Jed Diamond, PhD, shares the six simple steps to improving health — without having to step into the pharmacy.
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Many of us suffer from the diseases of modern life including things like arthritis, Alzheimer’s, prostate problems, and depression. Chances are you are taking, or have taken, one of these medications, which are on the “top 10 list of most prescribed drugs in the U.S.” :
- Hydrocodone (combined with acetaminophen), a pain reliever — 131.2 million prescriptions
- Generic Zocor (simvastatin), a cholesterol-lowering statin drug — 94.1 million prescriptions
- Lisinopril (brand names include Prinivil and Zestril), a blood pressure drug — 87.4 million prescriptions
- Generic Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium), synthetic thyroid hormone — 70.5 million prescriptions
- Generic Norvasc (amlodipine besylate), an angina/blood pressure drug — 57.2 million prescriptions
- Generic Prilosec (omeprazole), an antacid drug — 53.4 million prescriptions (does not include over-the-counter sales)
- Azithromycin (brand names include Z-Pak and Zithromax), an antibiotic — 52.6 million prescriptions
- Amoxicillin (various brand names), an antibiotic — 52.3 million prescriptions
- Generic Glucophage (metformin), a diabetes drug — 48.3 million prescriptions
- Hydrochlorothiazide (various brand names), a water pill used to lower blood pressure — 47.8 million prescriptions.
But the one’s you’ll hear more about are the ones the pharmaceutical companies are making the most money on:
- Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug — $7.2 billion
- Nexium, an antacid drug — $6.3 billion
- Plavix, a blood thinner — $6.1 billion
- Advair Diskus, an asthma inhaler — $4.7 billion
- Abilify, an antipsychotic drug — $4.6 billion
- Seroquel, an antipsychotic drug — $4.4 billion
- Singulair, an oral asthma drug — $4.1 billion
- Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug — $3.8 billion
- Actos, a diabetes drug — $3.5 billion
- Epogen, an injectable anemia drug — $3.3 billion
Many people have turned to neutraceuticals in addition to, or instead of pharmaceuticals, in an attempt to avoid disease and stay healthy. People take vitamins and mineral supplements, fish oil, CoQ10, resveratrol, amino acids, red yeast rice, nutrition drinks and powders, green tea, vitamin K, plant sterols, muscle enhancers and much more. Neutraceuticals are also becoming big business. “The $32 billion US dietary supplement industry is ripe with opportunity for innovative and healthy-minded formulators,” according to an industry health report.
I’m not opposed to pharmaceuticals or neutraceuticals. I use some myself. But people need to be aware of common sense approaches to health that are often more effective and always less expensive than the ones touted by the for profit mega-health industry.
The 6 Best Medicines for Preventing Cancer, Heart Disease, and Other Chronic Diseases
David Katz, MD, MPH, is one of the world’s leading experts on preventive health. He is the founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center and the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Childhood Obesity. He is President-Elect of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Katz describes the “super 6” best medicines we have for preventing cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. They are common sense, but effective, means of living well throughout our lives. Here are Dr. Katz’s top 6:
1) Regular physical activity
Regular physical activity is associated with weight control, reduced inflammation, enhanced immune function, reduced cancer risk, and better overall health.
2) Optimal diet
An Optimal diet exerts far-ranging effects on every aspect of physiology, and similarly stands to reduce the risk of all chronic disease.
3) Don’t smoke
By now we know that smoking is a health hazard, despite big tobacco’s attempts to hide the health risks.
Combine eating well and being active with a commitment to never hold a cigarette and the risk of all chronic disease declines by roughly 80 percent.
4) Sleep well
The quality and quantity of sleep has profound effects on psychology, immunology and neurology.
5) Reduce stress
Stress contributes to 80-90% of all diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Stress can contribute to hormonal imbalances and inflammation that propagate cancer and other illnesses. Reducing stress can help prevent these problems.
6) Increase love and connection
We are, from our earliest origins, social creatures much influenced by our relationships with others. While love may seem a “warm and fuzzy” topic, it is in fact the cold, hard scrutiny of clinical trials demonstrating that those with loving relationships are far less vulnerable to chronic disease and death than those without.
Combine all six salutary practices, and the evidence is clear that benefits reverberate all the way to our chromosomes, altering the behavior of genes in a way apt to reduce chronic disease risk in general, and cancer risk specifically.
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If we instituted these six practices in our lives, we would save a lot of money now being spent on pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals and also be a lot healthier. This is information “Big Pharma” and “Big Neutra” aren’t anxious for us to learn about. But there’s even more life-changing information that science is telling us about healing.
Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself
Lissa Rankin, M.D. is a mind-body medicine physician, speaker, artist and author of a ground breaking new book. In Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself, Dr. Rankin asks, “Is there scientific data to support the seemingly miraculous stories of self-healing that float around?” Her extensive research shows that we can, in fact, heal ourselves. “There’s proof that you can radically alter your body’s physiology just by changing your mind. There is also proof that you can make yourself sick when your mind thinks unhealthy thoughts.”
Think what this means. It’s within our own power to prevent disease and keep ourselves healthy. Our doctors can become our allies instead of harried pill pushers who have little time to connect with us. We have access to a full pharmacopeia within our own minds that we can draw upon whenever we need to release them into our systems.
This may not be good news for the powerful interests that make big bucks on convincing us that we are powerless to prevent disease. They would have us believe that there is a pill or procedure that will cost us more money. If we continue to become ill, there are ever more wonder drugs and potions coming on the market that are sure to save us.
Wouldn’t it be nice to “just say no” to all their marketing hype? Wouldn’t it be nice to “just say yes” to the healing power within? Once we’re engaging Dr. Katz’s “super 6” best medications and Dr. Rankin’s keys for using the power of our minds to heal ourselves, then we can see what’s still needed. I’m sure there will be a role for some pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals, but it will be a smaller role that will fit the true realities of health care today.
I describe these new directions in healthcare in my new book, Stress Relief for Men: How to Use the Revolutionary Tools of Energy Healing to Live Well. Check out the ebook. The publisher is offering a discount during Men’s Health month in June.
Photo credit: epSos.de/flickr
Dietary supplements are a booming business because they’re unregulated – and most of them have little or no evidence supporting their efficacy or backing up the claims their manufacturers make. They’re a triumph of marketing over medical science.
“Healing yourself with your mind” is also unsupported by any reliable science. It’s dangerous because it encourages people to avoid legitimate treatment for serious diseases, and it’s also a form of victim blaming. You’re sick? It’s your fault because you’re not thinking positively enough!