At 04:38 PM 28/11/97 +0000, Stefan Joest wrote:
>Have you tried raw tuna? That one is very different from its cooked form
>and (sometimes) tastes like a (cooked) steak. Can be great.

Yes, I did try a little bit of raw tuna and didn't like it much. But I
guess that it is like getting used to any new foods - it takes a while to
get a taste for them. And at the moment I still have a bit of a
psychological barrier (partly based on a fear of undesirable consequences)
against eating raw flesh that will take a while to break down. But I will
persist with it in small steps whenever I feel the inclination. The
constant stream of information on the subject coming to this list is very
useful in helping to break down those barriers.

Barbara:
>>Is it possible that there was some waste matter left behind in
>>my body from these infections, and that this was now being eliminated
>>and was briefly creating the symptoms during the process?

>Yes, yes, yes! Exactly! Those antibiotics suppressed a useful infection
>and left behind some waste which your body couldn't get rid of.

Thank you for that very positive reply, Stefan. At the time it was
happening, I felt very strongly that that was the case, and that there was
no point in consulting a doctor about it, although of course I would have
done so if the symptoms had persisted.

A few days ago, I went to the doctor for a routine check-up and asked him
the same question, but he preferred to think of the recent episode as most
likely having been a low-level infection that simply cleared itself up.

The same doctor (whom I regard as relatively enlightened as far as doctors
go) was prescribing the antibiotics 5 years ago when I had the repeated
infections, and wasn't at all interested in trying to find some underlying
cause for what was happening, even when I specifically asked him. It just
didn't make sense to me that I was suddenly getting one infection after
another, and that the only treatment was to give antibiotics. Now I can
understand that my body was loaded up with toxins that needed to be
eliminated. I subsequently went to a naturopath and took some herbal
treatments for a while, but even then I didn't really understand what had
been going on in my body. It is only my recent reading that has allowed my
to build up that understanding.

In my opinion, health professionals could do a lot more to educate their
patients rather than just treating them. And by 'education', I don't just
mean giving dietary advice, for instance, because without a real
understanding of the reasons for that advice, it is unlikely that it will
be followed for long. In my experience, both 'orthodox' and 'alternative'
practitioners have a long way to go in that regard. Perhaps they are just
trying to use their time in the way that they see as being the most
'efficient'. Or perhaps most patients are different from me and only want a
simple treatment without having to understand their bodies?

Regards,
Barbara