Is Modern Medicine Killing You?

IS MODERN MEDICINE KILLING YOU?

Have you been following the news on Vioxx and Celebrex? Just to recap, research showed that Vioxx was contributing to higher risks of vascular problems – That is higher rates of strokes and heart attacks – People have died as a result of the side effects of these medications – And not just a few people – thousands – tens of thousands – and it has even been suggested ~150,000! The response from the authorities was rapid once the link was actually admitted by the manufacturers of the drug – the drug was removed from the shelves. I was curious about Celebrex when this occurred because based on my limited pharmacological knowledge it is basically the same drug with a different label. Then the next batch of news broke that the same tragic life-threatening link was suspected with Celebrex and Mobic. And the response – people taking the drug have been advised to visit their MD to review their doses and progress.

Does this reaction seem a bit lame to you? Put it another way – not too long ago, mentally unstable terrorists killed several thousand people with a coordinated act of terrorism and initiated an enormously aggressive military response from the might of the USA and allies. Rightly or wrongly this has cost the world billions of dollars and many more lives. Thousands of people’s lives have recently been lost due to a devastating Tsunami and the rest of the world has reacted appropriately by racing to the affected countries’ aid. Now we mention a disaster of comparable proportions caused by the expensive marketing, mass production, profit making and aggressive sales techniques of the huge pharmaceutical industry cartels; and the response is to remove their products from the shelves in one case, and to issue weak warnings in the other.

Don’t think that this is an isolated issue: The reason that these very drugs were so aggressively marketed by the drug companies in the first place, and prescribed so massively by the MDs was the problems with bleeding ulcers of the gastrointestinal system from the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. The newer Cox-II inhibitors were pushed as the answer due to their lack of side effects! Subsequent research demonstrated that these wonder drugs were only marginally less irritating to the intestines, and this more recent discovery must make them one of the biggest medical blunders in history?

And, have we already forgotten the increased risks to the lives of millions of women from the use of HRT. Another one that seemed to slip the media’s clutches through to the keeper was recent evidence that Antidepressant medications were increasing the likelihood of suicide in younger populations: Could it be that the millions of dollars the government is pushing into the “beyond blue” campaign with its subtle promotion of the sale of more “wonder drugs” (which help to fund the campaign) has an effect on the reporting of the worst kind of loss of young lives?

All this adds up to a startling statistic that our “conventional” health care system is one of the greatest threats to our community’s wellbeing! Medicine is now ranked as the third leading cause of death in our society. More recent commentaries have even suggested that this is an underestimate.

Add to this the ever increasing debts of running a Medicare system which may well bankrupt itself unless massive changes in spending and costs occur. Based on the above information it would appear that a significant proportion of these costs may be in managing the side-effects of the attempts to treat the original condition. You know how the cliché goes – A person taking seven different medications has one for the actual complaint, the second to fourth to counteract the side effects of the first, and the fifth to seventh to reduce the interactions of the first four.

So how do we respond – as victims of this debacle, or as innocent bystanders wondering whether the medications we are taking are the next poisons in line? There is no shortage of legal firms ready to represent those who feel they have been harmed by their medications and space does not permit a discussion of the right or wrong to this approach. And it must be said that the majority of medical professionals have responded correctly by modifying their patients’ care plans once the facts were truly known. But do we throw out all our medications in fear of their side effects? This could be a hasty and even dangerous reaction. It does appear that each of us needs to take greater responsibility in deciding how we take care of our bodies. The days of visiting the doctor in the hope that they are going to give us the magic bullet should be gone.

THE CHIROPRACTIC ANSWER:

So what are you going to do to become part of the solution to this health care crisis?

Here’s my free advice for you: Practice lifestyle changes that reduce your likelihood of needing synthetic pharmaceutical intervention and you will be standing on third base of the longevity baseball pitch with the best pinch hitter next in to bat.

In terms of Osteoarthritic pains Chiropractic offers one of the most impressive natural alternatives for pain relief and improved function since its primary goals are to maximise joint mobility and to improve functions of the nervous system. But there is a much bigger picture in terms of the health benefits of chiropractic care.

I have to confess that I go through a grieving process every time one of our clients rings to discontinue their chiropractic care because their “back doesn’t hurt anymore”, or they’ve “been feeling good and don’t see the need to keep up ongoing check-ups”. This type of choice is a “strike-out” in terms of improving your long term health. I’ve been in practice for over fifteen years and my message has not changed in this time – REGULAR CHIROPRACTIC CHECK-UPS MAKE HEALTHY PEOPLE HEALTHIER. Stop your check-ups and you turn your back on what could be your greatest pitch for long term preventative health.

Research hot off the press further supports this claim. Research comparing the serum level of an enzyme that is known to predict the degree of DNA repair was conducted on three different groups. The first group with known health problems, the second who were recent additions to the “chiropractic lifestyle”, and the third who were long term recipients of Chiropractic tune-ups. The measurements showed a steady increase in serum thiol levels from the first group to the third group who also showed levels higher than normally healthy subjects from prior research. What does this mean? Increased thiol levels are regarded as a useful indicator of lifespan and ageing – Chiropractic increases the levels of thiol – Therefore long term chiropractic care could be argued to increase lifespan, reduce risk of cancer formation and reduce ageing.

Numerous prior studies have also shown decreased dependence on prescription and over the counter medication usage in recipients of chiropractic care.

So folks – please keep up your regular chiropractic tune-ups if you are serious about attempting to improve your daily comfort and function, to avoid future serious illness and delay an early departure from this planet.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO VIOXX AND CELEBREX:

I have been asked by numerous clients, “what can I do if I can’t take my Vioxx?” “Chiropractic” is always my first response. The second is to start taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin. These are naturally-found ingredients that the human body should be able to utilise to manufacture new connective and cartilage tissues. Research has backed up this theory showing increased mobility in arthritic joints, reduced pain in inflamed joints, and even previously unheard of signs of cartilage repair. More recent study showed good prognoses in people suffering from prolapsed lumbar discs. I have been a long term advocate of these supplements and have seen many people’s mobility and function improve as a result of a regular daily dose.

We now stock high grade quality and yet affordable brands of Glucosamine and Chondroitin combined in capsule form known as Chondrosamine, and in cream form known as Arthrototal Contact. The capsules are best if you have multiple joint problems or central (Spine, Hips, Shoulders) joint problems. The cream is great for rubbing directly onto inflamed peripheral joints (Elbows, wrists, fingers, knees, ankles, feet). Really severe and chronic arthritis sufferers get best results from utilising both forms.

The only known risks after decades of usage and research are for people who are allergic to shellfish, and diabetics should consult their MD first.

Our Chondrosamine capsules come in bottles of 120 and cost you only $37. Usual dosage is three capsules a day for the first bottle, then two capsules a day after that unless more are found to be needed. The tubes of cream cost only $20.

HERE’S A THOUGHT:

“When you learn to look for the creative power of frustration you see discovery of limitations as an opportunity to be stretched, not stopped, challenges to be overcome, not controlled by... The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it. The creative power of frustration brings about a process of discovery.” (Peter McHugh – “You & the creative power of frustration”.)