The search for healthy living has always existed, but different ways in accomplishing it have developed. A natural alternative that can treat diseases is orthomolecular therapy. Orthomolecular therapy consists of natural supplementation of “vitamins, minerals, hormones, and diets, any of which may be combined with conventional drug therapy and electroshock treatments” (Barrett). The common natural supplement used by these specialists is the vitamin. This method does not consist of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) dose amount, but consists of large quantity intake known as “mega doses”. “Its proponents claim that many diseases are caused by molecular imbalances… “(Barrett). These “molecular imbalances”, whether it is the lack of vitamins …show more content…
As mentioned, disease arise due to chemical imbalances or deficiencies occurring in the body. That being said, there is a significant amount of deficiencies in the body when severe depression strikes. In this case, orthomolecular specialists calculate and inject the needed amount of niacin (B3 vitamin) to obtain good mental health. Dr. Saul practiced this method on a 50 year old woman who had severe depression and was under antidepressants. This woman isolated herself from family and friends, limiting her distance by regularly sitting in a corner. Desperately looking for help her family consulted Dr. Saul. Dr. Saul saw the severity of her mental illness, therefore, injected the necessary amount of niacin to get her out of her depression. He injected 11,000 milligrams of niacin a day. In a short period of time she started mingling with her family again like nothing had happened. When her family consulted her psychiatrist due to the positive results, the psychiatrist then told her to stop taking niacin because “it can be harmful.” When the patient stopped the intake of niacin she went back to her severe depressant stage (James Colquhoun). Pauling stated that nicotinic acid (niacin)…, has cured hundreds of thousands of their psychoses, as well as of the physical manifestations of their disease. This example, enhances the fact that vitamin therapy can successfully …show more content…
Saul from the Poison Control Center. In one year 100,000 people died from taking a substance that was supposed to treat a disease, but in reality these people died from taking the drug and not the disease itself. Now, in a period of 23 years 10 people passed away from vitamin related issues. That is not even equivalent to one death per year. Drug intake can lead to dangerous consequences, whereas vitamins do not have severe side effects like medication. When a loved one takes certain medication that cause dreadful side effects, wouldn’t one help seek alternative methods of treatment that do not cause painful side effects? Especially our elderly, we want them to treat their medical conditions, but not with substances that diminish their quality of
Her findings from this research was praised as she concluded that small supplementary feeding with fruits, milk and wheat germ improved the growth of school children. She also found out that the over dosage of Vitamin D produced brittle bones and calcification of soft tissues. If that wasn’t enough, she continued her extensive research and showed that pantothenic acid is essential for normal pigmentation of hair and skin. Lastly she was intelligent enough to prove that the bone density of woman decreased between 50 and 65 years of
Dr. John Abramson’s book Overdosed America debunks the myths about the excellence of American medicine. Abramson backs up this claim by closely examining research about medicine, closely examining the unpublished details submitted by drug manufacturers to the FDA, and discovering that the unpublished data does not coincide with the claims made about the safety and effectiveness of commonly used medicines. Abramsons purpose is to point out the flaws of the pharmaceutical industry in order to warn the readers about the credibility of the drugs they are buying. Given the critical yet technical language of the book, Abramson is writing to an audience that may include academic physicians as well as those who want to learn about the corruption of the pharmaceutical industry.
Brownstein, Joseph. “Some common vitamin supplements could increase death risk, study finds.” 10 October 2011. Vitals on mnsbc.com. Web. 11 January 2012. http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news
With all the unregulated dietary supplements being sold and recommended, our health insurance costs will continue to rise. If the product causes severe side effects, it should no longer be permitted to be sold in stores. The only way to touch the minds of many people is to inform them of the dangers of consuming dietary supplements. Disposing of all incorrect information in product labeling and ingredient lists is important. People need to recognize the faults that plague many advertisements. In addition businesses should promote safe products instead of the harmful ones that they advocate for. The United States Congress should consider regulating dietary supplements to maintain safety. If people are aware of the many lies companies present, then dietary supplements will be one less problem to worry about.
Depression is a mental illness, which affects millions of Americans each year. Currently there are many prescription drugs, called anti-depressants that have been proven to successfully treat it. The causes of depression are somewhat of a medical enigma, however, it is known that depression is associated with a change in the brains chemistry involving the function of neurotransmitters (Reichert). This chemical change occurs in healthy brain’s, which experience sadness, but ends after the unpleasant stimulus is removed. In people suffering from depression this chemical change does not correspond to any particular stimulus. Symptoms of depression are often incapacitating and include severe and extended sadness, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of emptiness, irritability and anxiety (Reichert, Spake).
