"Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well;...
and not today's pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man."
~James H. West

Lisa's Blog

Four Questions You Must Ask Your Doctor Before Taking Medication!

Lisa Vance - Saturday, August 22, 2009

Help! I don't want to take medication or drugs,
but I do want to do the responsible thing...
What do I need to ask my doctor?

So you have gone to see your doctor for a check up or because you have been experiencing pain or discomfort.  They send you off for some blood tests which come back with bad news for you!  All the "bad" things are too high and all the "good" things are too low! 

Help! What can you do now?  You are panicked, the doc says, unless we act fast and drastically there are going to be devastating consequences... and this implies death!  Some of them may even go as far as discussing the implications of your death, the responsibility you have as a parent: "What will happen to your children or your family if you die?!" 

The reality is they are right, often drastic action is needed.  Something has got to give and something has to change... but what?  Will taking a host of drugs REALLY fix the problem or address the root cause of the illness, disease, discomfort?  Will it make it better or will it make it go away? Or will it just mean that a few months or years down the line something else pops up that will then also need to be addressed... and may even be linked or caused by the initial course of chosen action?

If you have been diagnosed with "High Cholesterol" or "High Blood Pressure" or "Type II diabetes" or "Cancer" or "Depression" or some other common disease or popular label, that will feel pretty scary.  What you need to know is that there are many different ways to treat and "cure" (be devoid of symptoms and living a normal life) these, with varying degrees of success.  Different models will address different aspects of you all are important: some models may focus on your physical body, other "less mainstream" approaches include mental wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual wellbeing.  It is my opinion that all four are important and need to be addressed in varying degrees.

The four questions you need to ask your doctor before
agreeing to taking any drugs/medication


So you have been given a disease label.  What can you do next? As your doc discusses your treatment options, i.e. you need to take the following medication, I encourage you to ask four questions: (Remember: BRAN)
What are the Benefits?
What are the Risks?
What are the Alternatives?
What happens if I take Nothing?

I am not suggesting for a second that you should be irresponsible, many of these conditions are very serious, your body is communicating with you, it is saying: "Help, we have a problem!", and absolutely there is a time and place for medication.  What I am suggesting is that there are many solutions, for example there are natural alternatives and many positive lifestyle changes you could also be making that will bring you GREATER results and a HASTENED recovery and health worth celebrating.  Many of the solutions are SIMPLE!  (All that is required is a desire to feel, be, look different coupled with courage, discipline and commitment.)

They include: 
  • Eating whole fresh food most closely resembling it's natural form.  Get your copy of 23 Healthy Living Nutrition Tips.
  • Getting Regular exercise: Some fun exericise options.
  • Allowing yourself to get in touch with and experience your emotions, listen to yourself and what's important to you, taking time out to just be and connecting with God / Spirit.  There are lots of ways to do this including, meditation, contemplative prayer, yoga, pilates, love, belief, gratitude and praise.

We would love to hear your questions and comments and to help support you in any way we can. Ask us about alternatives you might be able to consider! Please post a comment or Contact Us.

Wishing you health worth celebrating!


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