Must See Documentary-Making A Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging Video

****CLICK TO VIEW DOCUMENTARY****

A Must see video documentary that I saw the other night.... Mind blowing.  Even although this video is discussing psychiatric treatments and not related to digestive issues, when you watch the video, look deeper at how our system works.  Listen to what these experts say about the FDA. It gives a lot of insight into the goals of drug companies, the FDA and what their interests are.  Do they care about the safety of drugs?
Medicine, all fields of medicine, are not interested with finding the underlying issues of diseases and treating the root cause.  Medicine in our country, MANAGE diseases

If any of you reading this take psychiatric medications, or even if you have a friend or family member who takes meds for the treatment of a mental illness of any kind, you MUST watch this video.  I suggest that even if you have no interest in the area of psychotropic drugs or mental illness, watch the video anyway. This video exposes the integrity of the FDA and that integrity exists equally for all areas of medicine and for all medications the FDA must approve as a "safe" treatment option.

It's a long video, but trust me, you will not be bored.  It will clarify issues that maybe you've questioned in the past or maybe wonder about today.  I will also add a link to this video on my side panel.
I hope you guys take the time out of your day, when you can to watch this. Feel free to post your thoughts and opinions.  

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/making-a-killing-the-untold-story-of-psychotropic-drugging/

Video Description:  Psychotropic drugs. It’s the story of big money-drugs that fuel a $330 billion psychiatric industry, without a single cure.

The cost in human terms is even greater-these drugs now kill an estimated 42,000 people every year.

And the death count keeps rising. Containing more than 175 interviews with lawyers, mental health experts, the families of victims and the survivors themselves, this riveting documentary rips the mask off psychotropic drugging and exposes a brutal but well-entrenched money-making machine.

Before these drugs were introduced in the market, people who had these conditions would not have been given any drugs at all.

So it is the branding of a disease and it is the branding of a drug for a treatment of a disease that did not exist before the industry made the disease.

Dramatic Increase In Food Allergies - Especially for Children

This article isn't encouraging at all.  We've been seeing food intolerances increase steadily over the years.  More children cannot tolerate certain foods and there's more kids that are suffering from immune system diseases than ever before.  
My fathers' generation have low numbers of people experiencing these problems.  My generation is were the obvious increase in lactose and gluten intolerances began and not much was done about it.  I was 16 when I became lactose intolerant.  A few people had this problem around the time that I started having problems with dairy.  Now it's common and expected among children and teens.  


Go organic and grow your own veggies/herbs.  No boxed foods and fast foods.  It will end up costing a lot more to eat this way, but worth it and necessary to be in good health.

Food Allergies Among Children Dramatically on the Rise

Childhood food allergies are apparently much more common in America than previously believed. A clinical study, recently published in the journal Pediatrics, found that about eight percent of children under the age of 18, almost 6 million, suffer from one or more food allergies. The numbers are twice as high as the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2007, which showed a rate of just under four percent, or about three million kids.

The new findings came from online interviews that included 40,000 households all over the United States. Participants were recruited through random telephone calls. Based on the information gathered from the survey, experts now believe that allergies among the young, including food allergies, are dramatically on the rise.

“Based on our data, about one in 13 children has a food allergy,“ says Dr. Ruchi Gupta, assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and lead author of the report. “What’s more, nearly two out of every five affected children suffer from a severe food allergy. For these children, accidental ingestion of an allergenic food may lead to difficulty breathing, a sharp drop in blood pressure, and even death.”

Dr. Gupta, who also works as a pediatrician at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, acknowledges that her study provides only a snapshot of the prevalence of food allergies in America today and does not track developments over time. Still, she says, “eight percent is a pretty significant amount. […] We are seeing a lot more cases in schools than we used to see. It does seem that food allergy is on the rise.”

