Wow. I was inclined to make a joke, but I won't do that. This is serious and sad and common too in this age. Don't know how old you are but I'm 76, in relatively good health, exercise every day, keep the weight down. But I know that my 'health' could flip on a dime. One attack of whatever could sentence me to life in a wheelchair, dialysis, an iron lung, or maybe assisted care by not-so-loving attendants triggered by my race, religion, or social status.
On a serious note, please try God. I'm working on that relationship and it gives me peace most of the time. Best!
I’m a Dietitian with 40 years experience in many settings. It’s all BS. Most medications and diet advice. The only diet advice that is relevant is to avoid all processed foods. Eat foods without a food label. Be active and meditate. Medicine is a business, like any other business, the more they sell, the better they do. And, they have the added benefit of playing on your emotions/health/life to sell/prescribe meds, tests, and procedures.
Thankfully, I left the system almost two years ago. (In essence, fired my doctors by not going back.) It took awhile, but I have finally weaned myself off of all medications. I’m not stupid or reckless. I monitor my blood pressure, but nutrient dense foods plus garlic and other herbs and spices have helped my blood pressure stay in a healthy range. I know I could need medical help at some time, and that’s a concern, but escaping the system and not filling my calendar with medical appointments have given me such wonderful freedom. There is so much information available about herbs, spices, and healthful foods. Instead, every doctor I’ve ever seen has wanted to put me on some medication…FOR LIFE. Pharmaceuticals are not the sole answer. In fact, they may be the main problem.
For your heart troubles: high potency (240khu) hot cayenne tincture, blood stream formula (both Dr. Christopher's), nattokinase, hawthorn berry, olive leaf extract, magnesium (no fillers), D-ribose, Co-Q10, L-carnitine, additional B3 Niacin, plenty of sunshine, decreased tension and anxiety, less sugar, less seed oils and castor oil for the liver (apply on the skin).
The other problems I am not familiar with. But you can survive without hoards of big pharma drugs for life. Of course, your doctor has no clue what is in the drugs he prescribes, nor can he tell you or track what they are doing to your body.
If drugs were useful, safe and effective, there would be very few negative effects the same as using natural substances, herbs and eating foods. That is not the case. Drugs are poisons.
When I met my husband he was on statins at a very young age. We applied the “mean green” diet and he was off the meds in a month. Tijuana Mexico has a 95% cure rate of cancer alone.
If medicine worked it wouldn’t need to be refilled.
My mum is not taking statins but has been repeatedly prescribed them. If you tell the prescribing physician that your understanding is that the data on the utility of statins is mixed at best they treat you like someone explaining that the moon landing was faked: with this sort of world weary condescension about your gullibility.
There is no money to be made in the “diet and lifestyle” category hence they don’t study it, don’t prescribe it and don’t understand it. I suffered for years with IBS and my husband with eczema- changing our diet transformed both of our lives. We eat vegetables, meat and a small amount of starches. We avoid sugar, processed foods, and most addictives, especially canola oil, polysorbates, carrageenan and seed oils.
Whole Foods would beg to differ…I mentioned this on another thread but % below poverty level is the biggest factor in so many of America’s problems. Michelle Obama made fighting obesity by eating better her priority as First Lady and she was hated for it. We reduced smoking rates and so I really believe we can get Americans to eat healthier. But just know the newest great American university, Duke, was made possible with cigarette money. Duke is younger than Stanford and Rice even though it is in one of the 13 original colonies…and so cigarettes needed the Industrial Revolution in order to be invented.
She was hated because her husband dared to be a better president than Bush…although that was a pretty low bar. Btw, do you stand by your McStain and Romney votes?? 😂
Romney, Bush, Clinton, Obama... they were/are all just part of the hydra. Sounds like you'd vote for anything with a D after its name. Anyway, I will comment no further. You can if you want.
As a geriatrician who works in nursing homes & assisted living facilities, it is rare for me to have a patient come in on less than 12 meds - 15 to 20 is more common than you’d think. I’m at a medical meeting right now - and one presenter recommended 6 meds for everyone w/ chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Then add the meds for the other 4 co-morbidities, and that’s how you get 15 to 20. I also do home visits - and NOBODY taking all those meds is actually compliant (which might be a good thing for the patient). The system is beyond broken...
