05/03/2015
This is scary ,
but a good read for all of us.
We so quick to pop a pill ...do we actually know or care to read the side effects that a pill causes, and the think of THE PILL contraceptive, taken daily by many..... just know what its doing to your body..... like I said a good read for every body.
Don’t die of a side-effect.
Some medicines can deplete your body’s nutrients, with disastrous consequences.
Most people are aware than pharmaceutical medicines come with side-effects. Some are mild like gastro-intestinal upsets, insomnia and headaches. But some can be severe. For example, common anti-inflammatories, such as diclofenac (check your brand to see if it contains diclofenac), can cause heart attacks, and some antidepressants have been linked to su***de, particularly in teenagers.
However, what few people know is that many of these side-effects are not a direct result of the medicine itself but instead are caused by nutrient depletions that the medicine causes. In effect, some pharmaceuticals act like anti-nutrients, interfering with how your body absorbs, uses or makes nutrients or other helpful substances, needed for good health. The biggest pharmaceutical culprits include antibiotics, contraceptive pills, anti-inflammatories, antidepressants and cholesterol-lowering medication. By correcting these nutrient deficiencies - through supplements, diet or both - you can minimise the associated risks to your health.
Antibiotics can’t distinguish between good and bad bacteria. As a result they kill off the beneficial bacteria that reside in your intestine. This can decrease your body's ability to resist infections and diseases in the future. Symptoms of a lack of probiotics can include bloating, diarrhoea, immune complaints, allergies, aggravation of autoimmune diseases, and yeast infections (like Candida). Always take a good probiotic supplement when starting a course of antibiotics, and continue for at least 10 days after completion of the course.
Oral contraceptives can deplete the body of vitamins B2, B6, B12 as well as magnesium and zinc. These deficiencies can manifest in symptoms as diverse as poor skin condition, cracked lips, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, tiredness, reduced s*x drive and irritability.
Anti-inflammatories can reduce levels of folic acid, which in turn raises blood concentrations of a toxic amino acid called homocysteine. Homocysteine is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes.
Cholesterol lowering medicines deplete the body of co-enzyme Q10, a heart-energising antioxidant. This deficiency is associated with long-term health problems including heart disease and high blood pressure. Symptoms of deficiency include inflamed gums and a weakened immune system.
There are many others. So, for a comprehensive list of pharmaceutically-induced nutrient deficiencies, the South African Academy of Integrative medicine has an excellent table you can download here:
http://www.saaim.co.za/deficiencies
I don’t suggest that you wait until you experience the ravages of pharmaceutical-induced nutrient deficiencies before you act. Rather be proactive by supplementing preventatively any time you take one of the listed medications, using the table as your guide.
All the best,
Brent Murphy - B.Pharm (Rhodes)