Natural Health

This article about Bextra and the way Pfizer wormed out of prosecution is enough to make any patient wonder… Is the doctor giving me this prescription because it’s the right one, or because he’s being paid well to to so?

The conclusion here is that paying huge fines is simply a cost of doing business – so they’ll keep right on endangering patients.

How do you feel about that?

Not long ago we reported on a new study that said natural remedies won’t kill you.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for prescription drugs.

We’ve read a lot lately about the dangers of continuing to take a prescription for years without an adjustment. As we age our bodies change so a dosage that might have been correct at age 65 is harmful at age 80. These overdoses can cause illness and false signs of Alzheimers – as well as death.

But new statistics reported on Newsmax Health today show that the problem goes far beyond a doctor’s failure to adjust prescription dosage.

In fact, poisoning from drug overdose has risen by an alarming 65% since 1999.

Interestingly, the largest class of victims are city-dwelling women between the ages of 35 and 54. Generally, the drugs involved are tranquilizers, sedatives and pain killers.

We hear a lot about the dangers of elderly people taking overdoses because they simply forget that they’ve already taken their medication and so take it again. But that doesn’t sound like a good reason why younger people are overdosing.

Perhaps they simply don’t “get” the danger, so when one pill doesn’t kill the pain or relieve the anxiety, they take another – and another.

According to the Newsmax report, “Unintentional poisoning is now the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, and unintentional poisoning surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of unintentional injury death in 2005.”

Intentional poisonings are also on the rise – more than doubling from 1999 to 2006. These intentional poisonings may be self-inflicted attempts at suicide or pleas for attention, or attempts at murder – some of which are successful.

Are doctors too quick to pull out the prescription pad? Of course we think so, but we think the facts back our opinion.

The largest increase in poisoning from a specific drug was for methadone – a quintuple increase. Correspondingly, this drug saw a ten-fold increase in the number of times was prescribed and sold between 1997 and 2006.

Just FYI - According to a report on WebMD, Americans spend only 1.5% of their health care dollars on natural, or alternative health practices.

In 2006 this amounted to $34Billion – which seems like a lot until you compare it to the$2.2 Trillion spent on doctors, hospitals, and prescription drugs – and when you consider that all forms of alternative health together accounted for only about 1/3 of what Americans spend on prescriptions.

Last summer we wrote about cinnamon’s ability to control your cholesterol levels.

Now, new studies show that cinnamon can dramatically reduce blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity.

Test results showed that as little as 1/4 teaspoon per day can produce dramatic results.

And what’s the side-effect of reduced insulin levels? It just could be loss of belly fat.

More good news is that in this day where our bodies are constantly bombarded with toxins, cinnamon is a powerful protection. According to Wickpedia, one teaspoon of Cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as a full cup of pomegranate juice and 1/2 a cup of blueberries.

Recorded use of cinnamon goes back to the Old Testament, when cinnamon was considered to be a gift fit for a king. It has since been used for fighting infection and even curing the common cold. Other uses include that of a food preservative.

Any way you look at it, for a boost to good health, cinnamon needs to come off of the spice shelf and into every day use.

The Health Freedom Alliance reported today that the new 174-page annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers shows that in 2008 there were zero deaths from any vitamins. Additionally, there were no deaths whatsoever from any amino acid or herbal product.

In other words, natural supplements are safe.

They sure as heck can’t say that about the majority of prescription drugs on the market today.

So why are our lawmakers so duped into believing that natural remedies are dangerous and must be controlled? My guess is because they listen to the dollars that come to them from big pharm. They pay attention to the lobbyists who want them to squash natural remedies and open the way for bigger profits for the pharmaceutical companies.

That has to also be the reason why the FDA goes right ahead and approves drugs that kill.

Can you believe it? This dangerous individual was awarded the title of “Australian of the Year” – and he’s promoting the use of mind-altering drugs on children who don’t even have problems!

Patrick McGorry’s idea is to identify kids who might develop problems and start drugging them before the problems develop.

He’s gotten a lot of money for his “research” and has been a speaker for many of the major drug companies. Now he’d like the government to fund more research – and they’re thinking about it!

Oh boy… Drug regulatory agencies know that antipsychotics and antidepressants are causing hallucinations, hostility, personality change, life-threatening diabetes, strokes, suicide and death in some patients.

Why would anyone in their right mind use these drugs for any reason but as a last resort?

Read the whole report at Health Freedom Alliance. I think you’ll be shocked, and also grateful that the U.S. has not fallen for this man’s “research.”

When will reports like this end? It just makes me sick to think that babies and their families are suffering because of prescription drugs that their mothers took in good faith – and without being warned that there were dangers to the baby.

Television ads for anti-depressants carry the disclaimer that in some people, anti-depressants can lead to suicide. That should be warning enough for people to stay away from these dangerous drugs!

Read the report about Paxil and the birth defects that can result from taking it during pregnancy.

Depression during pregnancy is somewhat common, because a woman’s body is going through so many changes. And, amid the feelings of joy and anticipation are a whole host of other feelings – like fear, like feeling ugly and unlovable, and like worry over how you’ll pay for the baby and its care.

Before resorting to drugs that could harm you or the baby, why not try some natural remedies that can do no harm?