My father entered a nursing home after not being able to live in the family home. NO MEDS. After years there he had one teeny, tiny seizure and with no testing or history he was put on Dilantin and his blood levels were not checked regularly. (BTW he was put on without any discussion with family.) He ended up in a fetal position in the hospital ONLY after we demanded the home call 911. His Dilantin level at the time he got to the ER was 40. "Nuf said.
The author’s closing thoughts reflect upon recognizing we will all die, enjoying the time we have left, and dying with dignity. Our culture desperately needs to meditate on these concepts, and hopefully begin learning how to accept death with grace rather than fighting the inevitable and immiserating ourselves in the process. Lots of great comments. Of course some commenters chose to ignore these deeper themes and instead tout diet and exercise, the modern day talismans against disease and death. No matter how much fruit and veg you munch, you will indeed die. If you want a good death, it may be worth taking some time to develop a medical philosophy of sorts. Otherwise, the default medical “care” system will maximize aggressive treatment (and profits) while minimizing quality of life.
Excellent hypothetical case, that is probably too near to the truth than is comfortable. My version of SDM is I make the decision then I share it - takes away all the biases of the system. I find Harding Risk Literacy Fact Boxes useful - NB look at mammograms and prostate cancer fact boxes - very little difference in all cause mortality whether screened or not. https://www.hardingcenter.de/en/transfer-and-impact/fact-boxes
I am utterly amazed at the amount of meds you were prescribed. I also had a heart attack and was only on 5 meds at the beginning. 3 years on I am only on 2 prescribed meds. A "mild" blood thinner and Cholesterol meds.
What would happen if you refused to take all those meds? Are you really at risk of death without them? One has to wonder....
Wow. I was inclined to make a joke, but I won't do that. This is serious and sad and common too in this age. Don't know how old you are but I'm 76, in relatively good health, exercise every day, keep the weight down. But I know that my 'health' could flip on a dime. One attack of whatever could sentence me to life in a wheelchair, dialysis, an iron lung, or maybe assisted care by not-so-loving attendants triggered by my race, religion, or social status.
On a serious note, please try God. I'm working on that relationship and it gives me peace most of the time. Best!
I’m a Dietitian with 40 years experience in many settings. It’s all BS. Most medications and diet advice. The only diet advice that is relevant is to avoid all processed foods. Eat foods without a food label. Be active and meditate. Medicine is a business, like any other business, the more they sell, the better they do. And, they have the added benefit of playing on your emotions/health/life to sell/prescribe meds, tests, and procedures.
I cook everything we eat - !
Thankfully, I left the system almost two years ago. (In essence, fired my doctors by not going back.) It took awhile, but I have finally weaned myself off of all medications. I’m not stupid or reckless. I monitor my blood pressure, but nutrient dense foods plus garlic and other herbs and spices have helped my blood pressure stay in a healthy range. I know I could need medical help at some time, and that’s a concern, but escaping the system and not filling my calendar with medical appointments have given me such wonderful freedom. There is so much information available about herbs, spices, and healthful foods. Instead, every doctor I’ve ever seen has wanted to put me on some medication…FOR LIFE. Pharmaceuticals are not the sole answer. In fact, they may be the main problem.
For your heart troubles: high potency (240khu) hot cayenne tincture, blood stream formula (both Dr. Christopher's), nattokinase, hawthorn berry, olive leaf extract, magnesium (no fillers), D-ribose, Co-Q10, L-carnitine, additional B3 Niacin, plenty of sunshine, decreased tension and anxiety, less sugar, less seed oils and castor oil for the liver (apply on the skin).
The other problems I am not familiar with. But you can survive without hoards of big pharma drugs for life. Of course, your doctor has no clue what is in the drugs he prescribes, nor can he tell you or track what they are doing to your body.
If drugs were useful, safe and effective, there would be very few negative effects the same as using natural substances, herbs and eating foods. That is not the case. Drugs are poisons.
When I met my husband he was on statins at a very young age. We applied the “mean green” diet and he was off the meds in a month. Tijuana Mexico has a 95% cure rate of cancer alone.
If medicine worked it wouldn’t need to be refilled.
My mum is not taking statins but has been repeatedly prescribed them. If you tell the prescribing physician that your understanding is that the data on the utility of statins is mixed at best they treat you like someone explaining that the moon landing was faked: with this sort of world weary condescension about your gullibility.
