I was saddened when I read the latest featured article on Dr. Mercola's site but at the same time was very happy to see the issue over the dangers of prescription drugs finally getting the publicity it so urgently needs. This country has gotten very used to popping a pill whenever anything feels a little out of whack with their body instead of investigating WHY they feel that way. Dr. Christopher Kent wrote a wonderful article, "Recreational Drugs are FAR Less Likely to Kill You Than Prescribed Drugs" that I HIGHLY recommend everyone read!
While I wrote a post, "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain but DO Not Heal Pain", I think the above article goes WAY deeper into the dangers of relying on one doctor's opinion of what medications you NEED. The number of adverse drug-reactions causing hospitalizations and deaths, the number of unnecessary antibiotics and other medications being prescribed annually and the number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures are growing at an alarming rate (each are in the millions -- for more info and exact numbers please read Dr. Kent's article)! The US medical system needs a total overhaul and quickly before these numbers get even worse.
Prescription Drugs are now the #4 recorded cause of death in the US. When you read Dr. Kent's article you will see that if you include all the figures it is actually #1. I am not saying ALL prescription medicines are bad -- there have been GREAT advances in medicine in the last 20 years that I am grateful for and that I have seen my friends and family greatly benefit from. The problem is in the way we tend to look at medicine in this country -- as a cure-all and a fail safe -- which it definitely IS NOT. Your body has a self healing system already in it -- if you fall and scrape yourself does that wound stay open forever? If you get a cold or the flu are you left coughing for the rest of your life? How come our parents and grandparents didn't "NEED" medicine for everything that ailed them and they got by just fine? What about the fact that a lot of prescription drugs have side-effects that sometimes make you feel even worse than your original ailment did? What about the fact that a LOT of these drugs haven't even been researched long enough to know what the "long-term" effects are, which is causing more drugs than even to be recalled?
I watched TV last night (a rare occasion for me) and was appalled that the number of prescription drug ads has grown exponentially. "Get back your energy", "end constipation", "get back your virility", "cure reflux", "cut cholesterol", "sleep better".... all of these ads showed attractive people smiling happily even as the announcer lists the long list of "possible reactions"..... stomach cramps, headaches, nausea, seizures and let's not forget "occasional death". All say contact your doctor for more information but none say "contact your doctor for ALL possible options for your problem including this drug" -- it is obviously just an ad to sell you their drug through your doctor and in short - -make money.
Prescription drugs need to be taken with care and to be monitored. If I am offered any medication now I would go get a second opinion AND make sure at least one of those doctors KNOW about integrative medicine and offer alternatives. I would also research the medication and the long term effects myself as much as I could online. I switched from a doctor that wanted me on SEVERE Pain Medication for my pain and illnesses to a doctor that asks me if I am meditating.... there is a HUGE discrepancy in the doctors and how they practice in the US. Make sure you and your loved ones have good doctors that know about ALL methods of healing and treatment.
We need to start concentrating on our mind's ailments and things we have not worked through before we start popping pills to cure ALL of our physical maladies. I was in SEVERE chronic pain EVERY DAY for over 2 years. I was ill and visiting SEVERAL doctors every week for over 6 years -- not once did someone mention natural ways that I could feel better. I had every pill imaginable offered to me as well as test after test, diagnosis and diagnosis and even was told I would only get worse, to "manage my pain" and that I would "most likely be in a wheelchair". I KNOW how powerful the mind is because I LIVED it and HEALED myself. It will always be my proudest accomplishment. I reclaimed my life and now feel healthier and happier than I ever did.
I did not consciously choose to be ill. It certainly was not "all in my head" because the pain was as real as the desk I am sitting at now. When you don't deal with "stuff" in your life and stop to REALLY listen to yourself -- your body will show signs of dis-ease. Are you still harboring guilt about a situation? Do you blame someone for something that you feel drastically changed your life for the worse? Do you have very low self esteem? Are you angry a lot? Do you have a "bad memory" you keep replaying in your mind? These all cause stress and are warning signs that a dis-ease or pain might be on it's way if you are not ill or in pain already. These are issues that can be dealt with and should be dealt with in order for you to be healthy and to grow.
There are TONS of ways to research for free online about ways to heal if you can't find a doctor that knows about alternative or complimentary methods. It did not cost me a penny to find out all the information I received that I used to heal myself. Friends and loved ones did buy me some requested books but I could have easily had gotten them out of the local library. I recommend Dr. Mercola's site and Dr. Deepak Chopra's site as well for information. There are TONS of personal development sites (Priscilla Palmer's List is a GREAT place to start) that offer tools on how to deal with past issues that might be plaguing your mind.
My e-book tells of the methods I adopted to heal myself... and if you cannot afford it but feel you would benefit from it -- email me.... I want to help as many people as I can heal from the inside and am available and willing to help. I am not a doctor so cannot advise on weaning off of ANY medication and certain medications you will need a doctor's assistance to wean yourself off of. I am not saying my methods will work for everyone for every disease AT ALL but I believe you need to be the healthiest you can be naturally and use prescribed medications only as absolutely necessary. I am on coumadin (a blood thinner) and have been told I will be on that for the rest of my life. It controls the thickness of my blood so I don't suffer from another blood clot. I am not convinced I will be on it forever but I know just stopping it would be reckless and put my body at risk. There ARE certain medicines that are necessary and beneficial.
I've written a bunch of other posts relating to this issue:
Holistic Doctor Search in the US
Study Shows Chronic Pain Can Be Healed By Natural Means
Having a Good Doctor is Indispensable in Your Quest to Heal Pain
Michael Moore's "Sicko"
A lot of my other posts deal with ways I used to heal my whole self inside and out. Exercise and fitness is needed as well as some mental housecleaning. It seems overwhelming to address issues that cause stress but the only way to let go of that stress is to face them head on. If you need a counselor or coach to do this -- by all means ask someone or find someone to help. Being on any "Extra" medications that are not NECESSARY for your health is detrimental to your health. It doesn't take long to start to feel the benefits of healing..... If you feel you are missing something in your life I just read an amazing post by Alex Blackwell at The Next 45 Years, "The Missing Piece". There are tons of GREAT articles and resources to be found... first you have to ask yourself some tough questions and actually LISTEN to the answers to start on your way to healing from the inside out.
Please, stop and think about ALL the medications you are taking. Do you reach for a pain killer after an extra stressful day? Is there any other method you can use to relax and feel better? I ask that if you use prescription drugs you are first as healthy as you can be without them, that you are knowledgeable about them and their effects and that you have a doctor that is monitoring you on them that you are totally comfortable with.
