Welcome to
"Health for a Lifetime"
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I'm your host Don Mackintosh
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and today we're going
to talk about MEDICATIONS
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They make a lot of promises,
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whether you're looking
at them in the store or
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they're being
prescribed by your physician.
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Are there pitfalls though
along with these promises?
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Joining us today
is Dr. David DeRose
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He is a specialist
in internal medicine,
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and he also has a specialty
in PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.
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That's an
interesting combination, doctor,
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and it kind of makes you
maybe think you're going to
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talk out of both sides of your
mouth concerning this issue!
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Are they
positive? Are they negative?
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I actually MAY to
be honest with you
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because we're in
a unique situation
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in this day and age, Don.
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We've got some medications
that really have helped people,
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and yet at the same time, there
are some real concerns with
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medications and I'm afraid
with all the POSITIVE PRESS,
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and the excitement
about new drugs coming out,
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people are missing some
of the very real pitfalls
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when it comes to medications.
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You say there are all
kinds of new drugs coming out,
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I mean, EVERY SINGLE DAY
you see these big billboards,
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you see this on television,
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you see it in these
newspapers and magazines...
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I mean, you just
can't get away from it.
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Do you have a lot of patients
that come to you and say,
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"Doctor, I saw
this and I'd like it"
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You know, I think
that's probably more common for
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the doctor who is in
a primary care practice.
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At the Lifestyle
Center of America,
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I'm in more of a
referral practice.
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People come to me because
they've run the gamut really
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of using all the things
that seem to be available
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and now they're looking
for some new solutions...
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And they come to us really
looking for lifestyle solutions.
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Often they've gotten
disillusioned with medications
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or the way that their doctors
have been using those drugs
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...they're NOT
getting the results that the
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commercials talked about.
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So, what do YOU tell people at
the Lifestyle Center of America
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about medications?
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Well my concern,
Don, is threefold...
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When we talk about medications,
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and when we PUSH
medications as a society,
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Three big dangers...
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The first one... is we
feed into what I believe is a
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misplaced focus.
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The second one... is that they
are real dangers to society...
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because of over
usage of medications...
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And then third...
some real dangers to
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individuals who
use these medications.
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What do you mean
by "misplaced focus"
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Let me give you a very tangible
example... In the year 2000,
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in "The American
Journal of Preventive Medicine"
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researchers looked at
probably the 2 most prestigious
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medical journals in America;
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"The New England
Journal of Medicine"
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and "The Journal of the
American Medical Association"
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...What they did, is
they took ALL of the articles
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published in those 2
journals, in the year 1998,
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they analyzed it and
finally in the year 2000,
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they published their findings.
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But what they found is that it
was getting high profile news,
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not just for physicians but
what is picked up by the media
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is not things that
look at prevention.
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PREVENTION only accounted
for about 9% of all the articles
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in these prestigious journals.
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Only 2% of the
articles; only 1 in 50
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had anything to do
with the BASIS of HEALTH...
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a healthy lifestyle!
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The vast majority were dealing
with scientific research,
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and drug therapies and
epidemiology looking at
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why things happen to people...
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ALL ARE IMPORTANT!
Those things are important,
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don't misunderstand me.
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But the point is,
our focus is misplaced.
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And I'll be honest with you,
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part of it is being driven
by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
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In July of 2000, this issue
- "The Wall Street Journal"
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FRONT PAGE,
catch this headline...
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"DRUG FIRMS STYMIED IN THE
LAB BECOME MARKING MACHINES"
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Just what you're talking about!
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Patients are saying, "Look-it,
there's this new drug out"
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And the thing
that's happening is that as
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pharmaceutical companies run
into obstacles with coming out
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with new
medications, they start to PUSH
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that which they've already GOT!
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There's a need to
keep selling those drugs,
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and so people in
America, I think, many of them,
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say, "disease - problem - drug"
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I mean, it's like
a knee-jerk response.
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You know, just like when
I hit the patient's knee,
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you know, the
leg kicks out. Um hmm
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Well, it's the same thing.
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Problem? What
comes to mind? DRUG
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And I'm saying
that's a misplaced focus.
