Have you heard the one about the man who read on the Internet that large doses of carrot juice would help him cure his cancer? The man’s skin turned orange from his mega dosing, but his cancer remained.

Or how about the woman who complained that her headaches were getting worse, and her yoga instructor told her to arch her back as a cure? She finally came in to see a doctor when her back began hurting worse than her head.

These are true stories of people who thought they knew better than medical professionals when it came to treatment. They had read something on the Internet or got advice from a friend. They may have believed that the herbal supplement they were taking was being suppressed by the big drug companies to profit from their malady. Or they may have been given advice by a quasi-religious leader who told them that modern medicine was a sham, and there was a better way to heal.

Of course, none of the outcomes were good ones. But they all underline the same advice that stuntmen use to warn their young audiences, and the advice holds true when it comes to medicine: Don’t try this at home.

Alt Cures Are Big Biz

From yoga to supplements, from natural cures to supernatural ones, people have tried all sorts of outside-the-box ways to feel better, look younger, and help protect themselves from diseases, both real and imagined. They rely on advice that’s folksy but fantastic, more marketing than medicine, and certainly not something that any reasonable medical professional would recommend.


But in a conspiracy-filled world where we’re constantly told that things are happening that the average person doesn’t know about – some of them eventually proving true – the temptation to try something that sounds good may win out over common sense. That can be a fatal mistake.

More than $34 billion is spent annually on vitamins, supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, crystals, and other alternative medicines and treatments. Some of them, like acupuncture and meditation, have gradually moved from the fringe into the mainstream, as studies showed they may deliver on their promises. But others, like the use of gingko for memory, echinacea for colds, and coconut oil for Alzheimer’s disease, simply don’t work.

Fish oil is a prime example. The National Institutes of Health have fish oil as the third-most used dietary supplement in the United States. About 10 percent of Americans take a regular dose, believing that the omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent strokes and heart attacks. But there is no scientific evidence that fish oil delivers any medical benefits for your heart or blood pressure, and the shoddy research study on Inuit hunter-gatherers that spawned this gargantuan industry has been debunked.

Dangers of Doing It Yourself

Taking supplements usually will only be a waste of time. But there are actual dangers of certain medical procedures that should only be undertaken under the care and supervision of a medical professional. To do otherwise may endanger your health, and, in some cases, may even lead to your death.


Drug and alcohol detoxing is a prime example. Many alcoholics and addicts choose to go “cold turkey” when they decide to kick the habit. But suddenly dropping a habit that’s become part of your lifestyle can cause convulsions, hallucinations, nausea and even heart seizures. Unless the person who is detoxing is monitored, he or she potentially could die if the symptoms are severe.

Some people who develop an earache believe earwax is responsible for their pain. So they seek to remove it by so-called “ear candling,” which uses a candle-like beeswax cone that burns down and allegedly removes the earwax and other impurities when removed.

What this ignores is that earwax is a natural lubricant that waterproofs the ear and prevents infections. Worse, lighting a flame and putting it near your ear may burn your ear canal and eardrum, and may actually cause hearing loss. Using ear candling as a home remedy ignores the fact that a competent ear, nose and throat doctor may be able to suggest ear drops to clear any excessive wax.

Other Home Cure Dangers

Colon cleansing is another popular yet dangerous home practice. It’s used by people who believe that their colon has all sorts of impacted toxic products and that flushing them out will be beneficial. What this ignores is that the colon has lots of valuable bacteria that help to break down food and help eliminate it from your body. Washing that out of your system can disrupt the process and potentially lead to anemia and malnutrition or dehydration.


Another popular home remedy is using a little whiskey rubbed on the gums when a baby is teething. The alleged natural anesthetic property will help numb the pain. Of course, alcohol is bad for baby, and if the parent uses it frequently or puts enough on the gums, problems can ensue. Worse, the alcohol really doesn’t do the job. Instead, a chilled teething toy is recommended to numb any gum surface.

Finally, consider the people who believe that colloidal silver is a wonder drug. This is a supplement used by people to treat any number of conditions, from HIV, herpes and tuberculosis to cancer and fungal infections. Colloidal silver allegedly boosts the immune system.

The problem is the side effect. Beyond having no medicinal benefit, colloidal silver will turn skin grey-blue and may damage the cellular structure of vital organs. The toxins are impossible to remove, and if they build up over time, they finally can accumulate to fatal levels.

There are many other folk remedies and supplements out there that promise to deliver a world of good health. But we live in the 21^st century, an age of science. If you don’t trust your doctor to tell you the truth, it’s better for your health to find another doctor you can believe than to trust your health to promises and unsupervised experiments. As shown, there are severe consequences if you choose the wrong medical path.