[Counteracting the unwanted side effects of prescription
medicines. Prevention the key to a long and healthy life.]
Pharmacists
traditionally dispense medications. How did you become interested
in nutrition and natural therapies?
Over the years of watching what happened to people on multiple medications
and what it did to their health, I realized that there must be
a better way to help. It seemed to me that the more prescriptions
a person was on, the worse they felt. I was determined to find
a way to uncover the cause of their disease, and not just cover
up the symptoms. Therefore, I began my journey in studying nutrition
and using my pharmaceutical knowledge to guide people toward healthier
living.
How do you feel about the way traditional medicine treats
chronic disease?
I truly believe that alternative medicine has a much
better handle on treating chronic diseases like arthritis, high
blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance and many other
conditions. All of these diseases are indeed related to lifestyle
modification. Let’s look at something as simple as cholesterol.
Firstly, why would anyone want to be on a statin drug? Some examples
are Zocor, Lipitor and Pravachol. Not only
are they very expensive, but also they have many side effects
associated with them, such as liver damage, muscle weakness and
pain; and now they are finding out that they can even cause memory
loss. Since most of the people who are on these statin drugs are
seniors, these side effects, especially the memory loss, are detrimental
to them. Just by having people get up off the couch and start
moving would be a good start to lowering cholesterol. Also, dietary
changes to reduce consumption of carbohydrates, especially the
obvious ones like candy, cookies and refined breads, would assuredly
help bring that number down.
The same can
be said about insulin resistance, which can also be considered
a pre-diabetic condition. If people would just learn to live a
healthier lifestyle with better food choices and incorporate some
exercise into their daily routines, their need for medications
would also be reduced. In fact, many people who are on medications,
now, could get off them just by making some changes in their lifestyle.
I do not believe that one has to stay on prescriptions for the
rest of their life, as many healthcare providers would have them
believe.
I understand that prescription medications can cause
nutrient depletions in the body. Can you explain this?
Prescription
medications can definitely be a problem, especially if someone
is on medication(s) over a long period of time. Problems will
not occur overnight, but long-term use of prescription drugs can
wreak havoc on the body. Let’s say “Mrs. Smith” is on hormone
replacement therapy such as Premarin, a cholesterol-lowering
statin drug such as Lipitor and a water pill that she is
using to keep her blood pressure under control. She has been on
this same regimen for about one year.
The next time Mrs. Smith comes into the pharmacy, she
asks to speak with a pharmacist. Meanwhile, she had just turned
in a prescription for an antidepressant drug. Mrs. Smith noticed
more cramping in her legs when she went to bed at night and wondered
if there was anything she could do for this. Also, she said that
she was tired of taking all this medication and wondered if there
was something she could do that might help her get off the drugs
she is taking.
After reviewing her profile, I suspected that she had
some drug/nutrient depletions going on that might contribute to
her problems. First of all, a water pill, which in “Mrs. Smith’s”
case was hydrochlorathiazide, can deplete your body of not only
potassium but also magnesium, zinc and CO-Q10. This can lead to
the symptoms of cramping that she was experiencing. Lipitor
is noted for depleting the body of CO-Q10, even more so than the
water pill. CO-Q10 creates energy in the mitochondria, which first
affects the heart. It is thought that this deficiency may be one
of the main causes of congestive heart failure. That is why anyone
taking a statin drug should definitely be taking this important
antioxidant.
Now let’s look at the Premarin. I have noticed
that many women taking either oral contraceptives or hormone replacement
end up going on an antidepressant. Both of these drugs deplete
the body of the B vitamins, especially B6 and magnesium. You need
B6 to convert Tryptophan into Serotonin, and most people understand
that Serotonin is important for mood. This may explain why Mrs.
Smith came with an antidepressant medication in hand. Had she
been taking a good multiple vitamin with extra B then perhaps
she could have avoided this prescription. Since both her hydrochlorothiazide
and Premarin deplete her body of magnesium, it is no wonder
that she was experiencing leg cramps. It is unfortunate that many
doctors would write her a prescription for quinine to relieve
her leg cramps instead of recommending magnesium.
So not only do you have to be mindful about the side
effects of drugs, but you also have to be educated about what
they are doing to your body nutritionally. Before you take any
medications, it is advised that you know what they are for and
find out if, perhaps, there is another way to deal with your situation.
Finally, in answer to Mrs. Smith’s original question about what
she could do to get off some of the medications that she is currently
taking, I would recommend that she start an exercise program and
get on a good “nutrition for life” food plan. I would also get
her started on a supplement program for optimal health. This would
be a great start!
I believe that “prevention is the key to a long and healthy
life.” We know that in order to keep our automobile in tip top
shape, we must take it in for regular maintenance and oil changes,
according to the operating manual. Then, if the car does break
down, it does not cost as much to fix, and the repairs are usually
minor. Unfortunately, when we are born, we are not handed an operating
manual on how to keep this complex machine, our body, in top operating
condition. We just take it for granted until it is too late. So,
why not start by giving your body an oil change. Get the bad oils
or fats out of your body and put the good fats in. Then,
maintain it with good wholesome foods and wise lifestyle choices.
This will keep the body running smoothly for many years to come.
Just remember, although prescription medications may
be necessary, especially in emergency situations, for chronic
conditions, generally, it is best to start with lifestyle choices.
Over 100,000 people die each year from correctly prescribed medications,
while nutritional supplements are, in comparison, quite safe Đ
even above the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). Using optimal
levels of nutritional supplements wisely along with a healthy
diet and lifestyle enables most individuals to have a great deal
of control over their immune system and their own aging process.