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We need to think lifestyle...
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We need to think
prevention FIRST!
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Not that drugs
don't have a place,
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but they shouldn't be
the FIRST-LINE strategies
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when we're dealing with disease.
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What can we do to
AVOID it to begin with...
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rather than having to say -
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"What do we do
now that we have it"
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That's exactly the point!
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Well, are there other problems
besides this misplaced focus?
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Well the second area I
talked about, Don, was problems
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when it comes to society...
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societal problems in
relationship to drug therapies.
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A lot of people say, "What do
you mean - problems for society
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when it comes to drugs?"
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What does this have to do with
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you and me if we're
not taking the pill?
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One of the greatest concerns
today is antibiotic resistance.
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More and more germs
are becoming resistant to
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common antibiotics.
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This is a HUGE
public health concern today.
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Let me just kind
of walk you through,
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and walk our viewers
through this whole process
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because a lot of people hear
this "antibiotic resistance"
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and we got to step back a little
bit and get some perspective.
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I know you well know, Don,
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because of your
training in nursing
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that we all have normal flora;
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normal germ populations...
in our nose, and in our mouth,
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in our intestine.
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These normal germ populations
actually do some useful things.
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For example, the germs in
our intestine produce vitamin K
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The clotting
factor... Yeah, clotting factors
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use vitamin K to work...
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And so the intestinal flora;
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the intestinal normal germs
that live there are useful.
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They're essential for health.
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The PROBLEM is these essential
germs are also susceptible
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to antibiotics.
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So they get killed if you
take them... That's right!
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You take, for example,
penicillin for strep throat.
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Now I'll tell you, penicillin is
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a wonderful drug
for strep throat.
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If you've got a strep throat,
especially if you're a kid...
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at high risk for rheumatic
fever and kidney problems
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as a result of
infection, I, as a physician,
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prescribe penicillin.
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I mean, it's a good drug
when it's used appropriately.
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But here's the catch...
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if I give you penicillin
willy-nilly, multiple times,
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any time you walk in...
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and you say, "My
throat is a little scratchy,
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you know, I got a
little congestion"
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...What happens is EACH
time you get that dosage of
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penicillin, whether it's
for an APPROPRIATE condition,
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or an inappropriate one,
kills all the good flora as well
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BUT, it doesn't really
kill ALL of the good flora;
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it kills the good flora
that is sensitive to penicillin.
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But the flora that
normally resides in your body
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that is NOT sensitive to
penicillin SURVIVES and THRIVES.
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Why this is
important is the germs that are
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in our body as useful
as normal flora may be,
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IF our immune system
becomes out of balance,
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if we have some type
of injury to our bowel,
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to our nose,
whatever, that normal flora
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can cause serious or
life-threatening diseases.
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And now it can't
be treated because
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penicillin has already
been there. That's right!
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That's the issue of resistance.
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And so when we're prescribing
more and more antibiotics,
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as a society, this
is posing real problems.
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Don, a lot of people
say, "Oh yeah, big deal,
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I've taken antibiotics many
times and it hasn't messed up
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my normal flora"
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Most people don't realize
that in the world each year,
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some 1 to 2 million children,
under the age of 5 years,
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DIE because of Strep pneumoniae.
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This is a pneumonia
caused by the common strep germ.
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Used to be UNIVERSAL...
you could wipe out this germ
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with penicillin but now more and
more resistance is developing.
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And so deaths are occurring
because of resistant organisms.
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It is NOT just some
politicians and health experts,
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in the ivory tower who
are worried about this...
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Antibiotic
resistance is a BIG concern,
00:09:04.53\00:09:06.63
and we REALLY need to
be concerned about it.
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If you're eating animal
products or, for instance,
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meats where those
livestock have been treated
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with antibiotics,
does this then affect you?
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It IS a concern, I'll tell you -
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because the animals that
are being given antibiotics
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what kind of germs
were they going to have?
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Resistant to... That's
right, they're going to
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have resistant germs.
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And so whether you are
very careful with cooking
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your animal
products... your meat...
