mind articles

Pharmaceutical Industry

Last month I began the first in a series of reviews on alternative / complimentary therapies with homeopathy first off the ranks and this month naturopathy.

I would like to stress again that I believe prevention is the first point of call. 

If you find yourself regularly visiting the doctor or popping pills (even for headaches) it is imperative to examine your current lifestyle. By incorporating supportive eating, appropriate exercise (including not excessively) and consciously trying to reduce stressors (like getting to bed late, reducing alcohol consumption, being a non-smoker) many of the common afflictions will be dealt with and the body will be given a chance to do its natural job of healing.

But what happens when we do get sick or fall into a state of disease?
For most people that means turning to pharmaceutical drugs for relief and treatment. In the US alone pharmacies filled 3 billion drug prescriptions in 2000. "That's enough drugs for every man, woman and child to have a prescription each new month of the year!" (1)

Now many people have benefited from pharmaceutical drugs particularly in the short term but I ask the question: "Have we become too dependent on man-made chemicals for our wellbeing? Are we looking for health solutions in wrong places?"

Here are some facts about big pharma in the UK:

• 1999 - £ 529.8 million spent on prescription in England
• 2001 - 587 million prescription items dispensed in England 
              (6.4% increase on 2000)
• Aspirin Disper Tablet is the most commonly prescribed drug
• UK pharmaceutical exports in 2000 were £7.5 billion (2)

Potential risks of Prescription Drugs
According to Dr. Bruce H. Pomeranz from the University of Toronto:
"It's estimated that bad reactions to prescription and over the counter medicines kill more than 100,000 Americans and seriously injure an additional 2.1 million every year." (2)

"Aspirin and related drugs kill almost as many people as Aids. If those deaths were given their own category, they would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States." Wolfe et al (Boston Universtiy School of Medicine, Reported in Reuters News Agency June 17, 1999) (2)

So I would like to leave you with a highly controversial cartoon that was posted on mercola.com that challenges the role of 'Big Pharma.' I hope this provides some help in shaping and influencing your own health solutions. Enjoy!

www.mercola.com/townofallopath/townofallopath.htm

Your 3d Coach

Craig Burton

References
(1) Mercola.com, http://www.mercola.com/2002/apr/13/
pharmaceuticalspending.htm 
(2) Optimum Health and Fitness through Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching Manual, C.H.E.K Institute, 2002.