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American “Health” Booming

By On · Add Comment · In antidepressants, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dynamic Chiropractic, health care, medications, National Center for Health Statistics study, prescription drugs

I would love to share some interesting, if not telling, “health” statistics with you. Remember from an earlier post that most people in western society use the term health care to describe medical care, but I’ll let you decide how to define things. A big thank you to Don Petersen and Dynamic Chiropractic for alerting me to these numbers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics study published in September 2011, the percentage of Americans on prescription drugs in a given month has risen from 39.1 percent (1988-94) to 47.2 percent (2005-08). So nearly half of all Americans are on at least one prescription drug!

But wait! It gets better. In the U.S. as of 2008 (you can assume the numbers are even higher today), in any given month:

  • 20.8% of all people are on three or more prescription drugs.
  • 11 %  of all people are on five or more prescription drugs.
  • 25.3%  of children and teens (under the age of 18) are on at least one prescription drug.
  • 52.4%  of all women are on at least one prescription drug.
  • 90.1%  of seniors (ages 65 and older) are on at least one prescription drug.
  • 65%  of seniors are on three or more prescription drugs.
  • 36.7%  of seniors are on five or more prescription drugs.

Nice! And which drugs are Americans popping like Pez?

  • Children (under 12 years of age): asthma (5.7% of children are taking prescription drugs for this), asthma/allergies (3.9% of children), infections (3.7% of children).
  • Teens (ages 12-19): attention deficit disorder (6.1%), asthma (5.4%), antidepressants (4.8%).
  • Adults (ages 20-59): antidepressants (10.8%), pain relief (10.1%), cholesterol-lowering drugs (8.4%).
  • Seniors (60+ years): cholesterol-lowering drugs (44.9%), beta-blockers (26.4%), diuretics (19.9%).
But wait! It gets better. As Don Petersen points out in his article,

“Common over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen (paracetamol) have been found to increase the risk of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are associated with erectile dysfunction. Early antibiotic use increases the risk of asthma and allergies in children. Antidepressants are associated with an increased risk of stroke. For children and adolescents, 90 percent of office visits are ‘associated with unapproved usage of antidepressant medication.’

Finally, a recent study found that expectant mothers who take antidepressants within the year before their babies are born increase the likelihood that the babies will be born with autism. The study found that the risk of a baby being born autistic more than doubled if the mother took antidepressants within a year of the child’s birth. For those mothers who took antidepressants during their first trimester of pregnancy, their babies were almost four times more likely to be born autistic compared to babies of mothers who did not take antidepressants.”

A couple of thoughts before directing you to Don Petersen’s Dynamic Chiropractic video explaining these recent findings. First, let me address the bright side: There are still ~10% of older Americans  (ages 65 and older) on NO drugs! That’s a darn-near miracle considering the massive pressure older people are on to take medications from their doctors, the mass media propaganda, and the inevitable aches, pains and illnesses they encounter (like we all do).

Second, although about half of all Americans are on one medication or another, half are not. Yes, I believe that medications are useful and necessary under certain circumstances, but these numbers tell me that either Americans are sicker than ever before in history (a distinct possibility considering the foods they routinely eat, the amount of soda they ingest, and how many drugs they currently take), OR they are just so indoctrinated by the the medical “health” paradigm that to the American psyche this is health.

In any case, 50% of all Americans are drug free in any given month, so they are experiencing, and hopefully, caring for their health. I guess in today’s pharmaceutical climate that’s something to be grateful for. Watch the video below to get more of an understanding on the current medication stats–forgive me, health stats–for Americans in 2012.

Sleeping Pills: They’re Killers

By On · Add Comment · In benzodiazepines, cancer, death, medications, rhythmic sleep patterns, sleep disorders, sleeping pills, Xanax

Bad news for seekers of sleep-help: Sleeping pills increase the risk of death, and the risk of developing cancer. A new study discloses that regular users of sleeping pills are four more times likely to die than people who don’t take them, not a good thing considering 5-10% of the U.S. adult population is said to be taking pharmaceutical sleep aids.

