The War On Medicine Continues

By Carol Harblin

Recently in The New York Times it was reported that "Pills Aren't What They Seem," but as the article goes on they are talking about herbal supplements, not "pills."

The war on Big Pharma versus the holistic world is still going.  There really should not be any strife between western and eastern medicines.  The disturbing thing regarding that article is that anyone in the holistic market knows to refer to "pills" as supplements.  Upon reading the headline of the article it is presumed that it is discussing pills, as in western medicine pills. 

After reading the article it is to be assumed by a regular, innocent consumer that herbal supplements are a fraud and a waste of money.  What the article lacks to mention is that a consumer should be discerning when purchasing supplements and also be guided by naturopathic physician or a holistic health practitioner.   

If a consume buys a supplement in a regular mainstream supermarket then it is likely not as authentic than from a distributor that a naturopathic physician or holistic practitioner may purchase.  

Consumers who are being led by the commercialized markets and even by talk shows that mention supplements that have reached "buzz word" status that week think that all they need to do is walk into a mainstreamed supermarket and buy it from the shelf without any problems or consultations.  

One of my pet peeves is hearing about those innocent consumers who lack the formal knowledge and education about the supplements and pills, particularly nutrition, and they become their own nutritionist by listening to a talk show or a magazine and then go out to buy it on the shelf.  If there is a question or something a person needs to know and discuss then go to a holistic health practitioner, naturopathic doctor, or nutritionist and speak to them directly.  Don't do it by yourself.  

The Internet is a dangerous place for the innocent consumer.  There are many sites that can make believe it is legitimate.  To know for sure, they MUST go to a nutritionist, naturopathic doctor, or holistic health practitioner.  I cannnot stress this enough.   

The American Medical Association or any other association under the FDA invests a lot of money into research of each of the articles in the peer-reviewed articles, but as long as the articles fit their criteria.  The FDA is a very wealthy conglomerate and will justify anything they do and will support their associations.  They do not want to lose money, like any business.  So with that in mind, they will also not support or justify anything that may threaten their business such as anything in the holistic and supplement area.  

There really is no war - or at least there should not be any sort of friction. Nobody on the holistic side is trying to steal any sort of business from the Western Medicine side.  The holistic side only wants to become ONE and integrate so that the consumers have more to choose from.  

 The bottom line is that herbal supplements are a very good way to go, but the consumer really must consult with a professional who knows about supplements.  The average MD is not knowledgeable about supplements and are bought out by big pharma.  The drug companies own most MDs and they MDs only know their drugs.  If there is a question about anything natural or a supplement it is best to go to a professional who is not a western MD. 

I am not against western medicine; I am an advocate for health and wellness.  I hope to see western practitioners and holistic practitioners working together one day.  Each side has a lot to offer the consumer without taking from the other.  There is not just one way to do something, just as there is not just one diet for the people.  

Thank you!

Soda Doesn't Do A Body Good

By Carol Harblin

I see Pepsi and Coke and I remember drinking it when I was a teenager just like anyone else.  I remember that caramel taste and the sweet feeling as it slid down my esophagus; the carbonation would almost massage my throat on its descent. But it really has absolutely zero health benefits, in fact soda only gives us one more ailment in our sensitive bodies.  

Our bodies are a chemical composition of enzymatic and chemical equations which makes us extremely sensitive and vulnerable to any man-made chemical or preservative that we consume or get injected.

I do not want to single out any specific soda, but regular non-diet sodas have high fructose corn syrup.  Diet sodas, despite the word diet that makes people buy it because they think it will help their weight, actually are worse than non-diet sodas.  

Diet sodas have the artificial sweeteners in them like nutrasweet (Equal), or Splenda.  Nutra sweet is also aspartame which has given multiple neurological disorders.  The symptoms and adverse affects of aspartame are: 

• Abdominal Pain
• Anxiety attacks
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Asthmatic Reactions
• Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)
• Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)
• Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)
• Breathing difficulties
• Burning eyes or throat
• Burning Urination
• Can't think straight
• Chest Pains
• Chronic cough
• Chronic Fatigue
• Confusion
• Death
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Excessive Thirst or Hunger
• Fatigue
• Feel unreal
• Flushing of face
• Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair
• Headaches/Migraines dizziness
• Hearing Loss
• Heart palpitations
• Hives (Urticaria)
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Hysterical pregnancy
• Impotency and Sexual Problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Infection Susceptibility
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Itching
• Joint Pains
• Laryngitis
• "Like thinking in a fog"
• Marked Personality Changes
• Memory loss
• Menstrual Problems or Changes
• Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)
• Muscle spasms
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Numbness or Tingling of Extremities
• Other Allergic-Like Reactions
• Panic Attacks
• Phobias
• Poor memory
• Rapid Heart Beat
• Rashes
• Seizures and Convulsions
• Slurring of Speech
• Swallowing Pain
• Tachycardia
• Tremors
• Tinnitus
• Vertigo
• Vision Loss
• Weight gain

 The question remains, why is aspartame even allowed on the shelves when it is known to give several negative adverse effects?  

The FDA and its many sub-groups like American Medical Association, American Dietetic Association, or even the Nursing Association and American Cancer Society too, all have peer-reviewed journals with elaborate and extensive research articles that analyze the chemical composition within their favor of the research they want explored.  It is the FDA who is pouring out thousands of dollars for this research, so of course the research will go in their favor.  

Any other non-FDA article or research does not have the clout because of the fact that it is non-FDA.  The FDA has both good and bad qualities.  They do have the people's best intentions at heart, but they are also a multi-million dollar business and as you know, money talks.  When millions of dollars come into the picture, other things fall to the wayside - us.  

My point is, be careful when you purchase sodas or any other food or beverage.  If you cannot pronounce it then it was most likely made in a lab by people wearing goggles and masks.