What happened to the understanding that medicine should not always be convenient or tasty to actually be working? Buckleys’ commercial and the infamous slogan Tastes awful, but it works, was an important part of my young adult life.
Translation:
Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do to move forward. Message received.
Working with herbal medicine as a part of naturopathic practice is always amusing to me, and even working with modifications in the diet can be a challenge. What I find very surprising and I should be clear about for all of you new patients is two things:
- Not all of the treatments I will suggest to you will taste good
- You will not necessarily enjoy taking some of the herbal supports or eating new foods that are better for you
As much as I will endeavour to make is less painful or give you coping strategies to assist with these changes, I would not be doing my job if I allowed you to continue down the road you are on without some small discomfort.
In short, sometimes you need to suck it up. When you start an exercise regime, you anticipate sore muscles and perhaps a period of discomfort until getting to that hot body that you want. No pain, no gain. No difference in my office. Do you want to get rid of that cold? There are some disgusting herbs that yes, when mixed with orange juice are not so unpalatable, but they are going to help you feel better. Will you need to take these for the rest of your life? Probably not. So, rip off the band-aid, plug your nose, and take them.
Same with veggies. Truthfully, I don’t care if you like them. A diet of sugar, coffee, and bread does not a healthy body make. I’ll help you find veggies that are more palatable for you, and we’ll work towards a better you, but I’m not interested in the whining. I’ll tolerate it, but only to a point. It’s called tough love. You’ll thank me for it later.
Note: Most adults whine more than my paediatric patients. Food for thought.