Sleeping pills that were linked to these risks included benzodiazepines such as temazepam or Xanax; non-benzodiazepines such as Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone) and Sonata (zaleplon); barbiturates; and sedative antihistamines.

According to the study, which looked at over 10,500 people, people who were prescribed up to 18 doses of sleeping pills a year were 3.6 times more likely to die than their counterparts who were prescribed none. And those prescribed between 18-132 doses were more than four times as likely to die. People  taking more than 132 doses a year had five times the risk of dying compared to those prescribed none. This was true regardless of age, but risks were highest among those individuals aged 18 to 55. Dang!

To add insult to injury, those people taking the highest doses of sleeping pills had the highest risk of developing cancers, including those of the esophagus, white blood cells, lung, colon and prostate. Although many potential explanations exist for the increases in cancers, preexisting health conditions was not one of them, leading one to conclude that the association to sleeping pills is meaningful.

Saying that, causation was not found in this study, only that there was an association between taking sleeping pills and increased cancers and death. In other words, it is not definite that the cancers and deaths were caused by the sleeping pills themselves. Equally likely is that people on the verge of either illness or death might have a disrupted enough sleep to warrant help. In fact, sleep problems are often the first to appear in medical or psychological conditions.

Dr. Daniel Kripke of the Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center, in La Jolla, CA and lead author of the study feels pretty strongly about the results, “For the particular sleeping pills studied, I do not see any time I would prescribe them.”

Other doctors disagree. For example, one Dr. Victor Fornari, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Zucker Hillside Hospital of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Manhasset, N.Y. says,

“These are safe and effective medications when prescribed by a physician as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Don’t stop taking these medications if you feel that you need them and are taking them with a doctor’s prescription, but be mindful that they shouldn’t be taken frivolously and there are alternatives such as avoiding napping, getting proper exercise, eliminating caffeine and doing other the kinds of things that improve sleep hygiene.”

Good points and good advice from both doctors. Here’s the bottom line: Sleeping pills, like all drugs, have their usefulness. Chronic use, however, is a problem. If you need sleep aids to fall asleep most nights, then something else is going on. And let’s not forget how habit forming these drugs can be–the more you take, the more you gotta take, an so on.

If you are having problems sleeping, do what the good doctor Forni suggests: exercise, eat well, reduce caffeine, avoid naps…but most importantly, keep a rhythm. Nothing in my books leads to sleep disorders faster than an erratic sleep schedule. Do yourself a favor, focus on good sleep patterns and get the rest you need for healthy mind and body. And stay away from the sleeping pills–they’re killers.

ER Visits Down Following Children’s Cold Medicine Removal

By On · Add Comment · In accidental overdoses, bad reactions, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children, cough and cold medicines, Food and Drug Administration's (FDA), medications

Big “No duh!” at the latest reports that pulling cough and cold medicines led to a significant drop in children’s ER visits resulting from bad reactions to the drugs.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which led the study, ER visits for children dropped by more than half–from 2,790 visits to 1,248–following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) warning against using the medication.

In 2007, manufacturers of cough and cold medicines voluntarily withdrew their products, mostly syrups, following complaints from pediatricians that the medications don’t work in young kids and posed a safety risk because of accidental overdoses causing extreme drowsiness, increased heart rate and even some deaths.

For the study, CDC researchers compared nonfatal ER visits in children younger than 2 with bad reactions to cough and cold medicines in the 14 months before the withdrawal and in the 14 months afterward.

On the down side, two-thirds of children’s ER visits, both before and after the withdrawal, resulted from children taking medications on their own.  It is likely due to parents having not thrown out old medications and possibly leaving them easily accessible.

According to one ER physician at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, Dr. Elizabeth Powell, many parents felt helpless following the removal of cough and cold meds from drugstore’s shelves.  Powell states that it is not uncommon for parents to bring babies with stuffy noses and other cold symptoms to the ER for help, but that there isn’t much that can done for them there.

Sigh…parents, let your kids fight off their colds on their own.  Can’t we just resist the temptation to save our kids from any and every discomfort they encounter?  Geez.  Try, at least.  This is where our parents had it wayyyyy above us–they didn’t have a crutch for every challenge thrown into their laps.  When we got sick–bed, soup, TV, mama–that was it.

