Free Prescription: Prayer - Use as Needed

Pray for me. This often forgotten yet basic request is often deferred until times of severe health duress. How effective is prayer in helping heal your illnesses or that of someone else? Combining this with other forms of treatment has proven effective in managing illness, especially chronic disease.

Prayer is considered an alternative health treatment; however, faith healing is the only way to many. Man made medical treatments like drugs and surgery combined with modern technology have overshadowed prayer. Prayer, like many other alternative "natural" treatments, is usually left off the intern and resident training in medical school. Research has shown that many patients pray for their health regardless of religious background, and that is does indeed have healing health benefits.

Praying for oneself as well as being prayed for are effective in staying healthy as well as in healing. The beautiful thing is that you can do it anywhere, anytime without paying any money. No health insurance is required.

Best health!

by J.L, Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

This book provides 112 pages (large print) of health information that will tell you what your doctor should be asking you, telling you, and doing for you - as taught in medical school and used since Hippocrates. http://amzn.to/13m51UU

Chronic Non-Malignant Pain Opiate Options

You got pain?  Take a pill to ease the strain.  Chronic nonmalignant pain affects everyone.  It can be a major cause of personal and family distress.  In addition to the pain of pain many live with secondary effects such as depression which leads to family chaos, work absenteeism, and decrease in activities of daily living to the point of depression.  Prescription medication like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, celebrex and more) and opiates (oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and more) are the gold standard for acute and chronic pain management.  Once you have seen the doctor you are most likely to get one or both of these depending on the etiology of the pain.  Once the cause of the pain is found and treated the need for pain medication may cease.  If this fails to work, the pain meds continue.  This can be a hazard to your health.

In 2012 there were about 183,000 deaths worldwide.  In 2014 there were over 47,000 lethal drug overdoses making it the leading cause of accidental death in the United States (2012 statistics: United Kingdom: 3,200, South America/Latin America/ Caribbean: 7300, European Union: 6100, Oceania: 1900).   This exceeds the number of deaths in road accidents in most countries. Research from studies done in 2013 revealed that opioid analgesics were the primary cause of most drug overdoses in the United States.  Over three-quarters of these deaths were accidental or unintentional.  Opioids (75%) were the most common drug followed by benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.  Prescription pain relievers accounted for over 18,000 overdose deaths.  Misuse of these medications often leads to illicit heroin use.  Why?  It is easier to get and less expensive than prescription opioids even though the rate of prescribing opioids has almost tripled since 1994.  This has increased the mortality rate from overdosing over 400% in women and over 200% in men from 1999 to 2010.

Pain can be managed in ways that use less prescription pain medicine.  The pill may be the easiest way and is usually the first thing a patient is offered.  There are many options to finding relief while decreasing your risk of opiate dependence or overdose. Your doctor can do the following:

• advise on other treatments and refer to appropriate specialists
• discuss risks, side effects, etc of prescription pain drugs
• educate, provide resources for education on the diseases, pain management (articles, books, videos, agencies like Partnership for Drug Free America)
• prescription drug monitoring (doctor-patient contract, drug tests)
• use of non medicinal treatment
• identify risky drug use patterns
• require visits for refills
• referral to pain management specialist
• behavioral therapy consult

Opioid dependence and overdose can be prevented.  Using opioids responsibly is the patient’s responsibility.  It is up to you to recognize what these types of drugs can do to you.  Relief of pain is the objective; however, the addictive potential must be taken into consideration.  It is important to get a correct diagnosis of the pain as there is probably non opiate treatment that can make it tolerable or resolve it totally.  Make opiates the option instead of the treatment of choice.  Best health!

Your Choice: Medication or Food?

As health care costs rise everyone is looking for ways to save and cut costs. Recent studies and polls reveal that many are foregoing their medicine for other necessities of life like food and shelter.  Patient compliance has dropped to a new low.  Patients are taking their medication as needed when their budget allows.  This means less to none on a daily basis. Many are finding this indeed saves money, and possibly affects their health outcome minimally.

As food is the sustenance of life, many are making healthier choices.  This helps their medical maladies as well.  For hypertension and diabetes proper food choices can often alleviate the need for “stronger” treatment with medication. As more patients learn about dietary management and adhere to it, they find that they can indeed save money.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you are noncompliant with your medication because of the cost, or side effects that may cause other conditions requiring more medication, more money.  Be sure to get formal diet and nutrition counseling.  This will help make the right choices when you shop for food.  Contrary to popular myth, healthy food is actually affordable.  Shop smart to save your money and your health!     

Health Education Affects Your Health & Care

Care systems can be set up based on the prevalence of disease and proven preventive measures. For instance, heart disease kills about 1 million/ year, and about 1.5 million hospitalizations occur as a result. We can build on existing programs that focus on guidelines and evidence-based data for the most prevalent conditions, and implement them in our clinics. The USPSTF is dedicated to this type of service. The USPSTF recently found evidence that early detection (with bone density tests), and treatment of osteoporosis in women without symptoms reduced the risk of fractures. Globally speaking, the recent World Cancer Report by WHO has found that cancer may rise by 50% by 2020. One third of these can be prevented. That is very significant! The following table lists (British Medical Journal, March 29, 2003) the costliest conditions to treat.

