Pain is intelligent. It is our body’s most effective and precise way of communicating to us that something is wrong. It does not occur at random, and it certainly should not be suppressed and ignored. Unfortunately for us, Western medicine and the powerhouse industry of pharmaceuticals in our country have aggressively convinced us otherwise. As a nation that is highly dependant on the use of painkillers for everyday survival, perhaps we should be more vigilant. I will tell you why:
Overuse of ibuprofin/Advil and many other NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is a leading cause of stomach ulcers and even more serious stomach bleeding, which can be fatal. These drugs work by blocking production of the enzyme COX in the body, which is responsible for protecting the stomach and kidneys. There are two types of the COX enzyme: COX-1 protects the lining of these organs, and COX-2 causes inflammation (a natural reaction to injury that serves as a healing mechanism). NSAIDS subdue inflammatory pain and simultaneously tear up the stomach lining.
Acetaminophen/Tylenol is less damaging to the stomach because it is not anti-inflammatory, but instead affects the central nervous system and can have serious side effects on the liver, especially when combined with alcohol. The dangerous combination overwhelms the liver’s ability to remove toxins from the blood (magnified on an empty stomach). Alcohol-acetaminophen syndrome can lead to acute liver failure; a comprehensive explanation taken from Columbia University’s Health Services Department:
“Transaminase, a liver protein, helps speed up metabolism, storage, filtration, and excretion in the liver. High transaminase levels, a characteristic of alcohol-acetaminophen syndrome, show that the liver is working overtime to metabolize both the alcohol and the acetaminophen, which is more than the liver can handle. The alcohol metabolizes at a higher rate, leaving ‘extra’ toxic enzymes from the acetaminophen in the body's system. This excess of toxins, called ‘hepatotoxicity,’ can lead to acute liver damage or failure. Some health care providers speculate that alcohol-acetaminophen syndrome is the leading cause of acute liver damage in the United States.”
Aspirin is a blood thinner that is commonly recommended for prevention of heart attacks, although the risks certainly outweigh the perceived benefit. Because heart attacks and strokes result from blood clotting, doctors suggest that regularly taking a blood thinner will decrease this risk; side effects, however, include kidney damage, gastric bleeding, and pancreatic cancer. Studies are now starting to reveal that aspirin use has little to no valuable health benefits, and subjects are twice as likely to face hospitalization for cardiovascular complications.
There are, of course, more serious instances (surgery, for example) that require prescription painkillers or narcotics for short-term use. These drugs are magnified in potency and side effects; however, our bodies are incredibly resilient to short-term anything. The biggest concern with these substances is addiction, and this type of abuse is no small matter in the U.S. Try not to get addicted, and if so, definitely go to rehab.
Truth be told, the better you are to your body in your ordinary life, the less of a chance you will suffer from physical pain in the first place. Little things like headaches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, etc., are significantly less common in those who take proper care of themselves in diet and lifestyle…it is as simple as that. It is true that even the best of us will have our occasional ailments, and in that case as I like to preach, moderation is key!
Painkillers may be the lesser of evils in the bigger picture, but regarding pill-popping in general, consider this: the reason that holistic medicine (in alignment with Eastern values) is so effective is that contrary to Western medicine, which predominantly treats symptoms, it detects the root of the problem and removes the causal factor. It is a preventative approach, and it is wildly successful in removing illness and disease that Western doctors deem incurable. Doctors make an unbelievable fortune from the pharmaceutical industry by prescribing drugs, leaving no question as to why they are so eager to prescribe to the masses. These drugs are intended to suppress any discomfort that occurs as a result of illness—your body’s way of telling you that you are sick. The sickness remains, and you go on living with it in a slightly more comfortable way, although it will still significantly decrease the quality of your overall life. Alternatively, a wise man will patiently seek out the underlying cause (often a result of dietary/lifestyle habits) and will actively work to change it, thereby removing the sickness altogether. The choice is yours to make!
No comments:
Post a Comment