The CDC estimates that eight types of foods are responsible for 90 percent of all food allergies in children. They are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

Allergy is a condition that occurs when a person’s immune system is hypersensitive or over-reactive. Ordinarily, the human immune system has the ability to distinguish between harmless substances in the environment and potentially harmful agents, such as viruses and bacteria. For a person with allergies, however, the immune system reacts swiftly and with great intensity to substances that are not dangerous as if they were. So, when an individual who has certain allergies eats, touches or inhales an allergen (a foreign substance he or she is allergic to), the immune system mistakenly responds with an all-out counterattack.

Many experts believe that the tendency to develop allergies is primarily hereditary. However, in addition to genetic traits, long-term exposure to certain health hazards in the environment, such as tobacco smoke, pesticides and other pollutants, can provoke allergic reactions. So can emotional factors and other stressors.

People who suffer from food intolerances are not necessarily allergic to these foods. The symptoms can be similar, but with intolerance the physical reactions are usually due to problems with digestion. For instance, people with lactose intolerance are unable to produce enough of a digestive enzyme needed to break down milk sugar. They are lactose intolerant, but the immune system is not involved in the resulting digestive distress.

There can be conditions, however, where food intolerances and allergies sort of overlap. Celiac disease, for example, generates an abnormal immune response to foods containing gluten, like wheat and some grain products. Despite of this, celiac disease is classified as a food intolerance, although it is triggered by autoimmune activity.

Another difference between food intolerances and allergies is that the symptoms of intolerances generally intensify with age, while those of allergies get worse with exposure.

Allergies should not be taken lightly, especially when children are affected. Possible reactions range from mild to severe. They include swelling of lips and face, hives, itching, flushing or eczema flare. The severest cases, known as anaphylaxis, are potentially life-threatening. Symptoms include wheezing, trouble breathing, vomiting, persistent coughing and dangerous swelling of the airways.

“Especially for kids with multiple food allergies, it complicates their lives and makes it really tough on these kids to avoid multiple foods to stay healthy and stay alive,” says Dr. Gupta.

Parents of children with serious food allergies are urged to always carry antihistamine as well as an epinephrine shot (EpiPen) with them. The most effective measure people can take against allergic reactions is avoidance. That means paying close attention to ingredient labels, taking precautions when eating at restaurants and bringing along one’s own food if safe alternatives are unavailable.

Many children outgrow their allergies or tolerate them better as they grow older, including those against milk, eggs and wheat, while peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish often remain a lifetime threat.

Timi Gustafson R.D. is a clinical dietitian and author of  “The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun™,” which is available on her blog  http://www.timigustafson.com and at amazon.com. Her latest book, “Kids Love Healthy Foods™” is now available in e-book format, also at www.amazon.com

Crohns & Colitis Movie Trailer

Probiotics - Tested for Label Accuracy - surprising findings by ConsumerLabs.com

A Brief Probiotic Overview

This is a printout that I received from my nutritionist that she printed from the Consumer Labs website.  I do not have access to this site  and found this info helpful with choosing the Probiotics right for you.  So, sorry for the small print due to having to copy this info.  Hope it's readable and not too small.  If you can't read it, contact me and i'll e-mail you the original file.

The amount of Probiotic bacteria in the caps which is stated on the label by the manufacturer, is not the correct amount for most of the products tested.  How disappointing.  

Some of these products only provided 10% or 13% of the listed amount.  

PROBIOTICS TESTED FOR ACTUAL AMOUNT IN EACH CAPSULE

Permanent Optic Nerve Damage--> Thanks to Humira (aka Biologic Bull****)

I should probably create a page (when I make pages) that's titles "Lawsuits Due to Biologic Treatments".  This is like the 4th or 5th article i've posted in regards to biologic drugs producing long-term damage to someone.

The last paragraph of this article gets me.   "...Abbott downplayed the risk of Humira side effects, including the risk of Central Nervous System (CNS) demyelination, which can cause optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis or other nerve problems."  These aren't minor side-effects like dry mouth, these conditions will impact your life dramatically and forever.


