Dr. Joel Fuhrman recalls his first pharmacology lecture in med school: “The physician impressed upon us that all drugs are toxic and we should never forget this.”
I learned this lesson the hard way by taking any drug my docs threw my way and inevitably suffering through a myriad of side effects that ranged from rashes to vomiting to hypoglycemia to weakness to disorientation (the last two put me in the emergency room, BTW). When I listen to my friends and read their Facebook posts, I realize that I’m among a small minority of people who heed Dr. Fuhrman’s warning. As I work to build my body into a fortress of health and diminish my dependence on medications, I see those around me rushing to refill their statins rather than grab a carrot.
Today the Washington Post has published an article that reveals the disconnect between medications’ safety and benefit claims and reality. The FDA is not doing its job in protecting us in its oversight of these drugs, and doctors are prescribing higher doses than are necessary — their profits grow with the size of the dose.
This should terrify you.
Next month Whole Life Times magazine is publishing an article I wrote on the lack of oversight from the FDA on cosmetic treatments like wrinkle fillers and Botox. I’m currently working on an article for them on the FDA’s lack of oversight on tattoo ink. See a pattern?
Let me sum all of this up: Just because a doctor says that a drug or a treatment will improve you and will be safe does not make it so. Just because the FDA says a drug or a treatment will improve you and will be safe does not make it so.
Pay attention to what you put into your body. Eat as many plant-based foods as possible to fuel your body with nutrients. Limit processed foods and chemicals. Strengthen your body with exercise rather than take pain killers. And take stock of your medications. Do you really need all the drugs you take? Could you lower your cholesterol with your diet rather than by popping a pill?
The man in the WaPo article lost his life because a nurse in the hospital gave him an unnecessary shot of an anemia medication before he left for home. Hours later he was dead.
All drugs are toxic. Does anyone care?
