A study published in the Lancet British Medical Journal, of 200,000 6 and 7- year-old children from 34 countries, including N.Z. found that paracetamol – a non-prescription drug used to ease fever, headaches and other minor aches and pains – is in N.Z. the country's most commonly prescribed drug and they link it to N.Z’s high incidence of asthma - one of the highest incidences of asthma in the world.
“The medical director of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand, Professor Robin Taylor, said the study gave an insight into why the prevalence of asthma had increased over the past 50 years”.
Help me somebody!! I find that statement very narrow. To me health is all about the immune system. Kids today have far more toxins and pollutants to cope with than my generation – see my profile for that!!
To digress - in my limited understanding paracetamol, aspirin or whatever you take doesn’t do the healing but gives the body a space from pain to heal itself. Now, if as parents we are overdosing on this maybe we are not allowing the body to do its thing or, taking a wider view, giving foods that help the immune system. To me that is where the emphasis should be.
I’ll be interested in comments from those more informed.

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Hi Suzanne,

It was only today also, in the newspaper, that it mentioned Calpol given in infancy results in eczema, hayfever and asthma.

I do agree that we are all exposed to more toxins and pollutants than ever before, and it is our immune systems that are going to fight these off. That means a low-allergenic diet, less vaccination and adulterated foods by way of the soil they are grown in.

All drugs have side effects, and all drugs are liver-toxic, as well as being suppressive medicine. Aspirin and paracetomol have other side-effects also, apart from latent asthma. Aspirin is known to be associated with memory-loss.

My own way of dealing with colic would be to find the source of where it came from and that, in my experience, has always been cows milk. I appreciate also however, that other foods can be at the root of colic. If the mother is breast-feeding and drinking cows milk or soya milk, cheese, etc., then this obviously gets passed through to the baby.

Sorry to diverse, but I think it is all linked!

Ann

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Hi Suzanne,
The immune system is connected to the digestive system, without a good digestive system, you cannot have a good immune system. Asprin has a detrimental effect on the stomach, stomach ulcers etc, so you can see the link. Now as far as asprin or paracetamol giving 'the body a space from pain to heal itself'. Well you cannot cure anything with drugs, they are poisons to the system, they don't so much give the body space as tamper down the pain signals from the central nervous system,so in effect, the pain is still there, you just can't feel it. If you have pain, it can be your body's way of saying 'somethings wrong, help'. Paracetamol causing asthma, which, by the way, is the twin of excema, of course it does AND many other side-effects.
Ann, cows milk is really bad, unless it is whole milk. Soy, if it is not GM, is way too high in estrogen and should be avoided, especially by women. Estrogen dominance is one of the main causes of female organ cancer. If the soy IS GM, then, it is still high in estrogen, but you can grow 2 heads by drinking it.

Last edited: 21-09-2008 03:50:23 AM

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Just to add also Jon....

My mother was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation with a burst stomach ulcer due to aspirin!

Ann

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Sorry to hear that Ann. Its a pity really, that people suffer these sorts of problems from simple things like asprin. It just points to the fact that no medication should be taken long term.

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Everybody is dissing aspirin, but isn't aspirin one of the drugs that is most closely related to the plant compounds it is derived from? Surely the trick is not to see it as a poison, but to treat it like any other herb - with respect, understand what it does to the body and use it appropriately?

As for immune system links, paracetemol affects the liver, so could that be related to the asthma?

Incidentally, I wonder whether the asthma rates in NZ that are mentioned are much higher in the volcanically active areas....

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I would have to agree with Steph here. I think my thread has been lost. What I was trying to say is that we think the analgesic is creating the cure - when it is really giving the body a space, free of pain, to heal itelf . And if we are so overloaded with toxins then, maybe, the body is over taxed and can't do its job.

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Asprin is still synthetic therefore poison to our system. Giving our body a synthetic drug (poison) while it is trying to cope with an imbalance,is NOT giving space for healing, it is making matters worse.

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Hi All,

There are some very good points made so far and whilst for the most part I avoid drugs as much as possible the way my breathing has been at the moment I would be unable to do the simplest of tasks without what feels like excessive use of ventolin. I avoid taking the steroid inhaler because I really dislike drugs but after months of severe wheezing I am at a loss for what to do other than take ventolin which only gives temporary relief.

Can anyone help? All suggestions for alternative natural treatments that preferably don't cost too much greatly appreciated.

I am sorry for straying somewhat from the thread of this post but I feel really stuck.

L&L
Rebecca

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Rebecca, Asthma is usually either an emotional base or an allergy. Perhaps an allergy test will show something, otherwise an Health Kinesiology practitioner will give you some answers.

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I think I posted something similar a while back about particularly high rates of Asthma on the outer Hebrides Islands - probably highlighted because of an assumption that all asthma is related to car fumes and there are very few cars on the islands - as far as I remember it was eventually traced to the use of washing fabric softener -which contains high levels of Formeldehyde ( but also will be in loads of other stuff we come into contact with)

The other thing to bear in mind with medication is that quite often people can be intolerant to the drug and sometimes its the additives/ fillers / capsules etc
Also they rob vital nutrients out of the system as they pass through.....so not a long term solution in my book.

I've had a lot of Success helping children and adults with The Bowen Technique - along with using Health Kinesiology to identify / correct intolerances/allergies. There is a Tap proceedure which you can do on yourself to give temporary relief from symptoms as long as you are also treating the underlying cause.
Please PM me if you'd like more info

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Hi everybody, just want to add my two pennies worth. Suzanne, you talk about giving the body space to heal by giving aspirin or paracetamol. The thing is, specially with paracetamol, which is the most toxic drug on the market, the liver becomes compromised, so little healing can occur long term, unless we discover the cause for the pain and treat that cause. Pain is only a symptom. Also, parents use paracetamol ad lib for anything and everything, and their children's immune system will eventually be weakened. I have had cases of small children who arrived looking jaundiced. When I suggested a liver function test, some of them showed abnormal liver function!! In my opinion, paracetamol should not be available over the counter. It takes just 8 tablets of Paracetamol taken in one go to kill a person. Ask any pharmacist.
As for treating asthma, which is synonymous with eczema (asthma is eczema of the lungs), this can be treated succesfully, but you can not do it yourself. Rebecca, you need to see a qualified therapist, as it is a complex condition. In my clinic I use mainly Homeopathy, although I have also used NAET very successfully to clear allergies. As for cost, think of it as being an investment in your own health which long term will bring you many years of health, without steroids. You could try to find a local college of homeopathy - they usually run low cost clinics where you can get just the same quality of care at a reduced cost. Email me off list - I may be able to recommend something close to you. Best wishes, Grace

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Thankyou Jon, Jayne & Grace very much for the replies.

While I think that paracetemol and other drugs are responsible for a lot of problems including many that we are as yet unaware of I cannot in truth link any such drugs to the cause of asthma for anyone that I know. It really bothers me how many people pop pills like paracetemol and antacids, as if they were sweets and often at the encouragement of medical professionals without knowing what affect they are having. Yet I cannot in all fairness link the two in my own mind unless its hereditary. I can in my own case link both asthma and excema to allergens, and the immune system quite strongly as well as the emotions and I find Jons comments about the links to the stomach quite amazing because I do have sensitivity in that area also.

L&L

Rebecca

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Just because a link cannot be seen logically, doesn't mean it's not there. Why is it that rubbing the outside toenail of the little toe (Bl67), will turn a baby that is breach? As I said, when you put medications (read poisons) into a body, that body will respond in its OWN way. Asthma and excema can be a form of detoxing, maybe the chemicals in the drugs need to be eliminated from the person.

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That is interesting Suzanne, I have not heard that before.
I do know that the WHO has said that if you do nothing when diagnosed with cancer, you will live 4 times longer than if treated with conventional treatment.

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I'm getting a little concerned about the anti-medication opinions that are floating around here. Yes, I agree that there are circumstances where medication is best avoided, and that in a lot of cases medication is used inappropriately or without appropriate support to other parts of the body. But when it comes down to it, medications etc is one of the reasons why we live so much longer than we used to. Medications work. they save lives, they improve the quality of life for millions of people. Yes, they cause allsorts of imbalances as side effects, and sometimes these are worse than the initial cause, but they still work. Compare the lifespan and quality of life of a country with a good healthcare (thus medicating) system with that of a country that doesn't have readily available medicines.

I reiterate, drugs should be treated the same way as herbal preparations - with understanding and respect. If some people abuse medication by popping them like pills, that is the fault of the person taking the medication, not of the medications themselves.

I'm sure the notion of cancer patients not starting treatment immediately and living longer is misleading. I imagine this is the case in people where the cancer is diagnosed too late to do much anyway, and those that take treatment are doing so out of desperation rather than any real chance of survival. It also doesn't say anything about quality of life or just what kind of treatments are referred to.

Now, I've never been a fan of paracetemol, but drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen are very good at what they do. They reduce inflammation. They thin the blood. If this is what is needed for a body to heal then they are ideal. If you sprain your ankle and take (or rub on a gel of) ibuprofen straight away it keeps the swelling down and the ankle can heal much faster than if you leave it. Yes, they irritate stomach lining, so shouldn't be taken on an empty stomach or if you have major stomach problems, but the same could be said of allsorts of naturally occuring foods that people eat every day!

keep things in perspective, please!

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Steph, I am keeping things in perspective, my perspective. If you think the drug companies are interested in your or anybody's health, then you are very, very mistaken.
You wrote; But when it comes down to it, medications etc is one of the reasons why we live so much longer than we used to. Medications work. they save lives, they improve the quality of life for millions of people. This is a matter of opinion only, mostly promoted by the med. profession and Big Pharma.
You wrote;I'm sure the notion of cancer patients not starting treatment immediately and living longer is misleading. I imagine this is the case in people where the cancer is diagnosed too late to do much anyway, and those that take treatment are doing so out of desperation rather than any real chance of survival. It also doesn't say anything about quality of life or just what kind of treatments are referred to. Death rates from cancer treated by chemo has not changed since 1948.
You wrote; Now, I've never been a fan of paracetemol, but drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen are very good at what they do. They reduce inflammation. They thin the blood. If this is what is needed for a body to heal then they are ideal. If you sprain your ankle and take (or rub on a gel of) ibuprofen straight away it keeps the swelling down and the ankle can heal much faster than if you leave it. Yes, they irritate stomach lining, so shouldn't be taken on an empty stomach or if you have major stomach problems, but the same could be said of all sorts of naturally occuring foods that people eat every day! There are many herbs that do the same thing WITHOUT the side effects. Also, inflammation is your friend and should NOT be reduced when you have damaged a joint. It is the natural healing process of the body. Why do you thing it happens?
I am reminded of an article on Mercolas website, to wit;

When the Cure is Worse Than the Disease

One way to build an income in private medical practice is to hook patients on drugs that continually require re-examination, testing and prescription renewal. Blood thinners, for example, require prothrombin tests to determine how long it takes the blood to clot. Blood pressure pills require monitoring of blood pressure. And once patients start taking acid-blocking medications, they will find it is nearly impossible to stop taking them -- withdrawal will provoke rebound acidity with throat-gripping pain.

Critical examination of the effectiveness of prescription drugs reveals convincing data that most prescription drugs are not only ineffective but may worsen the condition being treated. Some of these medications appear to be designed to create life-long dependency upon the drug, since drug withdrawal exacerbates symptoms. Even some long-standing drugs that are the hallmarks of modern medicine have begun to lose their biological punch.

The major classes of prescription drugs are failures. Most drugs are never designed to address the underlying biochemical causes of disease -- and they may intentionally be designed to create life-long dependency.
Sources:
• LewRockwell.com August 25, 2008

and

• Nearly all anti-diabetic drugs cause a person to become overweight and totally dependent upon insulin.
• Asthma drugs sensitize your body to triggers that worsen this condition.
• There is no evidence that cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce mortality rates.
• All cancer chemotherapy drugs result in tumor resistance.

• None of the many drugs prescribed to control high blood pressure address the cause of hypertension.
• Antacid “heartburn” drugs induce greater problems when withdrawing from them, locking patients into lifetime use.
• Of the many drugs used to treat age-related senility, none stop the progression of mental decline and some hasten it.
• To an increasing degree, man-made antibiotics produce germ-resistance and mortality rates are rising from infections once conquered by these drugs.
and

Are the drug companies creating these drugs with the sole purpose of keeping you sicker, and reaching for more of their dangerous elixirs? I certainly hope not, but I cannot rule out the thought completely. Their track-record is too spot-on: if you take prescription drugs, you’ll almost always wind up with side effects, many of which are worse than the original disease. Here are some other major offenders to add to the list:
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs actually CAUSE heart disease
• Migraine drugs cause severe rebound headaches
• Asthma inhalers may lead to heart attack and stroke
• Arthritis drugs can cause fatal fungal infections and cancer
and

Sadly, this list could go on and on, but one of the most glaring examples was Vioxx, the anti-inflammatory drug prescribed to millions of people that later was revealed to double the risk of heart attack. Well, 60,000 people were killed before that drug was pulled from the market, and do not think for one minute that there aren’t other similarly harmful drugs being handed out like candy (expensive candy) right now.

I keep things in perspective, the perspective that drug companies, who control the modern medical world, are interested in making money, not curing health. When you, or anyone comes to that realisation, you will see how dangerous drugs, any drugs, are.

Last edited: 4-10-2008 03:30:41 PM

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Without sounding like a parrot, I would reiterate every single point Jon has made...

It is amazing that you have given out so much energy Jon, on this point, and really it should be framed!

There are other blood-thinning alternatives to aspirin such as vitamin 'E' and garlic, but that is condensing one particular health problem.

Overall, it is a question of whether you choose your body to be quenched in toxic drugs, with all the usual outcomes of degenerative diseases, or whether you choose to live your life without these ailments.

Ibuprofen is linked with promoting heart attacks by 50%!!

Pain killers are all very well if entirely necessary, but not on-going, which many peope seem to think is a natural way to live.

Ann

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I think it's worth pointing out that the things we medicate against with painkillers, i.e. temperature, pain, swelling, are a direct result of the attempts of the immune system to overcome whatever problem it is we are suffering from.

Take temperature for instance. The more basic components of our immune system release pyrogens at the site of infection or injury in an attempt to raise the temperature. This is to prevent colonisation by bugs and virii that thrive at normal body temperature. If you take paracetamol to counter this you will be significantly hampering your body's defence mechanism.

It's definitely worth sticking with the temperature and pain and avoiding painkillers if it's safe to do so.

Sarah

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