 I wonder what other health risks Abbott Labs have downplayed.  Adding the nerve damage issues would just be a few more health problems that you risk developing by treatment with these biologic meds.  LOL when the freaking side-effect profile lists almost 100 possible negative consequences that may happen to you if your lucky, what's 105.  People must really be desensitized OR maybe patients trust their doctor and are completely clueless.  Unfortunately, to know all the important details of something, requires effort on your part.  You have to do your own research - Trust no one
___________________________________________________________


Vision Problems from Humira Result in Lawsuit Over Optic Nerve Damage - AboutLawsuits.com

Abbott Laboratories faces a product liability lawsuit over Humira, their blockbuster arthritis and Crohn’s Disease drug, which was filed by a woman who alleges that she has developed optic nerve damage and permanent vision problems from Humira.

The Humira lawsuit was filed by Jamie Bixby in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 20, 2011.

Bixby alleges that side effects of Humira caused her to develop optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve that has left her with permanent impairment to vision in her left eye and a future risk of other nerve problems, including multiple sclerosis or loss of vision in her other eye.

Humira (adalimumab) is a “biologic” drug, which is part of a class of medications known as TNF blockers or tumor necrosis factor blockers. The medication was launched by Abbott Laboratories in 2003 for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but was subsequently approved for other indications, including treatment of Crohn’s Disease.

According to allegations raised in the complaint, Abbott downplayed the potential risk of Humira vision problems, despite the fact that information was available to establish notice that the drug may increase the risk of optic neuritis and other nerve damage from central nervous system (CNS) demyelination.

Bixby began using Humira in April 2008 for treatment of Crohn’s Disease, after her doctor suggested that the medication may be a better option than the long-term use of the steroid prednisone, which had been managing her symptoms. No warnings were provided on the drug label or prescription information that Humira may cause permanent damage to her vision at the time she began taking the medication.

In May 2008, Bixby indicates that she began experiencing severe headaches and pain in her left eye, which led her to call the toll free number provided with her Humira packet to ask if the problems may be related to the use of Humira. According to allegations contained in the complaint, Abbott’s nurse told her that eye pain was not related to Humira and suggested she contact her physician.

When Bixby contacted her doctor, she was told by the doctor’s office that they were unaware that eye problems were a known issue with Humira and scheduled an appointment for the following week. However, the next day Bixby noticed that the vision in her left eye became blurry with blacked out areas, causing her to leave work and seek immediate medical attention at an eye clinic.

Bixby was diagnosed with optic neuritis from Humira in both eyes, though she only experienced vision problems in her left eye. Following her diagnosis, Bixby was admitted for inpatient treatment to receive 4 days of intravenous steroids.

“Unfortunately, because Abbott had not adequately warned Ms. Bixby or her physician about the risk of optic neuritis, the diagnosis and treatment came too late to prevent permanent vision impairment for Ms. Bixby,” the complaint states.

Bixby previously worked as a web designer, and claims that she continues to suffer from headaches and eye pain that impact her ability to look at a computer screen for significant periods of time. She also continues to suffer blurry vision and black holes in the vision from her left eye, and has extreme light sensitivity and changes to her depth perception that affect her ability to drive or ride a bike.

Plaintiff alleges that Abbott downplayed the risk of Humira side effects, including the risk of Central Nervous System (CNS) demyelination, which can cause optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis or other nerve problems.

Generic Biological Drugs Coming-Awww, what a drag for Abbott, J&J, Amgen Inc.

Biological Drugs = The most costly drugs in the world.... Here's some good news though

Healthcare law to allow generic versions of biotech drugs

The development of 'biogenerics' is expected to put the brakes on the profit bonanza from such drugs as Abbott Laboratories' Humira.

By Bruce Japsen

June 2, 2011

In 2001, Abbott Laboratories spent nearly $7 billion on the biggest acquisition in the company's 123-year history, primarily to get access to one drug: Humira.

Since then, the North Chicago drug giant has raked in more than $24 billion in sales from Humira, a pricey medicine derived from human cells and used to treat a variety of autoimmune diseases. This year, Humira is forecast to have its biggest year ever, with some analysts projecting more than $7 billion in sales.

But the national healthcare law is intended to put the brakes on the profit bonanza from Humira, as well as many other biotechnology drugs, by opening up the sector to generic competition. That will make biotech drugs — also known as biologics, which are innovative treatments derived from living cells — affordable to more consumers.

