Pharmaceutical man - are we the new species (yet)?

Bill Sardi - Health Journalist draws our attention to some interesting and, perhaps, disturbing thoughts: "First there was Neanderthal man. Then there was Java Man. In the evolution of homo sapiens, an article in the New York Times now says 'Pharmaceutical Man' is here. Last year Americans consumers spent $163 billion on drugs. Retirees take an average of 2.4 prescription drugs every day.

For comparison, about $18 billion of dietary supplements are sold annually in the US. The preeminence of drugs over vitamins, mineral and herbal supplements is rooted in law. Forget that the biological action of virtually every prescription drug can be duplicated with dietary supplements. Keep that fact hidden from the public�s view. No dietary supplement can claim it diagnoses, treats, prevents or cures any disease. Well, there are exceptions, like thiamin/vitamin B1 curing beri beri, niacin curing pellagra, vitamin B12 curing pernicious anemia, vitamin D curing rickets and vitamin C curing scurvy. More cures could be attributed to dietary supplements except for the cabal against them by research scientists and physicians.

But if drugs are designed to treat disease, and dietary supplements can't say they prevent disease, then we essentially have no preventive medicine. Except for technology to detect disease at an earlier stage and prescribe treatment earlier, modern medicine largely ignores preventive measures."

The story continues with examples of how food and dietary supplements have a demonstrated, positive effect on health which in many cases would obviate the need for drugs. In fact, we may conclude quite confidently, as does Bill Sardi, that drugs often interfere with the uptake and utilization of essential nutrients.

Something to think about, isn't it?

The original story that got Bill Sardi and others going on this line of thought is archived here: http://www.laleva.org/eng/2004/04/the_altered_human_is_already_here.html"  ⊕

Healthful Hands Network - Massage Therapy Center - Therapist advertising techniques that fail

Great little piece on what we can do to boost business buidling of a healing practice.

Healthful Hands Network - Massage Therapy Center - Therapist advertising techniques that fail: "'Full time career AND kids? You need a massage!' 'Exercising to lose weight. and your body is complaining? You need a massage!' 'Congratulations on your pregnancy! Stop by, get a massage, and let me take some of the weight off your back, hips, and shoulders.'

Three different audiences. Big audiences! Yet most advertising doesn't speak to the person in need. It yaps about 'my credentials, my skill, my services.' Who gives a hoot! Maybe your Mom. Speak to the direct needs of your audience."  ⊕

Wirearchy :A time for letting go

Here's a thoughtful piece on what goes on in organizations and the effect on someone who has worked long years trying to make a difference. It mirrors well many of my own sentiments accumulated from 25 years as a professional service provider to organizations around the world.

Take this snippet by way of introduction and go read the rest of it. A time for letting go: "Codependency is the process of supporting another's addiction and sometimes joining it, turning a blind eye to the addiction, playing the addict's game of denial and rationalization, and endeavouring to save the addict from the consequences of his or her destructive acts. Organizational Development (OD) as I have known and practiced it is often highly codependent, especially in its focus on amelioratiing the consequences of the addiction."

I think it is the blatant oportunistic tendency of most for-profit organization that drive the behaviour of these organziations and the people and organziations that prrovide services to them. As a consultant you tend to take the work offered. The work you know should be given priority will loose you a sale if you press your luck. You have bills to pay just like everyone else and rationalize your adjustment to the clients wishes. Thus you, we, everybody perpetuate the indefiensible.

Think of the process as the smoothing of a rough rock in a river where the rough spots are your inhibitions and your morals. Overtime all inhibitions and moral scruples are worn down. Isn't this opposite of the way it should be going? Aren't we supposed to increase our moral fortitude as we grow older and wiser rather than lose it altogether?  ⊕

On the 'care' in 'health care'

In J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Apr;52(4):554-62 we can read about Religion, spirituality, and health in medically ill hospitalized older patients.
: "Conclusion: Religious activities, attitudes, and spiritual experiences are prevalent in older hospitalized patients and are associated with greater social support, better psychological health, and to some extent, better physical health. Awareness of these relationships may improve health care."

My thought was that this speaks to the 'care' portion of 'health care'. Why should we be surprised that it matters if someone, anyone, just flat out cares for someone else?  ⊕

DB's Medical Rants: Why paternalism does not die

Why paternalism does not die addresses an issue familiar to healers and doctors alike: "Many patients reject the idea of deciding on their own treatments. Overwhelmed by a confusing array of alternatives, they do not want the added stress of being forced to make hard decisions. They turn to their physicians for guidance. "

Part of the problem is that a patient is often asked to take far more of an active role in his or her 'health and treatment management' than they want, feel competent to take on or even have the energy to deal with.

Remember, if you're seeing someone about important health issues, you are probably not at the top of your energy curve. The health care system is either ignorant of this or just simply ignores it.

My biggest beef is this: As a patient you are often not even given straight information about what your options are and what things you can do to help yourself besides relying on the knife and pills of our traditional medical service.

If you don't have that information, then how can you decide much of anything or, more importantly, even have confidence in any decision you do make?  ⊕

Enter Exit Principle

The Enter Exit Principle is an amusing little piece from an Indian author posted over at About.com: "A free flow of cosmic energy is the essence of peaceful existence. For that to happen, there has to be space - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. And it is our job to create that space.

In fact, this principle can be applied to anything: If a train is packed to capacity, there is no room for more people to board it. They can do so only if some commuters create space by alighting."

The similes (there are more of them) are earthy, but the thrust of the story is spot on. When I do energy work on someone, often what I am doing is merely moving useless 'old stuff' out of the way to make room for useful 'new stuff' that's all queued up.  ⊕

You either get it or you don't

The Real Live Preacher makes some astute observations about what it is that makes a difference. He starts his post thus: "A church man came to see me the other day. A churchy man, an important man in his church. A deacon I think, maybe. He came to see me and our little church. He came to see if there was anything of interest going on here.

I was wearing jeans and a Snoopy t-shirt at church that day, which put him off a bit, but the real surprise came when he found that I couldn’t answer any of his questions."

The questions, as it turns out, were all about statistics, or performance measures if you're into hip management speak. RLP doesn't care about that because it doesn't make much of a difference to know those things.

Instead he makes the point that he cares about his church and his community because that is important and knowing about those things does make a difference.

I have to agree. Measuring something never changed anything. Caring frequently changes the world. Simple, isn't it?  ⊕