Next time you find yourself jonesing for the Robitussin for junior, think back to the time when you were walking to school barefoot in the snow…uphill both ways.  That’ll remind you that you did just fine without cough and cold medicine.  Your kids’ will, too.  Promise.

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Actor Cory Haim Dead at 38

By On · Add Comment · In actor, Cory Haim, drug abuse, drugs, Hollywood, Lost Boys, medications, overdose, sedatives, stimulants

Actor Corey Haim has died at 38. The Lost Boys actor woke up this morning feeling a little weak; as he got out of bed he dropped to his knees. Paramedics took him to St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank where he was pronounced dead.

Although the cause of death is, as of yet, unknown, I suspect drugs were a part of the equation. Haim, a self-reported life-long addict, was taking over-the-counter and prescription medications to battle “flu-like” symptoms. Whether or not drugs shut him down directly by overdose, or the long-term use just weakened him enough to make him succumb to an opportunistic disease, I don’t know; but somewhere drugs played a part–of that I am certain.

Haim discussed his drug abuse with a British tabloid in 2004. “I was working on ‘Lost Boys’ when I smoked my first joint,” he told The Sun. “I did cocaine for about a year and a half, then it led to crack.”

He said that he went into rehab where they put him on a see-saw regimen of stimulants and sedatives. Nice. That’s wisdom.

“I started on the downers, which were a hell of a lot better than the uppers because I was a nervous wreck,” he said.

Drug use, Haim admitted, ruined his acting career and it caused other problems, as well. In 1997, Haim filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing debts for medical expenses and more than $200,000 in state and federal taxes.

In a 2007 interview on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” Haim called himself “a chronic relapser for the rest of my life.”

Self-fulfilling prophesy? Mmmhmm. We’ll wait for the coroner’s report, but I think drugs–prescription along with recreational–have claimed another Hollywood life.

How Drugs Reshape the Nervous System

By On · Add Comment · In drug tolerance, drugs, medications, nervous system, Second Chance--Break Free From Addiction


In this clip I talk about how drugs are neutralized and removed from the body. That process, like all processes–including physical stresses, pleasures, thoughts, ideas, experiences–have a shaping effect on the nervous system. Drugs (this includes the “good” drugs your doctor gives you) and alcohol, then, reshape your nervous system in a way that leads to drug tolerance, which essentially means you need more and more to get the desired effects (getting high, pain relief, loss of anxiety, sleep, whatever). No such thing as “minor effect’ for this reason. Doesn’t mean people shouldn’t take medications–they are useful and necessary at the right time–but they are definitely not benign. And this clip shows why.

Please visit the Second Chance–Break Free From Addiction website if you or a loved one are struggling with drug addiction.

Fall Asleep

By On · Add Comment · In bodywork, chiropractor, elderly, exercise, falls, health, medications, meditation, sleep, women

You know how I feel about adequate sleep–I think it’s absolutely crucial. Not only does getting a proper amount do amazing things for your health, but not getting enough can be simply disastrous. Check out the latest findings from the California Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco: Women over 70 who get less than adequate sleep are more likely to fall; and falls cause fractures as well as some deaths.

According to the study, which followed 3,000 women over 7o for a number of years, women who slept no more than five hours per night were at the greatest risk of falling and seriously hurting themselves. They were, in fact, likely to have two or more falls a year. Women who slept between five and seven hours were the next most likely to fall, and they did 40% more than the best rested. The women who slept the most, over seven hours, had the least risk of falling.

Although the study looked at women solely, it is by no means a female phenomenon. Men are at the same types of risk when not rested, and in light of the numbers of older people falling every year, it’s something to think about. Many people have trouble sleeping that’s for sure. Every reason to take up regular exercise, meditation and get some regular bodywork in. Each one of these practices should help regulate the natural sleep cycle. And I also think very highly of melatonin supplementation. No, it’s not going to work immediately over night, but try it for a few weeks or months and I’ll bet it helps.