The 15 costliest treatments (and number of people with diagnosis) in 1997 Heart disease $58bn (17 million) Cancer $46bn (9 million) Trauma $44bn (37 million) Mental disorders $30bn (20 million) Diabetes $20bn (10 million) Hypertension $18bn (27 million) Cerebrovascular disease $16bn (2 million) Osteoarthritis $16bn, (16 million) Pneumonia $16bn (4 million) Back problems $13bn (13 million) Kidney disease $10bn (2 million) Endocrine disorders $10bn (18 million) Skin disorders $9bn (20 million) Infectious diseases $6bn (16 million)

Alongside the USPHS is the HHS which has in place the ACHI, Association for Community Health Improvement. This group focuses on communities
networking together for better health. It is in 42 states (D.C. and Canada), and is composed of people from different areas of medicine. This is a valuable resource to use in developing health system uniformity because it is almost nationwide, at the local community level, and very diversified. HHS has 300 programs that help in "protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services". The Medicare program is the largest health insurer in the nation. In April 2003 HHS had a national
summit, "Steps to a Healthier USA: Putting Prevention First" that addressed prevention and promotion of healthy lifestyles. Funds ($15 million) for “Healthy
Communities” will help communities do their part. The ODPHP works to promote disease prevention and healthy living. Their program, Healthy People 2010* is "the prevention agenda for the Nation". It outlines health objectives for the Nation.

Providing more health information is vital. TV is the most powerful, and most accessed way to get information. Almost everybody watches TV, has a TV, and talks about what is on TV (even if they say they don't watch TV you can be sure you will be asked, "Did you see on TV..."). In addition to public service announcements, more television programming on health issues can be added to the daily schedule on existing channels. Eventually Public Health TV will be available with daily medical news, and basic health information. After all, we have 24-7 dedicated channels for theology, sports, news, finance, cartoons, and music, to name a few, yet basic health programming is still in its infancy.

More basic health information should be available. Health TV channels now tend to focus on lifestyle changes (cooking, exercise, etc.), and reality shows focusing on emergencies, patient procedures, etc.. In the news media there is an occasional mention of the latest outbreak of the disease of the month, and maybe a mention of a profound medical study. This is good, but there is a need for more basic information programming that lets me know about this hypertension that I have, or the headache that won’t go away, or what doctor should I see for what I have. We need to know all the risks and complications as well as the different treatments for what we have so a more informed decision can be made. Like going on the Internet, or to a textbook, there will be a program that addresses a particular health concern. A daily health news show highlighting the latest medical developments is greatly needed. The Internet provides such information.
There are webcasts on the Internet that are becoming more accessible for professionals and the public. Some managed care providers have treatment guidelines for enrollees and doctors to view on their websites. The mantra for the 21rst century will be, "If
doctors don't educate themselves, patients will educate them".  Most people have a TV so what better place to start. In the future, computers will be in almost every home, too. With the Internet patients are able to access the same information as their doctor.

Providing educational materials that are easy to read and understand, i.e. at the lowest grade level possible, are essential, and key. This includes audio and visual learning - books, television, tapes, CDs, computer - as well as direct teaching. This is available
on the Internet with health sites just for kids like www.kidshealth.org and www.bam.gov . Health literacy systems can be of more use for distance learning technology via webcast teleconferences, and television programming. Learning in the home is effective and convenient.

Let your health home schooling begin!

*now Healthy People 2020

Nootropic Neurological Nonsense - Limitless?

Are you looking for mind bending treatment that will make you smarter as well as more mentally and physically efficient?  The neurochemical nootropics, the so-called "smart drugs", are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Though medical evidence is inconclusive, these drugs supposedly improve every aspect of mental cognition including memory, concentration, acuity allowing for smarter, quicker human function.  It sounds like a sure bet for anyone with Alzheimer's disease, ADD, and just pure laziness. They are commonly taken to keep one alert, increase energy, improve memory, and to decrease mental decline in aging.

So why is your doctor failing to offer you such a great "pick-me-up" medication?  Considered both a natruceutical dietary herbal supplement and recreational drug may make it difficult for your doctor to prescribe it for you.  But who needs a prescription? Premium prices for bulk amounts are available for the consumer patient to buy on line, and in specialty stores.  For instance $25 will buy you 120 of Piracetam's mega 800 mg capsules, or 60 tablets of BrainAlert with it's 24 "natural" ingredients (far too many for one pill, some toxic). Designer versions of nootropics are available also.  These are usually more recreationally formulated with less exact ingredients.

Side effects and adverse reactions including drug addiction may occur especially if the drug is withdrawn after long term use.  For this reason alone, doctors may be hesitant to prescribe it; however, it is easily available elsewhere.   The off-label recreational use of nootropics can be especially dangerous if addiction occurs.  You may be and feel "superpowered" until the drug wears off and withdrawal sets in if you lack more pills.

Upgrading your body and mind with smart pills can be productive or destructive. Can this nootropic neurological nonsense be "limitless"?

NOTE: For more context and perspective watch the brilliant film Limitless which shows how a writer achieves success and riches using nootropics.