I want to go on record that I don’t have anything against Doctors. My Great-Grandfather was a doctor, so was my Grandfather and his sister and his brother. We need Doctors and sometimes, we even need medicine.
What I do have something against is unnecessary medication used when what you really need is nutrients. And I have something against using medications that causes horrible side effects AND deplete nutrients – sometimes the exact nutrients you need to help with whatever you are taking the medicine for. And mostly I have something against putting something in your mouth and not taking any responsibility for yourself by finding out what it is you are putting in your mouth, even if your Doctor is the one who gave it to you!
Doctors don’t always have time to learn all about the drugs they are writing prescriptions for. Often, they only know what the drug rep has told them, or read in the literature the drug rep has brought them. Doctors also don’t get a chance to learn about nutrition in school. Read: How Much Do Doctors Know About Nutrition?
There are lots of sites you can use to check on the side effects of drugs. www.drugs.com is one that I use to look up the medicines that new clients bring in. You would be surprised what some drugs cause. Some even cause the very thing they are suppose to get rid of. For example, Zoloft is suppose to help handle and control anger in a patient, but anger is also a side effect. Go figure.
Taking a medication does not, I repeat does not handle the underlying deficiency or malnourishment you have to begin with. That’s why it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to take a drug in the first place. But if you must, you are really doing yourself a huge disservice (that’s a polite understatement) if you do not ALSO clean up your diet and make sure you take the missing nutrients that got you in this position in the first place. Read: Aw, Mom – Do I Have to Take My Vitamins?
Pharmaceutical and Over-the-Counter Drugs and the Nutrients They Can Deplete
Pain-Killers
Drug Names: Acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen, and Nabumetone
Nutrients That Can Be Depleted: Vitamin C, folic acid, iron, potassium and zinc.
Cholesterol Lowering Drugs
Drug Names: Baycol, Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, Colestid, Questran
Nutrients that Can Be Depleted: Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin A, B-12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, magnesium and zinc
Birth Control Pills
Drug Names: Micornor, Triphasil, Ovral, and Ortho Novum Pyridoxine
Nutrients that Can Be Depleted: Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-6, folic acid, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin C, magnesium and zinc
Steroids (Corticosteroids)
Often used for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, skin disorders, and immune disorders
Drug Names: Prednisone, hydrocortisone, desamethasone, beclomethasone, triamcinolone
Nutrients that Can Be Depleted: Pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, zinc, selenium, calcium and potassium
Antidepressants
Drug Names: Amitriptyline, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine
Nutrient that Can Be Depleted: Coenzyme Q-10, Vitamin B-2
Hormone Replacement Therapy/Estrogen Replacement
Drug Names: Premarin, Climara (estradiol), Estraderm
Nutrient that Can Be Depleted: Vitamin B-6, B-2, B-12, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, magnesium and zinc
Beta Blockers
Drug Names: Propranolol, timolol
Nutrient that Can Be Depleted: Coenzyme Q-10
Acid Blockers
Often used to relieve irritation and pain from gastric acid
Drug Names: Lansoprazole, Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac, prevacid, Prilosec
Nutrients that Can Be Depleted: Folic acid, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, Copper, Calcium and Iron
Antibiotics
Drug Names: Tetracycline, Erythromycin, Penicillin
Nutrients that Can Be Depleted: Vitamin B-6 , Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin C, and bowel flora
These recommendations are for the reduction of stress only. They are not intended as treatment or prescription for any disease, or as a substitute for regular medical care.