Are Your Medications Making You Sick?
Have you ever committed to eating better, getting more exercise, or more sleep—only to fall off the wagon a week or two later?
The reason why we can’t make a long-lasting, sustainable change is that behavior change is hard. We always reflect back to what feels familiar, because it feels safe. Our brains are hard-wired to do the same things repeatedly, and unless we make a conscious effort to change our bad habits, we will always fall back into what feels familiar, which is creating a vicious cycle that seems impossible to change.
Maybe you're sick and tired of feeling lousy, and because you’re on statin drugs, prescribed by your Western doctor, you’re told this is how you have to live the rest of your life. I got that same line from my doctor. But today, I am off all of my medications and feel great. Through my own experience, I learned by working with a naturopathic and functional medicine doctor the importance of getting to the root cause of my illness and disease instead of just treating my symptoms with medication. Through this experience, I learned that it is important to know why my symptoms were there in the first place. Have you asked yourself why you are feeling this way? What you are eating or doing that may be feeding into your illness?
Statins are feeding the pockets of Big Pharma, while depleting the pockets of consumers.
If you’re at that point where all your instincts are questioning the statin drugs that you’re on, then you’re in the right place. Know that statins are the gateway drugs for Big Pharma. When you're prescribed one medication, you’ll soon be prescribed two or more just to combat the side effects of the original medication.
Why should we be concerned about over-prescribing statin drugs?
One out of every three Americans takes statin drugs. What happens when we remain on these dangerous drugs? They suppress your body’s immune system, which is why you may be catching more colds, flues, viruses, and you’re unable to fight off infections. In addition, they also inhibit the production of Coenzyme Q10, which aids in optimal immune function, and helps you maintain a healthy heart and blood pressure. Statin drugs offer you a higher risk of neurological diseases, from forgetfulness and confusion to memory loss. When you go to your doctors and tell them you have these symptoms, you’re most likely to be put on another drug to combat those symptoms, feeding into Big Pharma once again.
A whole host of diseases feed into Big Pharma’s pocket, including heart disease, autoimmune disease and high cholesterol. The latter has been subject to a huge debate lately, and one that I would like to address in this post. Cholesterol is in all animal sources of food because animal cells contain it, just like human cells do. What Western doctors don’t tell you is that decreasing sugar intake is one of the best ways to control excess cholesterol. In Dr. Jack Wolfson’s book The Paleo Cardiologist, he writes, “Tens of billions of dollars wasted under the pretense that cholesterol is harmful. Handfuls of pills, side effects galore, and lost time for blood tests and prescription refills highlight the runaway drug train.”
A note on fatigue and cholesterol.
If you are suffering from chronic fatigue, cortisol could be the source. Cortisol comes from cholesterol. Cortisol is the body’s main energy hormone and comes into play when you’re under stress. Your body releases cortisol by the adrenal glands in response to fear or stress as part of the fight-or-flight response. In Dr. Jack Wolfson's book he states, “Cortisol production is markedly diminished in many people because of poor nutrition (sugar and caffeine) chemicals, lack of sleep, and chronic stress. By trying to decrease cholesterol, we are tying both hands behind the back of the adrenal gland and limiting the creation of cortisol.”
Western doctors don’t have time to discuss our lifestyle, and how it may be contributing to our health. What type of foods are we eating? Are we on a typical SAD (Standard American Diet) diet, loaded with processed foods, sugar, carbs, etc.?
I understand and can empathize that this is a lot of information to consume in one reading. That is the purpose of my writing these posts each week. I want to start the ball rolling in bringing this awareness to your forefront to question whether you can improve what you are currently doing about your health.
As a health coach, I can guide you on your next step. That may be seeking out a functional medicine doctor, who can offer you testing that regular doctors do not. Functional medicine looks for the root cause of your health issue. There could be a problem with your digestion, causing many symptoms, from brain fog to gas and bloating to fatigue. The Western approach will give you a diagnosis, and then prescribe you a medication, and then you’re on your way to living a low-quality life. What would happen if you understood that your body’s signals are there for a reason? We are always making new cells in our body. We are no more tethered to a diagnosis than we are to a doctor who is not working for us. That’s the beauty of knowing that we have the power within us to make that paradigm shift in our diet and lifestyle that can play a significant role in improving and sometimes reversing our symptoms altogether. The choice is yours.
As a health coach, I will help you discover your “why,” your motivation to change, and then develop a strategy for that change. We work together on developing your plan and goals, and with my support, help you stick to those commitments.
Finding My Way Notes of Inspiration, a compilation of quotes and notes of inspiration taken from my first memoir Finding My Way, Facing My Journey With Courage is available on Amazon.
Contact me for a free Discovery Session to explore how I can support you on your journey towards losing weight, while gaining a healthy lifestyle, and how to become your own health advocate.
To your health and happiness,
Donna Markussen www.FindingYourHealth.com info@FindingYourHealth.com