Bach Flower Essences can help you re-balance your energies, calm your fears, and lift the depression. And they are safe for everyone – including your baby. Not only that, compared to the cost of harmful prescription drugs, the price feels almost like they’re free. A 30 ml bottle blended specifically for you costs a mere $14.95. Since you take only 4 drops about 4 times a day, that bottle lasts a good long time.

Goji and Noni juices are also known for their anti-depressant properties, and they’re filled with anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are good for both you and an unborn child.

Sunlight, uplifting or up-beat music, and exercise are also effective in combating depression – and they’re all good for you.

Prescription drugs are dangerous for adults – even more dangerous for children and unborn babies.

Drinking water is one of the single-most important things you can do for your health. And yet, I know people who say “Water is for washing your feet. I don’t drink water.”

And then they wonder why they’re tired, their muscles are weak, their skin is flaky, and they suffer from headaches – along with many more serious ailments.

According to a recent report, two-thirds of all Americans are suffering from mild to severe dehydration. And it can kill them.

Your body needs water to make blood. It needs water to aid your kidneys in removing toxins from your body. It needs water to keep your tissues supple and healthy.

And yet, very few doctors mention drinking water to their patients. Instead, they offer pills – or surgeries.

What’s really shocking is the number of doctors who prescribe diuretics and tell patients to limit fluids because they suffer from edema.

Well, I’m no doctor, but I do read a lot. And what I read tells me that the body retains fluid when it isn’t getting enough fluid. Just like our metabolism shuts down and burns fewer calories when the body goes into “starvation mode.” In fact, in David Tanton’s book, he says that the way to cure edema is to drink more water and to include a teaspoon of celtic sea salt once a day.

I was thinking about this today when a friend and I were discussing a mutual friend who passed away this week. He’d been either in a hospital or a nursing home for the past 9 1/2 months, much of that time on kidney dialysis 4 times weekly.

We knew that he was taking at least a dozen prescription medications before he went into the hospital, making his body a toxic waste dump. And then, apparently, it got worse. The nurses even admitted to my friend that the medications he got in the hospital led to his complete kidney failure… his kidneys just couldn’t keep up with the toxins any more.

But when I thought about this man, I couldn’t recall ever seeing him take a drink of water. Coffee and soft drinks, yes. But good pure water – no.

And since coffee and soft drinks act as diuretics – they no doubt added to the stress his kidneys were under.

My friend believed that doctors were gods – he never once questioned their prescriptions or did any research to learn that some of those medications should not be taken together. And now, at age 59, his life is over. So sad.

The Washington State House today passed a bill that would ban BPA from baby bottles, sports bottles, and eating utensils such as sippy cups used by children under 3 years of age.

This bill was passed overwhelmingly and is expected to sail through the Senate and be signed by the Governor. Only one Representative voted against passage. (I’d sure hate to be that person!)

The only drawback is that like all other protective laws, it will take a long time to go into effect.

The ban on BPA in babies’ and childrens’ products goes into effect in July 2011, while the ban on BPA in sports bottles doesn’t take effect until July 2012.

Banning BPA is a huge step in protecting our youth.

We’ve written before about how the chemicals in cosmetics can mimic estrogen and completely disrupt a child’s system – making them more prone to cancer, reproductive problems, miscarriage, obesity, and hyperactivity. BPA also mimics strong sex hormones and can disrupt a child’s system from infancy.

Although I’m always in favor of less government interference, I see this ban a good sign. Since the FDA refuses to protect consumers from dangerous products, the States are taking action to protect citizens from those who care more for profits than for offering safe products.

Washington is the 5th to ban BPA in children’s products and the second to impose the ban on sports bottles. Read the whole story from the Washington Toxics Coalition.

Remember, the ban doesn’t take effect for more than a year. Parents still need to check labels and markings and avoid plastics that contain BPA. To be safe, why not go back to glass baby bottles? They worked for a long, long time before people started using plastic.

At last, I get to share some news that I think is really, really good.

I happen to love tomatoes – tomato sauce, tomato juice, or fresh tomatoes off the vine. Can’t stay I’m fond of the “store bought” fresh tomatoes. They taste a bit like I would expect styrofoam to taste, but the cherry tomatoes I grow outside my office door in summer are like having my own private “candy tree.”

Tomatoes, like other red and purple fruits, are full of antioxidants. That’s one good reason to indulge. But new studies show they’ll also lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

The bad news is that you need about 4 a day to do the job, but the good news is that eating cooked foods made with tomato paste and tomato sauce give you the equivalent without the bulk.

Of course, when the tomatoes are ripe in my garden, 4 a day is not a problem!

For more about the study, read this article from Frank Mangano.

You know I’d rather write about natural cures, but it seems like the news lately is all about warnings.

Here’s another one. Perhaps not a deadly threat, but a threat to be concerned about if you have young children, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system in your household.

The FDA announced yesterday that foods containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein manufactured by Las Vegas-based Basic Food Flavors Inc. are being recalled.

It seems that after finding salmonella in one of the foods, they investigated, tested more foods, and ultimately found salmonella in the company’s processing equipment.

If you buy processed foods, read the full Newsmax story and get a link to a list of the foods that have been recalled.

Once again, the safest way to eat is to cook your own food. It’s not always fun, and it’s definitely not always fast, but you and your family will get better nutrition.