The Lunacy Behind Aspirin Therapy
Think what’s sold over the counter can’t put you under a coffin-lid?
You already know how I feel about the “aspirin-a-day” kick that
every doctor in the whole nation seems to be on right now -
ostensibly for the prevention of heart disease.
But just to reiterate: I think “aspirin therapy” is crazy. Not only
does aspirin increase the risk of potentially lethal internal bleeding,
it’s also makes blood MORE likely to clot up, not less!
And as if these reasons weren’t enough to make you flush your
aspirin down the commode, there’s new research about over-the-
counter (OTC) pain relievers that’s even more damning: It turns
out that taking Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) in combination with
aspirin actually doubles your risk of death from heart-related
causes!
That’s right: According to a study of eight years’ worth of medical
records of over 7000 patients conducted by Britain’s Medical
Research Council (and reported in my favorite medical journal,
The Lancet), if you pop Ibuprofen for any reason – say, arthritis
pain relief – while engaged in aspirin therapy for heart disease,
you’re twice as likely to keel over from a heart attack because of
the way these two powerful drugs interact.
These findings only prove what I’ve been saying all along – that
just because something is available over the counter doesn’t mean
it’s harmless, or that it can’t kill you.
In fact, a recent survey by the National Consumers League found
that 44 percent of adults KNOWINGLY exceeded the
recommended dose of OTC pain-relievers – while only 16
percent had even read the warning label! Lunacy. Didn’t these
people hear about the dangers of possible liver damage from
unintentional acetaminophen overdosing?
I wonder if these folks would have been so careless if they’d
known that Federal officials estimate that annually over 150,000
Americans end up in the emergency department because of
complications from OTC pain-relievers – while these “harmless”
meds kill 16,000 of us outright every year.
Here’s my recommendation: Take OTC medicines like aspirin,
acetaminophen, and ibuprofen only when you’re in pain – and
never take them simultaneously or exceed the maximum dosages
as listed on the labels (if you can even read them, they’re printed so
small).
And remember, these are DRUGS. Be sure to treat them that way.
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A box without hinges, key, or lid – yet golden treasure inside is
hid!
This snazzy little riddle is how world-renowned fictionalist J.R.R.
Tolkien (of The Lord of the Rings fame) described my favorite
food in his landmark novel, The Hobbit. And you know what? I
couldn’t have said it better, myself – and I’m a doctor! Can you
guess what this miracle-food is?
The answer is, of course: The EGG.
It is the perfect food, the source of many crucial natural health-
boosting vitamins, minerals and other substances: Protein, folate,
B-vitamins, choline, and vision-enhancing
carotenoids, and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids to name a few.
And it’s also got an average of only 70 calories apiece – tailor-
made for dieting purposes.
Yet for years, the mainstream has demonized eggs as though they
were only slightly less harmful than rat poison! Why? Because of
the erroneous belief – spurred by the
carbohydrate-corrupted machine of conventional medicine – that
eggs increase cholesterol and contribute to heart disease.
Lately, however, the mainstream has begun to lighten up on eggs
- and even to endorse them, in guarded ways. For instance, an
MSNBC on-line article cited a study of
over 120,000 women that revealed a measurable correlation
between an egg-rich diet during adolescence and a reduced risk of
breast cancer. It seems that eating at least three
eggs weekly as a teenager decreased incidence of breast cancer
later in life by 18 percent!
That’s right: All those misguided teenagers who gravitate to
vegetarianism for its cruelty-free symbolism are actually setting
themselves up for cancer – not to mention all the other health
issues that go with a no-fat diet
A decade ago, healthy news like this would have been buried under
a ton of low-fat propaganda and ads for bread-making machines.
But because of the emergence of the 30-year-old dietary wisdom of
the late, great Dr. Robert Atkins and his like-minded peers, this
story and others like it about the benefits of eggs, meat, full-fat
milk and butter, and unprocessed whole foods – yes, even grains
in moderation – can now see the light of day.
Who knows: Maybe in another 30 years, vegetarianism will be
viewed as the child abuse it is
Happy to share real health news,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
