Colloidal silver as a nutritional supplement became a news item again this year with the death of one of its most famous proponents. Paul Karason died in September of 2013, Karason gained fame after appearing on the Today Show in 2008 for having blue skin due to argyria (Netburn. 2013). Karason’s argyria was caused by his ingestion of silver, he drank colloidal silver to treat his dermatitis (Netburn. 2013). Colloidal silver has been marketed on the internet as a treatment for a very wide variety of illnesses, one manual claims that it treats “over 650 known conditions” (Claussen, 2012, p.14). This paper will investigate the background of the treatment, methods of use, benefits, current research and will make recommendations on the use of colloidal silver as a nutritional supplement.
Background
The medicinal use of silver goes back for centuries, and – as noted by Fung and Bowen – was used for nervous disorders in the middle ages, epilepsy in the nineteenth century and syphilis in the twentieth century (1996). Cold remedies contained colloidal silver proteins well into the nineteenth century (Fung and Bowen, 2006). Alexander, in his research, found that the history of silver for medical conditions goes back further still. Silver containers were used by ancient civilizations to preserve water and this occurred prior to the scientific evidence that “microbes were the agents of infections” (Alexander, 2009, p.289). Evidence exists of silver filings being used as a purifier of blood, to prevent heart palpitations, and to treat halitosis by Avicenna in 980 A.D. (Alexander, 2009). Additionally, Alexander found that Paracelsus – in 1520 – had used silver nitrate for wound care and internally (2009). Early settlers to North America woul...
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Silver has always been around but it wasn't until the 1500's to the mid 1700's that the
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With all the unregulated dietary supplements being sold and recommended, our health insurance costs will continue to rise. If the product causes severe side effects, it should no longer be permitted to be sold in stores. The only way to touch the minds of many people is to inform them of the dangers of consuming dietary supplements. Disposing of all incorrect information in product labeling and ingredient lists is important. People need to recognize the faults that plague many advertisements. In addition businesses should promote safe products instead of the harmful ones that they advocate for. The United States Congress should consider regulating dietary supplements to maintain safety. If people are aware of the many lies companies present, then dietary supplements will be one less problem to worry about.
The people who undergo blue light acne treatment also have to apply the topical solutions like Levulan to their skin for 15-60 minutes before they are exposed to light. When this solution is used bef...
In today’s world, many people assume that the latest medical technology and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques for curing diseases and aliments are being used. These methods fall under the category of complementary and alternative medicine.
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Alternative therapies/medicine are greatly used around the world until today’s day. Chamomile has been widely used for thousands of years by children and adults for multiple health conditions. Today, chamomile is used for sleepiness, anxiety, stomach upset, and may also be used topically for mouth ulcers that may occur from cancer treatment. Other beneficial properties of chamomile include: anti-inflammatory properties, stress reliever, painkiller, and an anti-septic. This paper will explore the beneficial uses of Chamomile as a form of alternative medicine, the properties of chamomile, as well as the precautions, risks and monitoring parameters associated with using Chamomile.
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In recent years, the exposure of pill-peddling pharmaceutical companies and the dangers- such as the various toxins and the risk of dependence- that their manufactured drugs pose on the body has turned more and more people of the western world back to basics for their health care. Richard L. Nahin from the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that according to the institute’s latest research, "It's clear that millions of Americans every year are turning to complementary and alternative medicine."
Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to