There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep, so if you aren’t getting yours it would be wise to make changes, no matter what your age. And if you are having sleep difficulties, speak to your doctor about any medications you are taking that might be contributing. Otherwise go to the gym, stay away from stimulants (coffee, cocaine) close to bedtime, meditate twice a day, and visit your local chiropractor–she might be able to help–and you should be catching proper z’s in no time. And when you finally do, you’ll find that your balance is as steady as a rock.

Gastroenteritis–My Bout With Stomach Flu

By On · Add Comment · In cramping, cramps, gastroenteritis, medications, Motrin, spasms, stomach flu, toxins, viral, virus

Well, 2008 has started with a bang! Just not the one I’d been hoping for. As I was shaking off the blow of a serious tooth infection, and a subsequent root canal, I got nailed with the stomach flu–gastroenteritis to be exact–and I’m only just starting to feel my old raucous self today.

Gastroenteritis is often called the stomach flu, although it’s nothing like the regular flu–no fever, no body aches or pains, none of that stuff. What is was, however, was a lot of stomach ache–cramping, crippling spasms that had me boweled over in pain for about 48 hours. Many things can cause gastroenteritis–bacteria, viruses, toxins, medications, some other things. I think mine was probably viral, but it could have also been from taking Motrin; I was taking 2,400 mg a day for the toothache I was enjoying.

Either way, I stopped taking the meds on Friday, immediately following my first hit of flu. I also stopped drinking coffee and pretty much eating all together. If, in spite of my haze, I am remembering all the details correctly, I think I couldn’t even stomach water; I was helpless. But did it ever make me find religion. Please Oh Mighty Isis. Make it stop, please. Nicky be good boy. Nicky be good boy…

Once again I have to say, being sick is a part of life. You can get depressed about it (it’s easy, really), or you can just see it as a time to take care of yourself–rest, relax, catch up on paperwork, and even on those missed episodes of Real Housewives of Orange County (right PB?). There’s no such thing as 100% health, 100% of the time; and living in that illusion is the quickest way to frustration and/or depression. We all get sick. Bless it, use it to your advantage, and rest up. There’s plenty of life to be lived tomorrow.

Rip Van Winkle It Ain’t

By On · Add Comment · In exercise, medications, meditation, mental chatter, non-drug alternatives, pain, pain management, sleep, sleep disorders

Wanna guess what’s a huge quality of life issue for the elderly–not getting enough sleep. I know, I know, no surprises here, but my question is: does it have to be? According to a recent study published in The American Journal of Medicine, more than 50% of older Americans get less sleep than they need.

Dr. Harrison G. Bloom, a senior associate at the International Longevity Center-USA and associate clinical professor of geriatrics and medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City says that “Sleep problems and sleep disorders are not an inherent part of aging (emphasis mine).” So something else is going on that’s keeping our older generations from getting the rest they need. I believe that sleep disorders in the elderly are primarily from three things:

  • Pain–many older people are suffering from chronic aches and pains. If they are seeing a typical medical physician, then they are probably getting plenty of pain pills, anti-inflammatories, and some good ol’ fashioned sleeping pills. However, none of these things actually helps remove the pain. Duh! No wonder they can’t sleep.
  • Multiple medications–many older folk are on more meds than they can count on both hands. Shame, shame American health care system. Check the side effects of any meds you’ve got lying around; I’ll bet $100 that 50% of them have insomnia as one of their potentials.
  • Charged mental chatter–this is the stuff that plagues all of us; however, older people often have more worries, therefore, less sleep.

So to answer the question: Does it have to be this way? The answer is NO. Older people can benefit from many of the same things younger people benefit from:

  • regular exercise
  • wholesome diets
  • pain management–or even better, a solution–see a chiropractor
  • mental exercises–reading, puzzles, mathematics, learning something new
  • mental balance–dissolve the charges (read my upcoming book to find out how)
  • meditation
  • find non-drug alternatives

The final entry above can only be accomplished by taking impeccable care of oneself. Really, everyone, you need to get a copy of The Six Keys To Optimal Health; it’ll show you the way.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Nick Campos - All Rights Reserved.