There is a dangerous trend that is exploding before our very eyes and the problem with that is so many people are caught up in it that they don’t even realize they are being hoodwinked. 

I’m talking about fear-based medicine. 

Over the last several decades we’ve seen the marketing of pharmaceutical products go from merely a recommendation or an option to YOU MUST DO THIS OR YOU WILL DIE! 

Yet when you take a closer look behind all the fearmongering it becomes painfully obvious that profit—NOT health—is the primary goal. 

Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about: 

Statins 

Currently about one-third of all adults in the US are on statins. 

The fearmongering used with statins is that someone’s cholesterol is too high (based on an unproven arbitrary threshold that has been decreased in recent years, thereby raising the number of people on statins); cholesterol causes heart disease; heart disease is our #1 killer; so statins are necessary and vital. 

What a crock. 

First of all, sugar and inflammation cause heart disease—not cholesterol. 

Cholesterol is a healthy substance your body needs!  That is, if you want hormones, vitamin D production by your skin and proper healing, among other things. 

Cholesterol is only associated with heart disease because when you have chronic inflammation in your arteries, it causes a repetitive signal for cholesterol to come on the scene and do its healing repair work.   

So the real culprit here is inflammation!   

And although statins are ridiculously touted as safe, nothing could be farther from the truth! 

Unless of course you think liver failure, kidney failure, memory loss, muscle wasting, diabetes, abnormal heart rhythm and rectal bleeding are “safe” conditions to have. 

Onward. 

Acid Reducers 

Acid reducing medications (such as Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid) are the go-to treatment for heartburn, GERD, acid reflux or whatever you want to call it on a given day. 

The fear tactic here is that chronic reflux may eventually spur the development of Barrett’s esophagus, at which point you are at a greater risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma (cancer of the esophagus), which has a very high mortality rate.   

Acid reducers are designed to reduce your stomach's acid secretions--less acid in the stomach allegedly means less acid to slide up into your throat.   

But acid enzymes are needed for your body to digest proteins!  So when your stomach secretes acid after you eat a protein food, it's doing its job and should not be interfered with! 

What many people don’t realize is that acid reducers are a wolf in sheep’s clothing, opening you up to serious health issues as well as increasing your risk of DEATH in several ways: 

• They increase your risk of chronic kidney disease. 
• PPIs raise your risk of heart attack. 
• They destroy your immune function, opening you up to a variety of sicknesses and disease, including cancer. 
• PPIs also raise your risk of dementia and Alzhemier’s.  
• And they increase your overall death risk by an incredible 50 percent! 

Let’s not forget… 

Flu Shots 

Alas, the fall will soon be upon us, and we are starting to be bombarded with signs everywhere saying, “Get your flu shot!” 

The fearmongering used here is that the flu can be deadly so you MUST get the shot or take your life in your hands. 

Well, first and foremost, there are about 200 different viruses that cause flu or flu-like illness, yet the vaccine only covers 3 of those.  Do the math and admit you’re not getting much in the way of protection. 

Plus in many cases of death, especially in the elderly, “flu” is cited as the cause, when in fact death was caused by pneumonia or a combination of chronic illnesses of which flu may be in the mix. 

The actual statistics for 2013 from the CDC’s website show total deaths due to influenza and pneumonia as 56,979.   

But when you drill down further into the statistics you see that 53,282 of those deaths were due to pneumonia and 3,697 due to influenza. 

Note the CDC’s site no longer breaks down the pneumonia and flu death totals. The final 2020 numbers only show 53,544 deaths from “influenza and pneumonia”—I could not locate a breakdown.   

Of course not--it’s easier to sell flu shots showing an inflated mortality number.   

Don’t be hoodwinked! 

The moral of the story here is don’t be hoodwinked by fear tactics! 

Here are some ways you can see through the fearmongering and search out the healthcare options that are right for you—not just those that make drug companies richer! 

While medications may be necessary in some instances, there are many natural measures that can be just as effective…and far safer with no side effects! 

For example: 

Fish oil like VitalMega-3 has been medically proven to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol!  Plus the Omega-3 fats in VitalMega-3 can help ease inflammation and curb the resulting aches and pains it can cause. 

Digestive enzyme formulas like Digestizol Max can help your body carry out digestion the way it was designed to and help curb heartburn and reflux naturally. 

Probiotics like Super Shield or Super Shield PLUS multi-strain probiotic formula can help with a whole slew of issues, including constipation, low immune function, leaky gut, cold and flu prevention, IBS and allergies! 

And if autoimmune conditions, bone health, depression, heart disease or cancer are concerns of yours, the Vitamin D found in Optimum DK Formula can help address those conditions. 

Research everything 

Don’t blindly believe everything you are told or hear on the news.  Better yet, turn off the news altogether and look for independent sources of information.   

Keep in mind that 70-90 percent of the media’s revenues comes from pharmaceutical companies.  Let that sink in and use your imagination about their level of objectivity. 

And note that even search engines like Google and MSN receive pharma revenue, so if you want an objective search tool, try DuckDuckGo. 

Ask questions 

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your doctor! 

A doctor should be your partner in health, and there are a good number of them that will gladly work with you and answer your questions or concerns.  

If your doctor is not one of those, or if he/she makes you feel uncomfortable, stupid or refuses to discuss your care, find one who will. 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia