Proof That We're Getting Screwed....

I had to take a little time to delve into the back pages of the major news organizations, but I finally found irrefutable proof that the profit motive is alive and well in determining many doctor's drug treatment recommendations and/or guidelines. This means that you, the health care consumer, had better take prescribed drug treatment programs with a grain of salt, at the very least.

"Meta-analysis combines the results of small studies and is often used to help interpret research and form treatment guidelines, but bias can creep in, a major US medical journal said Tuesday.
Information on funding and conflicts of interest by study authors who may have financial ties to drug companies are rarely disclosed in meta-analyses, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association........" continue reading

Stretching the Thoracic Spine

Put your pharmacist out of business! Here's a thoracic stretch I have been using this last year, utilizing a standard lat-pulldown machine at the gym. It has eliminated all pain and discomfort in this area. It's a great way to unlock the thoracic and lower cervical joints and open up the nerve pathways. Let's see your pills accomplish that! You may not be experiencing this yourself, but I was involved in a whiplash accident at the age of 9, and my back and neck have bothered me ever since, well into upper middle age, so this is a big deal to have complete relief in this area. I use 180 to 250 lbs. Exceed that weight and you risk an over-stretch of the spinal ligaments. A good rule of thumb is, your body weight+50 lbs=max weight. You want the angle to be about 15 degrees from vertical. Remember to anchor your thighs under the pads, and roll your shoulders back and forth under stretch, and shrug shoulders in towards your neck, for optimum release of the spinal joints. For an even better stretch, find a way to anchor your body just below the rib cage:

Thow Away Those Pain Pills!

Big Pharma News: 

Fleecing of America: This month, pregnant women using a popular drug to prevent premature labor could see the price per dose increase from $10 to $1,500. Almost overnight....continue article

Heath Ledger Effect: Combining drugs can turn deadly. One drug may alter another's breakdown rate or amplify its effects. "Even if some of the desired effects—such as pain relief—are synergistic...continue article