Many patents on some top-selling biotech drugs will start to expire in the next few years. But when "biosimilars" or "biogenerics" will be available to U.S. consumers is unclear. The Food and Drug Administration is working on guidance on how the approval for this class of generic drugs will work.

"Biotech drugs are among the world's most expensive," said Sidney Wolfe, director of the health research group at Public Citizen, a consumer watchdog of the healthcare industry. "They have been good, but they have been expensive, so it is extraordinarily important to get biogenerics as quickly as possible."

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama in March 2010, clears a path for the FDA to approve generic forms of biotech drugs. Biogenerics have been unavailable in the U.S. because they were not part of the 1984 landmark Hatch-Waxman Act, which allowed for cheaper generic versions of chemically derived drugs.

Thanks to the 1984 law, consumers have access to generic versions of many blockbuster treatments, including the cholesterol drug Zocor and the antidepressant Prozac, which can cost $3 to $5 a day. The generic forms of those drugs typically cost pennies a day.

But biotech drugs weren't developed until the 1980s, when technology cleared the way for geneticengineering on DNA, allowing drug companies to rake in huge profits from this relatively new class of treatments.

Humira is a monoclonal antibody, hailed for its ability to work like a smart bomb because of its ability to precisely attack disease cells. Abbott says more than 500,000 people worldwide are taking Humira to battle a variety of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis, often halting progression of the condition.

But the innovation has come with a price. Humira costs patients, their employers and health insurance companies about $20,000 for one year of treatment. Doctors say costs can run higher depending on the patient and dosage needed.

The anti-anemia drug Epogen can cost more than $10,000 a year per patient, and biologic medicines for cancer and other life-threatening diseases can cost tens of thousands, sometimes more than $100,000 a year.

Although biotech drugs are very expensive for consumers, they can pay off for drug companies.

When Abbott engineered its $6.9-billion acquisition of Knoll Pharmaceuticals, which developed Humira, Wall Street analysts and investors thought the company spent too much. The drug industry at the time often touted the cost of researching and developing one drug at $800 million or more.

Knoll provided Abbott with a host of products, including the popular thyroid treatment Synthroid and the diet drug Meridia, which had a few years of good sales before the FDA requested that the company take it off the market because of heart risks. When Abbott bought Knoll in 2001, which was before Humira won FDA approval, Knoll was generating about $2 billion in sales.

"They have more than recouped their investment," Wolfe said of Abbott.

Miles White, Abbott's chairman and chief executive, recently indicated that Humira would continue to be a blockbuster, given that its first patents don't expire for another five years.

"Humira has been a phenomenally successful product with application in a lot of different disease categories," White said at the company's annual shareholder meeting. "Humira's got long legs, out until about at least 2016, when its first patents begin to expire."

White is banking on all of the FDA-approved indications for Humira, which has held up against competition from rival rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's treatments derived from biotechnology, such as Johnson & Johnson's Remicade and Amgen Inc.'s Enbrel. The patent for Remicade also is expected to expire in the next few years.

"It is yet unclear what kind of competition we'll experience from biosimilars or the equivalent of generics at some point later in time," White said. "So I think some of the concern about Humira is exaggerated and overblown."

One primary obstacle that could delay entry of a Humira rival lies with the FDA. The agency said it was continuing to work on the regulatory review process, which will require clinical trials, unlike the process used to approve generic copies derived from chemicals.

Neither Abbott nor the FDA is aware of a company that has begun to work on a biosimilar version of Humira, but some companies are starting clinical trials of biosimilars of other drugs. Lake Forest, Ill.-based Hospira Inc., for example, is selling a biogeneric of Epogen in Europe and last year began clinical trials in 20 U.S. hemodialysis centers.

Some analysts think it will be difficult for companies to replicate biologics as easily as pills and capsules derived from chemicals. Biologics are more complex to make, and there are not enough makers to drive prices down to the 60% to 80% discounts that are common among chemically derived pills and capsules, some analysts say.

