There’s a plethora of potential benefits in dipping into Ayurvedic medicine and other alternatives to big pharma, but when does naturopathy become big naturo? I thought I might go out on a limb and try shilajit, would it improve my wellbeing or just give me a bad case of the shilajits? I ordered a small tub of Himalayan Pure Shilajit Resin, 50g cost me £14.99. While I was waiting for it to arrive, I dug a little deeper into shilajit and found there were several causes for potential risk of bleeding if on anti-platelet medication or blood thinners. It can also interact with BP medication. I’ve also been told that the bleeding can primary come from the stomach. I know … I know … I should have dug deeper before ordering it but, I have brain damage and don’t always do things in a rational or logical way. However, that discovery didn’t affect me as much as when I read the ingredients on the label. The shilajit resin may have been pure but they had also put in it 13.7% of ashgwandah. Against better self-judgment, I did try ashgwandah for a while, at first buying the low dose Home Bargains version with no apparent differences to my wellbeing, I then ordered some off the internet that was the maximum dose available and both times having took it felt incredibly ill. By that, I mean nausea which can be a side-effect. I was not really shocked that the shilijat I ordered was sold as Himalayan Pure Shilajit Resin without mentioning the inclusion of ashgwandah. This is an old advertising technique, you buy some 100% or pure pea soup and, yes, the peas are 100% pure but it doesn’t mean the soup base is. Just thought I’d throw this out there, I know @pando recommends shilijat, and others may be tempted to try it but check what’s in the tin and also if it can potentially interact with the medication you are taking. I know it seems like common sense but my brain damage has robbed me of common sense at times.
@Rups Thanks for posting this, its truly a minefield out there when trying to find non pharma alternatives. I was also looking at Shilajit but was put off by the contra indications with my Clopidogrel and BP meds.
I have come to the conclusion in life that there is no such thing as common sense, we all make the best decisions we can at the time we make them and outside factors often determine whether they are good or bad. So don’t feel too bad we have all had days when we feel we have made a poor decision. Sadly having a brain injury makes it that little bit harder for us.
I’ve tried everything trying to get back to how I was, shalajit, Irish sea moss, maca, ashgwanda, Korean ginseng, B12, lionsmane, tremella, x3 magnesium and various other stuff……I believe many of these products are a placebo affect, which I’m not against if it helps. I used to be a personal trainer, spin instructor and general gym monkey 
. These supplements can aid some but not others. I also went back to the gym post stroke and was squatting 140kg wondering if this was wise but in all honesty I’m not scared of dying and life is for living. Unfortunately for me my stroke has left me with CFS/ME and CSS (central Sensitisation Syndrome) and working out as I was doing led me to crashes unable to do much at all. Learning to be the new me is still a process if I’m honest but it’s what I have so I deal with it. Good luck finding things that help you and please share any that work. Acceptance and gratitude was the only that helped me, I’m lucky in a way I’ve been in recovery 20 years. Take care . Dan
Shilajit is recommended by functional neurologist Arjan Kuipers. I think we should research thoroughly anything one intends to take, not just order something because it helps someone else. We’re all different.
Turmeric, for instance, (specifically curcumin) shows significant promise for helping with stroke recovery due to its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But it is generally not recommended for use immediately after a stroke has occurred.
We do know the body cannot function without nature’s raw minerals; Shilajit provides 85 trace minerals supplied directly by nature. (see also humic / fulvic acid… I call these “top soil”) Should we be asking “is nature clashing with our meds?” or … “are our meds clashing with nature?” I see many avoiding magnesium, or avoiding sunlight exposure because they “clash with their meds.” I simply urge everyone and remind them that our body is a self healing mechanism (provided we don’t rob it of essential nutrients). This includes grounding, of course.
Good luck to all, and please don’t necessarily take shilajit because of anything I say !
R
Aye, the meds are that which, potentially, conflicts. I think it beneficial to try alternative routes, and all your research @pando is certainly welcome and appreciated, it’s frustrating that anti-coagulate medication has a long list of other substances to be cautious with but it is about balance, and always about risk rather than certainty. My pet peeve is that supplement suppliers, in general, don’t highlight this potential risk on their products and include ingredients like ashwagandha without making it clear in their promotions. I guess they wouldn’t sell as many if they did. I’m not risk adverse and have moderated supplements that could have, potentially, interacted negatively with my medication without ill-effects and, sadly, without noticeable changes in my well-being also.
I think on everyone’s personal rehabilitation journey, we are all willing to dip our toes into anything that may, possibly, benefit the process. Even as Arjan Kuipers says with the most benign of his recommendations, always consult with a medical professional before putting into practice what he recommends. Many of us are still feeling our way through the journey, balance and knowledge is key to furthering it.
Thus is a very interesting post filled with pearls of wisdom.
I thought I would flag them 
You forgot my pearl of wisdom that 50g cost me £14.99. I acknowledged the price because I thought, I can try this but it is unlikely I can afford to make it a regular part of my daily routine.
Sorry about that !!
Alas, sometimes we are forced to “invest” in our health when the NHS will not help.
I expect some of us have been bold enough to “risk” spending our hard earned dollars on things which we hope would help.
I recently bought a lotion, a sample of which was given to us by our PEG nurse ad which actually was the best medication they had ever given us for this purpose, but it was a “freebie” that the manufacturer had given to the NHS. As such it was not on the NHS approved list and despite our feedback, they were unable to give us any more (samples) or prescribe it.
A 0.5 oz tube (14g) cost 60USD (only available from the US and so 20USD shipping (international)). I bought it, but when we tried this it looked, felt different to the sample and in fact does not seem as effective as the sample we had previously used.
So that has left me wondering, what have I bought? How do I know this is the same as what the NHS was giving us as a sample? What if it is a copy cat product?
In the end, I have to accept that this might be one of those Dragon’s Den type situations when an entrepreneur comes up with a product that takes time to fully develop and mature.
And of course there are the gadgets such as TENS machines, walkers, REVITIVE Medics etc. etc.
Can we afford them? Not really, but we raid the piggy bank and hope for the best.
We do what we can and what we must 
The level of trust when buying non-prescription medication or supplements is immense, how do I know what I am taking is what it says? Are there competent and trusted regulatory bodies regulating these products? Even a seemingly trusted business might end up a headline in the future. Take Johnson & Johnson for example. How do I really know the shilajit I’ve purchased is actually shilajit and not just charcoal. Money mixed with good intentions can often corrupt those good intentions. How many shades of black is the black market. All that stuff, it makes it harder to investigate these things with brain damage. I bought a heater the other day, and the strain of getting the right one for me was really exhausting. In the end, I felt like I was leaving it a bit up to chance, but I find making the best decision for me and my circumstances a real brain drain at times. However, when it turns out well, I am over the moon.
I’ve often found samples, in general, always tend to be better than the full sales product. So I just don’t trust any of them and suits me fine.
Lorraine