Medicines That Can Navigate!
A recent BBC programme revealed how natural remedies like herbal teas can be the answer to many day to day health niggles and concerns.
The main thrust of the programme was to reveal the extent of the money being spent on over the counter medicines.
The shelves of chemists and supermarkets are laden with a bamboozling array of brightly packaged remedies, claiming to treat everything from A-thlete’s Foot to Zits ( Acne)
A similar dazzling array is repeated in the bathroom cabinets of many homes.
So convinced are people that they need them, that we now spend £2.5 billion annually in the U.K. on over-the-counter medicines and multi vitamins.
I was discussing the subject with a friend and he also cannot understand the seeming contradiction between people being healthier, living longer, yet medical services are swamped and stretching to cope.
He said on a recent hospital visit he saw a nurse pushing a trolley from bed to bed. She was wearing a high visibility bib on which was printed. ‘Medication Dispensing. Do not Distract’.
He was shocked to see the quantity and variety of pills, potions, and powders stocked on the trolley. It made him think of a saying in the chemist shop where he worked –
“They will soon be producing pills for which there are no known ailments”
Dr Chris van Tulleken was the BBC presenter and investigator into common complaints and the top selling products designed to treat them.
His research involved finding what happens when they are taken, and he also undertook to be a human guinea pig to test them.
His conclusions are surprising and could save you a fortune.
One alarming example he gave was of 3 separate oral pain killer products, each containing the same active ingredient and potency, and all with the same product licence, meaning they were identical inside the packaging, but claiming to treat three different parts of the body - Muscle. Headache, or Period Pain.
He said once the medication entered the blood stream it was impossible for it to home in on specific areas. It goes where the blood goes.
It does not have a built in Sat Nav or can ask the way!
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Dr Tulleken swallowed a tiny pill sized camera followed by a pain killer tablet which could be seen dissolving in the stomach. Not for the squeamish, but fascinating.
From this test the doctor was able to confirm that the pain killer ingredient was spread evenly through his body. In his words - "There is as much in my big toe as there is in my head"
He said this could potentially lead to dangerous over dosing, because if someone was unfortunate enough to suffer pain in the 3 areas at the same time and took a dose for each - then!!!!
Also, 3 products in the cabinet where 1 would do.
I think the world is well over-medicated.
I very rarely take medications, and only when prescribed by my doctor (who is not keen on using drugs to solve problems that have other solutions) when it is something I can't fix myself.
I have't taken pain medication in years (despite being in some degree of pain almost every day).
There may come a time when I am dependent on drugs to stay alive, but I hope that day is in the far distant future.
I think too many people opt out, go for the quick and easy promise of a solution, and don't actually ask what a drug does. They just buy it and pop the pill and hope it works.
Much of the cause of the ailments people face these days is caused by diet and lifestyle. Taking a pill won't fix the root cause of the problem.
Changing the way you live just might though.
If we all adopted healthy lifestyles and diets the pharmaceutical companies would have to come up with a whole different set of ailments for us. :-)
Excellent reply trevor. We do sing from the same page on this.I'm surprised that it's a world problem.I thought it was just the U.K. because National Health is a free service.Consequently as with anything free it gets abused.
Our politicians often claim our health service is the envy of the world.
Yeh! but no one has copied it!
We have similar health care here. Mostly it is either free or subsidized.
But there is a lot of - 'a pill for every ail' psychology.
Everyone wants a quick fix, and no-one wants to be uncomfortable.
I'd rather just deal with whatever is attacking my system (if I can) and use my health and immune system to keep me well.
I've just come through two weeks of fighting with a virus that probably would have killed my wife if she had caught it. (scary stuff). But i just dealt with it (It was the sickest I've been in over 30 years).
Once I finally defeated the virus my body just bounced back. I'm back ruining 10kms every day, no worries.
Taking pills wouldn't have got me where I am today, I'm sure. I'm positive that my ability to fight the virus stems from living a healthy lifestyle and have a strong immune system that is used to fighting off invaders.
Thank you. Uncanny, how your approach mirrors mine. I have been to the docs, reluctantly,twice in the past 12 months, which is more than my visits over the past 12 years.
But at 91 I think things are likely to begin to break or drop off, especially as I am unable now to do a daily power walk.But I can and do use my cross trainer every morning,so hope to slow down the obsolescence of age.
if I'm doing half as well as you at 91 I think I'll be doing quite well :-)
Thank you. I'm sure you will because you have a similar approach to me.You have the exercise part covered with running.
I started with that, but my knees didn't like the pavement pounding, so I changed to power walking.
That's a no no now, so I do a session on a cross trainer every morning.
I love natural remedies and I eat from my gardens.
Thank you.Natural is best whenever you can.I think it is an essential part of a formula for good health and happiness, along with a regular exercise programme. Have a purpose to pursue, something to aim for.Interests to occupy and stretch the mind,and social participation with friends, or in a group activity.
This post has received a 3.12 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @ijavee.
Thank you booster.
Woww Steem is ranked second best, thats what I like to see!! On the medicine, these days they are going crazy!! I'll stick to my weed😂
Thank you. Yes, second best on a chart of usefulness, not price. But surely that must follow.The value and price of something relates to what purpose it serves, and the blockchain technology underpinning Steem/Steemit is one of the reasons for the high expectations for its potential.