"When Humira loses patent protection in 2016, it may become an albatross similar to Pfizer's Lipitor,"Morningstar Inc. analyst Damien Conover said in a recent report, referring to the generic competition that Pfizer's cholesterol pill faces in November. "However, since we believe the drug's biologic composition will dilute the impact of generic competition, we project an immediate sales decline of 20% following the patent loss, instead of the typical 80% crash."

The Body-rejects medicine, non-tolerant of food, flares sporadically=MY BODY

FRAGILE, BREAKABLE,VULNERABLE, EASILY DISTURBED.     CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL.  
FYI - I PREFER AMY.  TRUST ME, I DON'T LIKE IT EITHER

I'm sick of searching and searching, always looking for something.  This is my cycle living with the Crohn with a mind of it's own!  It's a stubborn disease and is very hard to determine what actually brought on pain, increase in symptoms or even a flare.  It's all about trial and error.
I must say, you'll experience a lot more errors and it can change it's mind at any time (always have to keep that in mind)
Today, I'm sorry I'm negative and bitchin.   I should be starting the day with a  better attitude,and I will after I'm done ranting.
My hope was crushed again! I think I had a negative reaction to the LDN I started taking a little over a month ago.  My fragile body was accepting the ldn and it was helping me!!  I haven't taken the ldn in over a week because I don't want to be alone when I take it , just in case... ya never know. I also dont want to take another trip to the ER again, Oh.... & I'd like a doctor to oversee & prescribe LDN  for me.  Not  have all these clueless doctors.  I'm just frustrated w/ searching, finding, flopping, repeat  GRRRRRR.

I'm still hopeful and have faith that things will turn out positive, eventually.  Till then, I just need to shut the F up and get reading.      I think i'll get on that :)

Treat Depression the Natural Way - Article by Jini Patel Thompson

I thought this was a great article by Jini, and an article that we could all benefit from reading.  If you don't suffer directly from depression, anxiety ect., I'm sure most of you know someone who does have some sort of mental health issue that effects the persons' overall wellbeing.  (Pass this along to them.)  

So many people are in the dark about homeopathic therapies, ways to heal naturally, because there is such a strong push to conform to conventional standards of care.  Our country has basically told us that this little blue pill is a better treatment option than this green plant.  We need to simplify things and take a few steps back.

Back to my point..... I know that for me, living with Crohn's Disease and dealing with the everyday IN YOUR FACE symptoms of the illness, has taken a toll on my life.  I'm more stressed than ever before, I often get down about the restrictions I'm faced with on a daily basis, the fatigue, the strains the disease puts on my relationships.... There are so many more obstacles I could mention, but no need to remind myself.  

Does anyone hear me on this one?? Yep

I also want to add that I'm interested and support ways to rid the body of illnesses by using the natural fundamentals that God has provided us with to maintain good health and to heal ailments safely.  With an organic plant, or minerals in their purest form, there's no need to worry about adverse effects and possible reactions that occur with taking man made drugs.  They are safe, not toxic!  So what treatment option would you choose?  

Enjoy this article and visit Jini's site for more articles on other natural treatments.  

Natural Treatment for Depression                    By Jini Patel Thompson

Many people with IBD and IBS are also on prescription antidepressants, either prior to their intestinal diagnosis, or, because of it! Sometimes it’s overwhelmingly difficult to deal with the restrictions these illnesses place on your life, your relationships, your desires, your body, your plans, etc,

However, this is not a good idea, because aside from numerous other damaging side effects, many antidepressants also create an alkaline pH in the digestive system. This causes ongoing damage to your gut since good bacteria need an acidic pH to survive and colonize properly. However, Candida albicans (yeast) and other pathogenic microorganisms love an alkaline pH.

Therefore, taking a prescription antidepressant can often exacerbate your IBS or IBD. Be sure and check the list of possible side effects too, as one medication I checked for a consultation client (Zoloft) listed Gastroenteritis as a side-effect and Colitis as a “rare” side-effect. She had developed Colitis after taking this medication (no gut problems previously) and every doctor she suggested the connection to scoffed at her – so don’t rely on your doctor to read or know the pharmaceutical printout for the drugs he/she prescribes.