Do some honest research and you will discover that cholesterol does not cause heart attacks.
I have read Gary Taubes’ book thanks
There is no money to be made in the “diet and lifestyle” category hence they don’t study it, don’t prescribe it and don’t understand it. I suffered for years with IBS and my husband with eczema- changing our diet transformed both of our lives. We eat vegetables, meat and a small amount of starches. We avoid sugar, processed foods, and most addictives, especially canola oil, polysorbates, carrageenan and seed oils.
Whole Foods would beg to differ…I mentioned this on another thread but % below poverty level is the biggest factor in so many of America’s problems. Michelle Obama made fighting obesity by eating better her priority as First Lady and she was hated for it. We reduced smoking rates and so I really believe we can get Americans to eat healthier. But just know the newest great American university, Duke, was made possible with cigarette money. Duke is younger than Stanford and Rice even though it is in one of the 13 original colonies…and so cigarettes needed the Industrial Revolution in order to be invented.
That's not really what Michelle Obama was hated for.
She was hated because her husband dared to be a better president than Bush…although that was a pretty low bar. Btw, do you stand by your McStain and Romney votes?? 😂
Her husband's in the White House basement still making the country 'better.' He never left. I'll just leave it there.
You’re sticking with Romney!! 😂
Romney, Bush, Clinton, Obama... they were/are all just part of the hydra. Sounds like you'd vote for anything with a D after its name. Anyway, I will comment no further. You can if you want.
This is nonsense^
lol, are you sticking with Romney?? 😝
Totally agree with the writer. I have more than enough stories from family, friends and working that would curl your hair!
People need to start asking the Docs.. SHOW ME THE EVIDENCE. And not the AMA told me or the APA told me or Big Pharma did research (yeah right!)
More often than not, my job is saving my patients from the medical-industrial complex.
As a geriatrician who works in nursing homes & assisted living facilities, it is rare for me to have a patient come in on less than 12 meds - 15 to 20 is more common than you’d think. I’m at a medical meeting right now - and one presenter recommended 6 meds for everyone w/ chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Then add the meds for the other 4 co-morbidities, and that’s how you get 15 to 20. I also do home visits - and NOBODY taking all those meds is actually compliant (which might be a good thing for the patient). The system is beyond broken...
My father entered a nursing home after not being able to live in the family home. NO MEDS. After years there he had one teeny, tiny seizure and with no testing or history he was put on Dilantin and his blood levels were not checked regularly. (BTW he was put on without any discussion with family.) He ended up in a fetal position in the hospital ONLY after we demanded the home call 911. His Dilantin level at the time he got to the ER was 40. "Nuf said.
The author’s closing thoughts reflect upon recognizing we will all die, enjoying the time we have left, and dying with dignity. Our culture desperately needs to meditate on these concepts, and hopefully begin learning how to accept death with grace rather than fighting the inevitable and immiserating ourselves in the process. Lots of great comments. Of course some commenters chose to ignore these deeper themes and instead tout diet and exercise, the modern day talismans against disease and death. No matter how much fruit and veg you munch, you will indeed die. If you want a good death, it may be worth taking some time to develop a medical philosophy of sorts. Otherwise, the default medical “care” system will maximize aggressive treatment (and profits) while minimizing quality of life.
Excellent hypothetical case, that is probably too near to the truth than is comfortable. My version of SDM is I make the decision then I share it - takes away all the biases of the system. I find Harding Risk Literacy Fact Boxes useful - NB look at mammograms and prostate cancer fact boxes - very little difference in all cause mortality whether screened or not. https://www.hardingcenter.de/en/transfer-and-impact/fact-boxes
What a beautiful piece—thank you. Please keep talking.
I wonder if one primary care physician in ten understands or even knows the latest research on LDL cholesterol and heart disease.
I am utterly amazed at the amount of meds you were prescribed. I also had a heart attack and was only on 5 meds at the beginning. 3 years on I am only on 2 prescribed meds. A "mild" blood thinner and Cholesterol meds.
What would happen if you refused to take all those meds? Are you really at risk of death without them? One has to wonder....
Sign up for a really stingy HMO! I had rectal bleeding and am over 60. I had to beg for a colonoscopy (it's fine).
Find a doctor that works for you!
Staying away from the health care system is a good idea. The trick is to know when you actually really need it.