https://www.amazon.com/American-Sick...rican+Sickness
This book looks really good!
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https://www.amazon.com/American-Sick...rican+Sickness
This book looks really good!
I haven't read the book but I am increasingly questioning everything medical. According to recent research more frequent than necessary pap smears likely contributed to my having unnecessary colposcopies and a LEEP and I have jacked up my risk of breast cancer with mammograms whose radiation induces hundreds of thousands of breast cancers. The recommendations post-colonoscopy were not to eat more fiber, but to eat more whole grains, when grains fuel food addictions with their weight gain and convert to deadly sugar. And physical therapy did nothing for my tendinitis, which recently came back because it's just an occupational hazard. I'm not keen on all the dental x-rays either and the push to fill cavities so miniscule they are hard to make out by drilling into 98% solid tooth. But doctors make money by procedures.
I've been a proponent of limited health care all my life, and I don't regret it. I've always said if I have uncontrollable bleeding, intractable pain, inability to breathe, or a fracture, I'll see a doctor. The countless procedures and drugs most old people get make plenty of money for the health "care" system (beside most of them being ineffective and/or harmful), and I'd prefer not to spend what's left of my life in doctors' waiting rooms.
Two more books that support my position are Undoctored and The Last Well Person. I'm sure there are others.
I agree. I think about all my octogenarian and nonagenarian elders who maybe took an aspirin a day but nothing else and were fully functioning up until the end. I'm not saying that no one needs some treatment for certain things, but it's interesting how it's normal for older people to take 7-8-9 pills a day, yet our life expectancy in this country is actually going down.Quote:
Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
MIL is 83 and as of this month is on 18 - yes - 18 prescriptions. Seems like half are to control the side effects of the main ones.
I will add it to my library wish list. Sounds interesting.
Over my experience I can't recall a medication or suggestion for surgery for minor ailments that felt like greed for big medicine or big pharma. My physician has said that people my age are normally starting down the spiraling cocktails of medications. Mostly for high blood pressure, cholesterol, or Type II diabetes. The range for healthy blood pressure and cholesterol seem like they are routinely being lowered and I suspect myself and many of us will have to decide whether to use medications to control those. Diabetes medications are sort of a no brainier as I think of it. Some of us get bad genetics, but for many of us these can be controlled with lifestyle changes. I wonder how many doctors "prescribe" exercise, weight lose, and diet changes before prescribing medications, and how many people would rather take a pill than change.
Where the medical industry has failed my elders is medical errors. Misdiagnosis, unnecessary and botched surgeries, and hospital related infections.
I read that people should never take more then between 4-6 meds. I only took an allergy pill until age 50 despite not being overweight and walking 4-6 miles/daily I developed extremely high blood pressure, a too fast and erratic heart rate and asthma. Over night I went from 1 pill a day to 4 pills, an inhaler for asthma meds and a rescue inhaler. I will not take pills for cholesterol and won't take one more thing. These I need to live. The cholesterol meds have never proven to make any difference in heart attacks, strokes, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
Thanks for the book recommendations! Will read them too!