The good news is the following article outlines a very effective natural treatment protocol for depression. To tailor this supplement regimen for people with IBD and IBS, I recommend the following modifications:

1. Make sure the Vit.C you take is in mineral ascorbate form only (not ascorbic acid). Calcium ascorbate is a good form of Vit.C.

2. Experiment with the magnesium dosage recommended, if it causes you diarrhea, just reduce it or use magnesium in transdermal form (applied to the skin) or angstrom-sized. See my Holistic Health Shoppe for the brands of magnesium I recommend.

3. Do not ingest soy protein as it depresses thyroid function and prevents the absorption of key minerals – see Ch.3 of Listen To Your Gut for all the details on why. Fermented soy, like soy sauce and miso are fine though.

4. Visit my Holistic Health Shoppe to see my recommendations for a multivitamin and B vitamins that do not contain any aggravating ingredients. Remember to check all of your supplements against the list given on pg. 54 of “Listen To Your Gut” to make sure they do not contain any aggravating ingredients. The most common problem ingredients for people with IBD or IBS are:

- MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)
- Vit. C in ASCORBIC ACID form (mineral ascorbate form is fine)
- too much magnesium or a non-absorbable form
- bacterial soil organisms (HSO’s, SBO’s, etc.)
- Betaine HCL

Okay, now on to the article…

MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT THAT WORKS
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, October 7, 2005

(OMNS) Doctors report that mental health problems including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, anti-social and learning disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders often have a common cause: insufficient nutrients in the brain. Nutritionally-oriented physicians assert that the cure for these problems is to give the body the extra nutrients it needs, especially when under abnormal stress.

Orthomolecular medical researchers say the future of psychiatry is in nutrition because nutrition has such a long, safe and effective history of correcting many mental problems. Nutrients such as the B-vitamins are most successful when taken regularly, taken in relatively high doses, and taken in conjunction with vitamin C, the essential fatty acids (EFA’s), and the minerals magnesium and selenium.

A summary of what has worked for many people follows below. The safety of vitamins and minerals is extraordinary, and the expense of trying them is much less than the cost of hazardous pharmaceutical drugs. These nutrients can be purchased in a discount or heath store.

Taking 1,000 mg of vitamin B-3 three times a day often cures mild to moderate depression. Dramatic results are often achieved within one week of beginning this nutritional program, especially in alcoholics. (1)

Sometimes a simple deficiency of vitamin D causes depression. 3,000 I.U./day from all sources can alleviate the problem. (2) 3,000 mg/day or more of niacin (vitamin B-3), along with the same quantity of vitamin C, taken in divided doses throughout the day can successfully treat both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. (3)

Vitamins B-3, B-6, C and the minerals magnesium and zinc frequently produce a good response in ADHD and autistic children. (4)

Vitamins B-6, folate, and B-12 taken together lower elevated homocysteine levels in the elderly while improving mental function. (5)

As pointed out by chemistry professor and vitamin discoverer Roger J. Williams, PhD (6), each individual has different nutritional needs and responds differently to nutrients. Are you tired of being depressed, suffering from anxiety, paying huge prescription drug bills for unsafe prescriptions that don’t solve the problem or produce undesirable side effects? Are you tired of the piece-meal trial and error approach to finding a solution to your mental or emotional problems? If so, adults should consider the following nutritional protocol, which will bathe your brain and nerves in natural nutrients and may well produce dramatic results. The cost of trying the program below is less than the cost of a typical doctor’s office visit. It is safe and convenient. All of these nutrients can be purchased at large discount stores.

