. I was familiar with one of the patients that we visited. I had worked with her, read her charts, knew her diagnosis, and her medications. She stated that she was feeling anxious, this was new for her. The young doctor on her case hardly had time to review her current medications and immediately prescribed an anti-anxiety medication.
Being familiar with the patients’ medications and the side effects of each; thinking I could help her and naively not considering the real consequence, I asked the doctor very politely, “Do you think that the anti-depressant that she is taking could be causing her anxiety?” Abruptly, and in an instant, the doctor without an answer scolded me, “Don’t you ever question me or any doctor again!”
I went on in my life to become a natural health educator as I saw that my role in life was to help others know that it is very important that they take responsibility for their health. Yes, listen to your doctor, but understand all aspects of what they are telling you to do and know your options before making major decisions about your health care.
I taught everyone I could that it is very important to understand how to prevent illness and disease, this is your job, do not expect to learn how to do this from your doctor. Pull out your Physicians Desk Reference and use it as a tool. This book can now be found on line and lists all contra indications of medications (PDRHealth.com).
Be in the know when prescribed a medication by your doctor. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to a medication or surgery that you know is not in your best interest. Know your natural options, it is your right, you have the wherewithal to do this.
It hasn’t always been this way for women. After all, many years ago, it was women who were the gatherers while men were hunters. As gatherers women needed to know the nutritious and medicinal value of plants. They needed to know the toxic ones, the ones to avoid, and the ones to use to stay well and often time to save lives. Women were the healers, the doctors. This was their job to keep their children and themselves healthy.
Then, as time went on, men became more dominant, no longer with the sole role of hunters. As the agricultural society evolved men were needed to stay back and protect the land, the women and children.
Women eventually lost their role as the medicine woman, the doctors of their day. As science progressed it was men who got the higher education which was now needed to officially be a doctor. Women continued to be expected to stay home to care for the children. Patriarchy changed the role of women as healers.
I see that the many times that I have stood up for myself and my children with doctors regarding our health care has been well worth my effort. I have spent countless hours over the past 35 years educating myself on health and natural health options that work. I came up with health, dietary, nutritional supplementation, exercise, and activities protocols that worked so well in our family.
Our four children, now all grown adults, went through their childhood with virtually no medications or surgeries as I took the time to learn about health in general, the incorrect information that I had been told during my childhood and in nursing school, and I took the time to learn the other health and health preventative information that I had not been taught. Doing this has helped our family stay well, naturally.
Going outside the box, taking the initiative to dig to find the information I was missing was so important so that I could then make informed decisions and with confidence when communicating with doctors, nurses, dentists and the public school system.
I had the knowledge and the confidence to say “No, I do not want you to give my child all of those vaccinations. No, I do not want that antibiotic; I want to try natural remedies that work first. No, I do not want silver nitrate put in my child’s eyes after birth, he does not need it. No, I nor my children want x-rays every time we get our teeth cleaned. No, I do not want a flu shot and my children do not either. We do not get the flu, our immune systems are strong.”
Thirty-two years ago I had the knowledge and strength to also say, “No, I do not want drugs during childbirth, I want a natural childbirth.” At the time this was daring and cutting edge.
You may have similar stories and how you educated yourself and proactively stood up for you and your children. If so, you are one of the trail blazers, a leader, and an example for other women.
Educated women will be in the know and be empowered with comprehensive and accurate knowledge. When your doctor tells you something that you do not understand, or you do not have enough information about it to know if it is your best option, remember that you can always find access to the full information.
Instead of coming into a doctor’s office ready to “be a good student,” as Dr. Oz directed millions of women on the Oprah Show in early January of 2009 to do, know that assigning yourself your own homework is an essential part. Then, as an informed consumer, you will have the confidence to make the right decisions for you and your children and you will live a healthier, happier life.
If you have not yet taken such steps, it is not too late for you to take this approach. You may need some time to catch up on your health information. But you can certainly discard your subservience to male doctors in an instant. Beware of some of the women doctors who seem inclined to continue the dominance and were trained in the mold that caused MDiety Syndrome in the first place.
Now is the time for us women to team together and as one collective voice strengthen our responsibility and take an active role in our health and that of our children. This is what it really means to take charge of your health. It is our duty to be the real healers.
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