Are Statins Worth the Risk?

Cholesterol lowering drugs called Statins generated $34 billion in sales in 2007 and have raked in over a quarter of a trillion dollars since they were introduced two decades ago. A new study reported in the NY Times links the use of statins with a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is just the latest in a seemingly endless list of side-effects that continue to be discovered from the long term use of these drugs.

Here’s a small sample of the risks of statins: acute kidney failure, liver dysfunction, cataracts, muscle weakness, rhabdomyolysis (a breakdown of muscle fibers into the blood stream), acidosis, sexual dysfunction, immune system depression, neuropathy, frequent fevers, increased risk of cancer, anemia, pancreatic dysfunction, and increased risk of stroke.

Part of the problem is that people fail to realize that statins (like almost all prescription drugs) are not meant to be taken long term – they are a short term temporary “band-aid” while you make lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, nutritional supplements) to return your cholesterol levels to an optimal range. Continue reading “Are Statins Worth the Risk?”

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Lightheaded/dizziness, Headaches, Vomiting, Anxiety, Fluctuation in weight, Skin rashes, Fatigue, Constipation, Diarrhea, Chest pain, Flu symptoms…

Medications that lower blood pressure can come with an array of side effects, but there are other ways to lower blood pressure that don’t require a prescription.

Considerable research has shown that garlic can lower elevated blood pressure and has many other useful properties. It thins the blood slightly, improves blood flow through arteries, prevents and even reverses atherosclerosis, stops arrhythmias, and protects brain cells. Also, as a powerful antioxidant it significantly lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke. It even has strong anti-cancer effects. Continue reading “Lower Blood Pressure Naturally”

How to Beat Seasonal Allergies Naturally

Somewhere along the line, we started believing that seasonal allergies were normal (perhaps it was the endless bombardment of allergy drug commercials), and that they are something that an individual is going to have to live with for the rest of their life, while medicating themselves. Seasonal allergies are far from normal, and the fact that they are so common means that many do not have an optimally functioning body.

Here are some tips for beating allergies this and every spring without relying on pill popping: Continue reading “How to Beat Seasonal Allergies Naturally”

Take Control of Your Health

When it comes to health care, western medicine has always taught its patients that they are victims of their genes, hereditary issues, etc. They tell us that if our grandfather had heart disease and our father had heart disease/attacks, then our fate is sealed and we are set-up to be an unavoidable victim. We are told that disease is something you’re stricken with, not something you develop or create on your own or lifestyle induced. This victim mentality has allowed the pharmaceutical industry to flourish and prey upon the public’s misunderstanding regarding disease as well their ability to take control of their life and health.

The newest, cutting-edge science, research, and technology have proven that we can choose not to be victims. We don’t have to accept that our health destiny is set in stone and that the reason our cholesterol is 350, we’re 80 pounds overweight, or walk around with 300 blood sugar and are a type II diabetic is all due to bad genes. The new science says different. Continue reading “Take Control of Your Health”

ADHD: Change in Diet Helps More Than Drugs

A new study published in the Lancet, shows that a restrictive diet helps children with ADHD more than drugs.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands, writes in The Lancet that the disorder is triggered in many cases by external factors — and those can be treated through changes to one’s environment.

In an interview with NPR, she explains further:

“ADHD, it’s just a couple of symptoms — it’s not a disease,”According to Pelsser, 64 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are actually experiencing a hypersensitivity to food. Researchers determined that by starting kids on a very elaborate diet, then restricting it over a few weeks’ time. Continue reading “ADHD: Change in Diet Helps More Than Drugs”