An announcement was recently made by the family of Tom Petty (one of my favorite musicians) that his untimely death was the result of an “accidental overdose” of pain medications, including the opioid Fentanyl.  Apparently Tom was suffering from a fractured hip and knee problems which understandably caused a tremendous amount of pain.

You may recall that the musician Prince’s death was also caused by a fatal dose of doctor-prescribed Fentanyl.

All I can say is, “Who’s next?”

What we are faced with here is the fact that the opioid crisis is far WORSE than we ever imagined.

Because it’s not just addicts that are dying from opioids—it’s also people legitimately using them for pain! 

Fighting back      

The state of Ohio filed suit last May against 5 drug companies, claiming they have been fueling the state’s opioid epidemic. 

The Ohio attorney general accused the companies of engaging in aggressive marketing campaigns to downplay the risks of addiction to the opioid drugs they sell and to exaggerate the benefits of their use for chronic pain.

The companies named in the lawsuit are:

• Purdue Pharma (the maker of OxyContin that was found guilty last year in federal court of misbranding the drug and downplaying the possibility of addiction)

• Endo Health Solutions (which was fined $200,000 by the state of New York in 2016 for improperly downplaying the risk of addiction to its opioid Opana ER)

• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (which paid $1.6 million for substance abuse treatment to settle a lawsuit from two California counties alleging misleading opioid marketing practices)

• Johnson & Johnson (which was sued last year by Orange County, New York for fraudulent marketing that played down the risks of prescription opioid painkillers, leading to a drug epidemic)

• Allergan (which was sued in 2015 by the city of Chicago along with the other four companies above for downplaying opioid risks)

The case is presently before a judge in a federal court in Cleveland, so time will tell to what extent these companies will have their hands slapped.

Our current reality

The reality we are facing is that drug companies will do ANYTHING in their power to generate revenue, your health and life be damned.

This includes lobbying in Washington, advertising in every form of media known to man (and basically owning the media, for that matter), swaying or downright brainwashing doctors, heavily influencing the curriculums in our medical schools, and as you saw above, mastering the art of deception in their marketing. 

Side effects are consistently downplayed, and if they do occur, never fear—because there is most assuredly another drug (or two or three) that will cover up those effects.

It’s time to wake up, folks!

Unless you want to live your days mindlessly taking one medication after another, masking your health problems without solving them, suffering numerous side effects, and heaven forbid, accidentally overdosing, you’d better wake up.  NOW.

Drug companies do not give one crap about you or your health.  They don’t care if you live or die.  They care about PROFITS.  Period.

So you have got to take the bull by the horns and look out for your own health.

You are special, you are worth it and you CAN do it!

Here’s how:

Question everything

Do not blindly agree to take a medication without first reading the package insert IN ITS ENTIRETY.  Don’t rely on what your doctor says—chances are, although they may have good intentions, they only know what the slick drug company reps told them.  And as you can see from above, deception is rampant in the marketing efforts of drug companies. 

Instead question EVERYTHING.  Explore natural solutions like these:

• Omega-3 essentail fatty acids like VitalMega-3 fish oil for high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and inflammatory pain.
• Full-spectrum probiotic formulas like Super Shield for gas, constipation, allergies, and low immune function (getting frequent colds, infections or flu).
• Digestive enzyme formulas like Digestizol Max for acid reflux, or indigestion following gallbladder removal.
• Vitamin B12 spray such as our Hydroxaden 2.5 for chronic back pain, low energy and heart disease prevention.

There are very few instances where safe, natural measures can’t be tried first before pharmaceuticals, or at least in conjunction with drugs.  Put your foot down and demand better for yourself. 

Remember, your doctor works for you—not the other way around.

Remember that diet DOES make a difference

If your doctor tries to tell you that your diet does not make a difference in your state of health, get up and walk out immediately.

And find a doctor that has a clue about nutrition.

Your diet is the #1 factor that determines whether or not you are healthy or plagued with disease, or whether or not you even woke up this morning.

Concentrate on wholesome real foods like fresh vegetables, meats, poultry and fish, eggs, nuts and healthy fats like butter, coconut oil and olive oil. 

In addition, dehydration can contribute to chronic pain, constipation and a whole slew of other health issues, so be sure you’re drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Get some exercise

Your level of fitness is right up there near your diet in terms of dictating how healthy (or sick) you are.

Choose health.

No more excuses. 

Get your doctor’s OK and work up a sweat at least 3-4 times a week.

Keep learning

Keep researching everything, and watch out for fake science.  If you read about a “study” and see that it is funded by a drug company, accept the fact that it is likely one-sided and biased, and downplays or sweeps under the rug any negative conclusions.

Plus remember that many doctors are paid advertising representatives, and just because a company has paid a doctor to say something does not mean it’s true.

For example, doctors used to be paid by the tobacco industry to say that smoking is good for you, and they even used to recommend certain brands (like Camels or Lucky Strike).

I’m serious!

Don’t be a sheep--instead be an independent thinker, look for unbiased studies, use critical assessment skills, and when all else fails, FOLLOW THE MONEY.  That will help you decipher truth from fiction.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia