No Tea, No Powder, No Water, No Cure

Hear ye! Hear ye! A cure for lupus has been found, except no one bothered to tell the medical community. I will be honest: I am not the biggest fan of the bedside manner of many of our healthcare professionals. The U.S. healthcare system needs an overhaul. But that said, I have some faith in research into the causes and cures of many of the diseases that affect us.

I know from having lupus that the symptoms are all over the place. One day there is pain, the next day energy is lacking. The day after that, you feel like you can take on the world. It is hard to diagnose, and there are many triggers. What affects me won’t affect the next patient. Some go into remission, while others never do. Some have major organ involvement, while others’ skin is affected. You just never know.

It seems to me that every time I turn around, someone without lupus has found a cure. I have been sent every article under the sun about how thyme, turmeric, cinnamon or any other spice can be brewed and added to a tea that will cure lupus. Someone selling the latest nutritional powder has sent me videos of someone else on a sales stage speaking about how this miracle powder has cured them. Or, how if I buy this expensive water machine, I can naturally drink my lupus away.

It is annoying and tiring to have to continue telling people the truth about battling lupus. If tea would fix it, I would be singing it from the rooftops. Living in an Asian country, I drink PLENTY of tea. Yet, I still have lupus. Lupus has no cure. It can go into remission, but the disease never leaves the body.

Some people who send me articles are well-meaning. People who send me products to buy (“and by the way, if you use my link…“) annoy the crap out of me. I often ask them if they have lupus. I get things in my inbox from people I’ve never heard of, who happen to have heard about me and my battle with “so-and-so.” Naturally, they cared enough to want to help save my life – along with their bottom line. To me, these people are the worst. They are modern-day snake oil salespeople and they are scary.

I’ve visited some of these sales pages. I’ve seen people say that they stopped taking their meds hoping a particular method would work. While I may not like that our healthcare professionals are often cold and have terrible bedside manners, I also do not believe the research that people claim regarding teas, powders and alkaline water. These things may help with your energy, nutrition and hydration, but they are not a cure. If you read these types of articles or watch the videos, please take them for what they are. They are meant to tap into your emotions and make you buy. But they provide no real solutions.

Before walking away from your medications, speak with your healthcare professional. I once left my meds cold turkey (I will NEVER do that again), but it was not because of a false promise of a cure. It was because I always have tried to stay away from prescription meds, and I was tired of the daily regimen of pill-popping. But I learned the hard way that it was a foolish idea. I don’t advise it.

For those who are not battling lupus, please stop with the sales tactics. You are harming naive people and not fooling those of us who see you for what you are – snake oil shysters looking to make a quick dollar from the suffering of others.

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Note: Lupus News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Lupus News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to lupus.