It wasn't meant to be a contradiction! What I meant was, everyone blindly uses microwaves, phones etc without knowing what the risks to health are, and no one seems bothered about risk. But when thinking about complementary medicine the perceived risk is high in people's mind. The logic about risk is odd, we all drive at 70mph in cars and that seems perfectly fine, but then we are worried about the risk of events where the risks are actually lower, eg flying.
Anyway.
I shall now tell you about my dd story. I shall imagine anyone reading will do so with an open mind!
When my dd was born she seemed very healthy, good weight, no problems. At 6 months of age, within days, her skin started to look dry and raised areas, and within a week, she was covered, head to toe in eczema. Her head was the worst with weeping patches. I was very worried about infection with the weeping. Her GP gave her hydrocortisone for the eczema on her body and told me to use salisylic (spelling?) acid every evening for her head. After a month she was just as bad, so I asked to be referred to a dermatologist. He was shocked about the salysilic acid and said he wouldn't recommend it more than once per week, certainly not every day. Oh dear.
At the same time as all this, it was clear other things were wrong too. I started to wean her (bf upto 6 months) and her nappies stank (sorry) and her eczema was driving her crazy. The dermatologist gave her stronger steroids but the eczema just came back as soon as the steroids were left off, even for a day.
From about the age of one (it's hard to remember exactly) when more foods were introduced, the urticaria started. In the end she was having urticaria every single day, with foods that I couldn't understand would be a problem. She was on piriton every day.
It was clear that she was allergic to milk and egg. I could't work out what she wasn't allergic/intolerant to.
Then I realised that she was allergic to hazelnuts as she was sick and started to wheeze, alongside the urticaria. I didn't actually give her nuts as I would never do this when she was having so much trouble with everything else. Someone gave her fruit and nut chocolate grrr.
We were sent to a doctor at the children's hospital, who did skin prick tests and told us to see the dietician. The dietician basically told us we were doing ok (as I had restricted her diet to foods I knew were ok, but the list was diminishing weekly) but there was enough in her diet not to worry the dietician, but told me to come back if things were getting worse. The doctor (sorry, can't remember his title, but allergy expert) said that she was allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, possibly dust mites, and I can't remember what else) but also milk and egg.
When my dd was 3yo, I had personal recommendation for this complementary therapist who had helped my neighbour. He gave me the details. When I visited the lady, she firstly told me she could clear up my dd's molluscum first (the GP told me the virus would go on its own eventually). The therapist said that the next day after her treatment, my dd would go to the toilet a lot, "have a good clear out!" she said. I was cynical at first, because the therapist hadn't seem to have done much to my dd, hadn't even touched her. Well, my dd was three years old, and the next day she went to the toilet about 12 times, and yes, she cleared herself out. The following week, the molluscum had gone. I thought, there must be something in this!
I went back and she started to work with my dd on her eczema and allergies/intolerances.
After one treatment (one hour) where, again, she didn't actually touch my dd, but put her hands near to my dd tummy, over her head and back.
She told me to cut out sugar from my dd diet for one month. This I did.
At no point did I change my dd diet, I wasn't asked to (except for the sugar). I was not going to introduce foods that were causing reaction.
BUT, within a month, the eczema had just about gone, except for her wrists. After a further month or so, there was no eczema at all.
After about three more months, I noticed that I didn't have to reach for the pirition much, and her bowels were much nicer!
After a total of nine months, my dd had beautiful skin, not even dry. No urticaria. I started to relax her diet slightly by letting her have a little processed food (bread, crisps even) with no reaction. I thought I might try slightly more risky foods such as oranges, or a little milk. She was fine. And so it went on, and I relaxed even more.
Now, to this day, I won't let her have nuts. And for some reason, apples cause a rash. But that is all. She still has beautiful skin and eats anything. She is now 7yo.
There was no risk at any time because I was never asked to introduce foods.
Therefore I can't understand the perceived danger. Her body healed, and then foods could be introduced that were slightly risky (chance of urticaria) which was up to me.
I realise that my dd did not have anaphylaxis, as some poster's children do, but the principle would be the same: no testing, no introduction of risky foods (I just realised she was doing so well with her "good" foods with no reaction to anything). No risk in short. A very gentle therapy.
And I must add, therapy is complementary: never would I say goodbye to orthodox medicine, I just like to do some self-help alongside to strengthen the body's own system. I wasn't actually expecting a "cure", just for her skin to be a bit better, anything to help really.