I recently met with a client (I’ll call her Brenda) who gave me a very grim reminder of why modern medicine is the number three killer in America.
Brenda came to me reporting a medical history that included acid reflux, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and depression.
She stated her current medications were the following:
- Nexium (for acid reflux)
- Amlodipine (for hypertension)
- Wellbutrin (for depression)
- Atorvastatin (for cholesterol)
Brenda also mentioned that she felt anxious, she was always hungry and gaining weight, and she was having trouble sleeping. After talking with her about what’s going on in her life (dealing with a very sick elderly mother, losing her job because of COVID and the resulting financial difficulties), I quickly realized she is under horrendous amounts of stress too.
I asked her what her doctor said about her insomnia and she said that he prescribed Lunesta, but she hadn’t filled that Rx yet.
As I normally do with my clients, I researched all of Brenda’s medications and saw what I have seen FAR too many times—a vicious cycle of side effects and anything-but-health.
Here’s what I mean—this is a spreadsheet of Brenda’s meds and the problems they can cause:
Brenda |
||||||
Side effects from medications |
||||||
Amlodipine |
Wellbutrin |
Nexium |
Atorvastatin |
|||
For hypertension |
For depression |
For acid reflux |
For cholesterol |
|||
Side effects: |
||||||
Trouble sleeping; insomnia |
|
X |
|
X |
||
Indigestion; heartburn |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
Increased hunger and appetite |
X |
X |
||||
Depression |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
Anxiety |
X |
X |
||||
Hypertension |
X |
X |
Can you see what’s going on here? Each of her medications have side effects that include ALL of her health issues!
- All four of her medications can cause insomnia—one of her complaints
- All four drugs can also cause heartburn/acid reflux (for which she takes Nexium) and depression—including the Wellbutrin that she takes for depression!
- Two of them cause anxiety and increased hunger—her other complaints
And poor Brenda is caught in this endless medication-side-effect trap, completely frustrated and wondering when and if she will ever feel better.
That, my friend, is what is wrong with modern medicine and why it is the number 3 cause of death.
It’s focused on MEDICINE to the exclusion of ALL else, and to the detriment of the person.
So what is “medicine” really?
“Medicine” is defined as: Any substance or substances used in treating disease or illness; medicament; remedy.
I don’t see where it states that the “substances” have to be synthetically created in a lab by a pharmaceutical company.
The fact is, herbs and nutrients have been used as remedies for centuries, but once synthetic pharmaceuticals hit the scene over the last 100 years or so, these safe, natural substances have been unjustly cast aside and poo-pooed as ineffective or useless.
What boggles my mind is that drugs don’t actually “cure” a thing—all they do is interfere with, alter, suppress or thwart one or more of your body’s functions or processes in order to achieve a result (usually covering up a symptom or forcing your body to conform to some perceived “normal” ranges such as cholesterol or blood pressure).
And the only way to keep getting that result is to keep taking the drug!
Let me clue you in--you’re not creating health here. You’re creating a chemically-induced cover-up of symptoms (while causing other issues!) and a nice revenue stream for drug companies.
Herbs and nutrients, on the other hand, help support your body’s efforts to heal itself and restore its inner balance to a proper state of function and health.
See the difference?
So quite frankly, for some mainstream doctors to think drugs are the ONLY answer and that natural solutions are quackery proves one thing—money talks. Remember that drug companies have deep pockets and heavily influence the curriculums in our medical schools, so from day one our doctors are being carefully programmed.
On the other hand, doctors take just one basic course in nutrition in their 4 years of training (and no phytotherapy that I’m aware of), so it’s easy to see why many of them believe these measures have no merit.
Get down to the business of creating HEALTH
While drugs are undoubtedly necessary at times, the fact is that we are far too dependent on them to create false health for us, and are opening up the door for dangerous side effects to boot.
But it can make an enormous difference to help your body along and supports its efforts to heal—in other words, work to create HEALTH!
Here are some strategies you can explore as they pertain to you:
1- Rely on the farmer—not the pharmacist
See what a difference it can make to use food as your medicine with the right diet and sound digestion!
I can guide you through this important step with my Great Taste No Pain health system.
Great Taste No Pain stresses the importance of wholesome real foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, meats, poultry and fish, real butter and healthy fats.
Plus it teaches you the science of food combining which shows you how to pair foods together in your meals to pave the way for smooth, comfortable digestion.
This is crucial because if your digestion is poor, in addition to gas, bloating, heartburn and constipation being your regular companions, you will not be absorbing nutrients like you should, and that sets the stage for disease to come knocking.
With Great Taste No Pain you'll also get menu suggestions, and a collection of delicious, easy recipes that make eating for great health thoroughly enjoyable!
2- Support your gut microbiome
Many pharmaceutical drugs can be murder on your gut microbiome—this is especially true of antibiotics, acid reducers (like Nexium), pain medications, antidepressants (including Wellbutrin) and steroids.
The beneficial bacteria in your intestinal tract house 70 percent of your immune system as well as help keep your digestion smooth and efficient.
So, if you're lacking a strong, healthy population of helpful microbes in your gut, your digestion is most assuredly compromised, and your immune function may be weakened—so you are without its vital protection against disease.
In addition to having a healthy diet of real foods, supplementation with a potent multi-strain probiotic like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula can go a long way in supporting a healthy gut environment.
Super Shield's 13 high-quality strains of potent friendly bacteria are ready to help strengthen your gut wall, enhance your digestion, encourage regular BMs and beef up your immune system.
And if you do need to take any medications (especially antibiotics), Super Shield can help counteract their harmful effects in your gut!
3- Make up for any deficiencies
To make sure you have all nutrient bases covered (and help compensate for the fact that our food supply is not as nutritious as it used to be) a high quality multi-vitamin like Super Core can help fill any gaps you might have with basic core nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
Most diseases are rooted in one or more nutrient deficiencies, so it’s essential to make sure your body has what it desperately needs.
Plus, Super Core takes a huge step beyond most other multi-vitamin formulas and provides free-radical fighting antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatories. Free radicals and inflammation also fuel the fires of disease, so Super Core helps you fight back at these health wreckers.
4- Search out natural options to medications
In nearly every instance, there is a safe, natural answer to health issues. For example, our Gastro BeCalm Blend contains 4 herbs (mastic gum, marshmallow, ginger and licorice) that are VERY effective in easing heartburn.
And the turmeric found in Optimal Turmeric Blend has shown itself in tens of thousands of studies to be an awesome anti-inflammatory, helping with high blood pressure, aches and pains, cholesterol and even cancer prevention!
5- Get regular exercise
Pick an activity and do it at least 4 to 5 times a week. Even brisk walking is good and practically everyone can do that!
Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK before beginning an exercise program.
6- Reduce stress
Stress directly impacts your gut microbiome and weakens your immune function, so do what you must to reduce stress in your life.
Regular exercise has been shown to be extremely helpful, as well as counseling, prayer, deep breathing, massage, acupuncture, and even adopting a pet!
Take the steps you need to help create REAL HEALTH from within. You’ll never regret it.
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
Spot on Sherry! A concise expose of the drug the symptom sickness paradigm that is allopathic medicine!
Keep up the good work!
I totally agree with your blog post about prescription meds, and medicine today. We are totally in to natural meds, and we go to a naturopathic dr, who has done far more for us than any medical doctor ever has.
Keep up the good work!!!!
I recently had a heart cath and results I have one completely blocked artery, I’m now on Plavix and I have to take with a meal so I chose evening because after I take it it makes me very tired and sleepy so there goes my evening is there anything natural I can take that would be equal to the Plavix