Depression is considered a mental disorder that can lead an individual to commit suicide, experiment fatal risk that can injure his or her life. Furthermore, an individual feeling depressed lacks motivation to do anything progressive with his or her life. With that said, these individuals sometime gives up interest in activities that were once enjoyable, gets in a phase were he or she loses appetite, begins to overeat, loses concentration on what he or she is trying to complete, and becomes indecisiveness. Moreover, depression is a condition that makes an individual feel miserable, have no motivation to any activity that can influence his or her views, actions, welfare. Furthermore, depressed individuals at times may feel sad, apprehensive, desperate, destitute, useless, awkward, short-tempered, and agitated. In addition, the melancholy of depression is categorized by a greater concentration and length that is attached to severe symptoms. According to Wedding & Corsini (2014) states, “Physical disease, severe and acute stress, and chronic stress area also precipitating factors” (Pp. 240) of an individu...
Since ancient times vitamin D has been the predominant cause of bone deficiencies.1 However, it was not in till the seventeenth century when both Dr. Daniel Whistler and Professor Francis Glisson made the first scientific description of a vitamin D deficiency.2 During the mid-seventeenth century there was an increase amount of children that were diagnosed with the bone disease called rickets.2 The cause of the rickets was determined to be associated to the lack of sunlight. A German researcher Kurt Huldschinsky came to the conclusion that when infants were exposed to ultraviolet light rays they became cured of rickets2. He stated that a substance in the skin was the potential source of the cure.2 In 1922, American scientist Elmer McCollum proved that when cod liver oil was heated; the beneficial effects of vitamin A in the oil were reduced.2 However, the oil remained effective in curing rickets leading McCollum to reason that a nutrient different from vitamin A was present in the oil. As a result, he named this nutrient vitamin D, which became the fourth vitamin to be discovered and named.2 Additionally, shortly after 1918, vitamin D was also discovered by an accidental experiment that included a group of scientists curing dogs affected with rickets by feeding cod liver oil to them.1
For many centuries, humanity has been on an eternal quest for cures and treatments for many chronic conditions. At the present time, conventional medicine is mostly performed by doctors and other health care professionals, with the extensive use of pharmaceutical drugs, surgery or radiation treatments for disease treatment. Conversely, even though not as popular, complementary and alternative medicine and treatment options are slowly gaining popularity and becoming an addition to traditional medicine.
A well-balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal absorption of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may need particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer "cures" for many diseases, from colds to cancer; but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe poisoning when taken in excess.
The rate of death due to prescription drug abuse in the U.S. has escalated 313 percent over the past decade. According to the Congressional Quarterly Transcription’s article "Rep. Joe Pitt Holds a Hearing on Prescription Drug Abuse," opioid prescription drugs were involved in 16,650 overdose-caused deaths in 2010, accounting for more deaths than from overdoses of heroin and cocaine. Prescribed drugs or painkillers sometimes "condemn a patient to lifelong addiction," according to Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This problem not only affects the lives of those who overdose but it affects the communities as well due to the convenience of being able to find these items in drug stores and such. Not to mention the fact that the doctors who prescribe these opioids often tend to misuse them as well. Abusing these prescribed drugs can “destroy dreams and abort great destinies," and end the possibility of the abuser to have a positive impact in the community.
Today’s doctors stand overly dependent on chemical pharmaceutics when drafting treatment plans for patients. Physicians should first endorse treatment plans involving natural, homeopathic medicines, especially when aiming to solve miniscule health issues.
When it comes to supplements, I feel that there is a lot of misleading health benefits from actually taking them. As I learned from monitoring my own nutrient intake, our diet sometimes is lacking of important vitamins and minerals. There are so many supplements that promise curse and longevity by taking their pill, however, their claims have not been to my standards scientifically supported. In contrast, vaccines still have a negative stigma or attitude concerning side-effects which sway parents away from having their children receive these lifesaving vaccines. There is volumes of clinical research that supports the benefits of vaccines against deadly diseases and dispels most concerns over any serious
... their mediation regimen closely. Many elderly patients are taking several drugs that can reduce the efficacy and increase the toxicity of one another. In order to avoid complications it is important to always educate the patients on proper usage, side effects and specific drug interactions. If a patient misses a dose they should never double up. This could increase their risk for possible overdose. Certain OTC drugs and herbal supplements can have adverse reactions and reduce the efficacy of these drugs. Patients should be advised to that alcohol or tobacco consumption may alter the absorption of the medication and should be avoided. Lab work should be completed routinely to avoid renal and liver toxicity when taking these two classes of drugs.
Central Idea: Prescription drugs can cause serious mental and physical health problems if they are taken incorrectly or abused.
Illness is one of the main causes when you don’t have enough vitamins in your system because your immune is weak by not having any vitamin. A weak immune system can make you more susceptible to a common cold or fever. It seems that taking vitamin supplements does not work as well as taking vitamin in by a healthy diet. When eating unhealthy you could get different types of diseases. Having a high blood pressure can cause a higher risk of strokes and heart problems along with diabetes. Over time our population