After the morning meal take:

A multivitamin tablet
1,000 mg of vitamin B-3 (as niacinamide or inositol hexanicotinate)
One B-complex tablet
100 mg of vitamin B-6
1,200 mcg of vitamin B-9 (folate or folic acid)
1,000-2,000 IU of vitamin D (the lower number if you get sunshine, the higher number if you don’t)
1,000 mg of vitamin C [Jini Says: use Vit. C in mineral ascorbate form - NOT ascorbic acid - if you are prone to diarrhea]
200 mg of magnesium [Jini Says: use nanoparticle magnesium if you are prone to diarrhea]
50 mg of zinc
200 micrograms (mcg) of selenium

30 grams of soy protein powder and one tablespoon of lecithin granules mixed into a small glass of juice or milk [Jini Says: Never use soy; it depresses thyroid function and inhibits mineral absorption. Use whey protein isolate or hemp protein instead. Also use only raw (unpasteurized) milk.]

A supplement of omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA))

After the midday meal:

1,000 mg of vitamin B-3
1,200 mg of vitamin folate
100 mg of vitamin B-6
One B-complex tablet 1,000 mg of vitamin C [Jini Says: use Vit. C in mineral ascorbate form - NOT ascorbic acid - if you are prone to diarrhea]
200 mg of magnesium [Jini Says: use nanoparticle magnesium if you are prone to diarrhea]

After the evening meal:

A multivitamin tablet
1,000 mg of vitamin B-3
1,000 mg of vitamin C [Jini Says: use Vit. C in mineral ascorbate form - NOT ascorbic acid - if you are prone to diarrhea] 
One B-complex tablet
100 mg of vitamin B-6

All of the above supplements are safe in the recommended amounts, as well as inexpensive and convenient. There is not even one death per year from vitamins. Pharmaceutical drugs, properly prescribed and taken as directed, kill over 100,000 Americans annually. Hospital errors kill still more.

Restoring health must be done nutritionally, not pharmacologically. All cells in all persons are made exclusively from what we drink and eat. Not one cell is made out of drugs.

The most common mistake made by people who take vitamins is they fail to take enough vitamins.

The reason one nutrient can cure so many different illnesses is because a deficiency of one nutrient can cause many different illnesses.

What is Orthomolecular Medicine?

Linus Pauling defined orthomolecular medicine as the treatment of disease by the provision of the optimum molecular environment, especially the optimum concentrations of substances normally present in the human body. Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information:
http://www.orthomolecular.org

References for further reading:

1. Hoffer A. Vitamin B-3: Niacin and its amide.
http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_niacin.html Also: Cheraskin E, Ringsdorf WM and Brecher A. Psychodietetics. Bantam Books, 1974.

2. Vieth R, Kimball S, Hu A, Walfish PG. Randomized comparison of the effects of the vitamin D3 adequate intake versus 100 mcg (4000 IU) per day on biochemical responses and the wellbeing of patients. Nutr J. 2004 Jul 19;3:8.

3. Hoffer A. Healing schizophrenia: Complementary vitamin & drug treatments. Toronto: CCNM Press, 2004. Also: Hawkins D and Pauling L. Orthomolecular psychiatry, San Francisco: Freeman, 1973. Also: Hoffer A. Niacin therapy in psychiatry, Charles C. Thomas, 1962.

4. Hoffer A. Healing children’s attention and behavior disorders: Complementary nutritional & psychological treatments. Toronto: CCNM Press, 2004. Also: Hoffer A. Dr. Hoffer’s ABC of natural nutrition for children. Kingston, Ontario: Quarry Press, 1999.

5. Selhub J, Jacques PF, Wilson PWF, Rush D, Rosenberg IH. Vitamin status and intake as primary determinants of homocysteinemia in an elderly population. JAMA 1993. 270:2693-2698. Also: Verhoef P, Meleady R, Daly LE, Graham IM, Robinson K, Boers GHJ, et al. Homocysteine, vitamin status and risk of vascular disease. European Heart Journal 1999. 20:1234-1244.

6. http://neon.cm.utexas.edu/williams/

Again, to find out which brand and formulation of vitamins and minerals I recommend for people with IBD & IBS and why, see my Holistic Health Shoppe. You don’t need to buy them from here – you can just use it as a resource to copy down the product names and then get your local health store to order them in for you.

(c) Jini Patel Thompson. You can copy or distribute this article as long as you include the author's name and this bio: Jini Patel Thompson's books on natural healing for digestive diseases have sold in over 40 different countries. Her health articles have been published in journals and magazines in the U.S., Australia and U.K. www.ListenToYourGut.com

Are you happy with your doctor? What qualities make up a "good dr" in your opinion??

It's so true that if one thing is out of whack in your body, it can throw off all your  healthy systems from functioning properly.  When we are diagnosed with a condition, any condition, we need to look into if/how the illness might effect other parts of our body.  So, what i'm saying is we basically need to treat the whole body rather than just that specific condition/issue at hand, because that "issue" may have had a negative effect on some other area of the body.  So many medical issues slip through the cracks because of carelessness? Laziness? I really don't know how & why this happens ... Something as simple as neglecting to order a blood panel for a patient to rule out any possible deficiencies for instance, could greatly impact ones health and negatively impact ones quality of life, if there is some other problem that is not identified.  

I think that it's our PCP's responsibility to know which tests are periodically necessary to ensure good health for their patient.  I know that as a Crohn's Disease sufferer, my iron levels need to be monitored every few months to be sure that I'm not anemic.  The 1st time I experienced anemia, and by the time my doctor pointed out that I needed some red blood cells........ & PRONTO, was when my levels were so off and I was terribly sick.  Funny thing though, is that all along in the blood panels that my doctor ordered, it shows a gradual drop in my hemoglobin level, red blood cell level that should have been  addressed and treated.  I didn't have to get as sick as I did if my dr. would have noticed the slow decline in specific areas on my blood work report.  

To give you a little glimpse of what it's like to be severely anemic..... Basically, I could hardly make it up a flight of stairs without getting winded because I lacked that much oxygen in my blood.  My heart had to pump so much harder to get the required amount of oxygen to my brain because I had so few red blood cells.  I think about it now and wonder how in the world I never passed out.  I remember how exhausted I felt ALL the time and the numerous hours of sleep that I required, to only wake up and feel as though I hadn't slept at all.  I now know what anemia feels like and can identify it before it gets to a critical point.  

This experience along with many other little slips in the cracks that I have experienced over the years with doctors i've seen, definitely has contributed to my proactive mind set and the need to do "homework" about my disease.  In other words, I probably know more than the doctor does about my condition and treatment options available. Trust no one with your body, health and life.  In the end, we are the ones truly responsible for the care that we receive.  

Ask questions, research the medicine your doctor has prescribed for you, take note of the times you have called your doctor and they never returned your call. How are you treated by the nursing staff- especially over the phone, Does the doctor have time for your appointment or do you feel rushed and like just a number?  How do you feel when you walk out of an appointment with your doctor?... did you feel confident that the doc has your best interest in mind and that he heard your concerns.... or did he brush off your issue and fail to give you clarity? did he answer the question you asked or did you never ask that question because you forget the questions you wanted to ask all together? ......... *tip*  Make a list and don't forget to bring it to your next appointment. Have a notebook for just your medical symptoms, progress, & ???'s.  Everytime a question pops in your mind, write it down.  Trust me, you wont remember them all if you don't make a note of them.

 I'm all about being involved in the decisions regarding my treatment plan and if I have my knowledge, by researching, and I don't feel at ease with that particular treatment for whatever reason it may be, I have no hesitations with refusing it.  Over the years i've become bolder and express my concerns openly.  Plus, It's my right as a patient to accept or deny the doctors' recommendations.  If you're anything like me and do refuse or question the treatment the doc suggested or just don't go with the flow like they want (you dont just lay back & let them do whatever they want with you) you will most likely be labeled as "difficult", "hard to manage", "non-compliant", ect... You get my point.   That's fine, let them call you whatever they want.  At least you will have peace of mind when you walk out of that building, knowing that the overall decision you made, is the right decison for you.

Be proactive and if you find that you are not satisfied with the care your doctor provides, move on and find a doctor that will fulfill your expectations of a "good doctor". They are a dime a dozen, but if you search, you will eventually find.  

Don't settle for the mediocre.. You deserve more!