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Whether or not you had
adequately pasteurized milk
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...Whatever these
issues are, especially MEAT,
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it's a classic one.
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You take MEAT and you
prepare it in the kitchen,
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you handle the
faucets in your kitchen,
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and then you can
get cross-contamination.
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In other words, when
you touch that knob again,
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and then handle the
lettuce, that you're NOT cooking
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in the oven, you can get
some of those same organisms
00:09:55.18\00:09:59.27
and they can affect you.
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All this is extremely important,
00:10:00.88\00:10:02.84
and it's not just a
problem with our food choices...
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It's not just a problem
with antibiotic-prescribing...
00:10:05.57\00:10:08.32
Let me just
illustrate it this way...
00:10:08.35\00:10:10.13
It has to do with our attitudes
as healthcare consumers.
00:10:10.16\00:10:16.05
A study was recently done
looking at some 500 individuals;
00:10:16.08\00:10:20.07
about 1/2 of them were
the parents of sick children.
00:10:20.10\00:10:23.41
The other half were
adults with medical problems.
00:10:23.44\00:10:26.78
And here's what happens...
00:10:26.81\00:10:28.26
they walk into the doctor's
office with viral infections.
00:10:28.29\00:10:33.19
...30 to 50% of the time,
00:10:33.22\00:10:35.13
what are the patients, if the
adult is affected, or the PARENT
00:10:35.16\00:10:39.34
on behalf of the child...
What are they demanding?
00:10:39.37\00:10:42.07
They want a
medication but viruses don't
00:10:42.11\00:10:44.09
need antibiotics,
right? That's right!
00:10:44.12\00:10:45.64
Conventional
antibiotics treat bacteria...
00:10:45.67\00:10:48.08
And yet, consumers
have in their minds,
00:10:48.11\00:10:51.36
in certain situations,
the researchers found this...
00:10:51.39\00:10:54.50
If the infection is more severe,
00:10:54.53\00:10:56.47
in the perception of the
parent or the individual...
00:10:56.50\00:10:58.52
To get on a drug... Yeah,
we need an antibiotic doctor!
00:10:58.55\00:11:01.13
And what kind of position is the
doctor in when the patient says,
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.80
"I NEED an antibiotic"
00:11:03.83\00:11:05.70
He has to either
take the time to educate,
00:11:05.73\00:11:07.75
and be a bad guy in their
eyes or he just gives it to them
00:11:07.78\00:11:10.64
It's tough... it's VERY tough!
00:11:10.67\00:11:12.27
Now let me ask you
this very practical point...
00:11:12.30\00:11:14.46
Let's say I have a child
today that's sick or somebody,
00:11:14.49\00:11:16.76
how can I tell the
difference, as a lay person,
00:11:16.79\00:11:19.17
between having a bacterial
infection and a viral infection?
00:11:19.20\00:11:23.25
You what is the best thing to
do when it comes to diagnosis...
00:11:23.28\00:11:26.70
is to see someone
TRAINED in diagnosis.
00:11:26.73\00:11:29.95
That's the BEST thing!
00:11:29.98\00:11:31.35
So you see someone,
and how do YOU tell when
00:11:31.38\00:11:33.66
they see you, whether or
not it's viral or bacteria?
00:11:33.69\00:11:36.61
There are
certain telltale signs.
00:11:36.64\00:11:38.45
The company that
the symptoms keep.
00:11:38.48\00:11:40.29
For example, if someone
has a sore throat alone,
00:11:40.32\00:11:43.09
we look back there;
things are BRIGHT RED,
00:11:43.12\00:11:45.25
there is pus back there.
00:11:45.28\00:11:46.71
It has all the hallmarks
of a bacterial infection...
00:11:46.74\00:11:50.57
Okay, so we're
thinking strep throat or
00:11:50.60\00:11:52.94
some type of a
bacterial infection.
00:11:52.97\00:11:55.49
On the other hand, if
it started out with kind of
00:11:55.52\00:11:57.38
some sniffles and some
earache and there is no exudate
00:11:57.41\00:12:02.11
...no whitish goop on
the back of the throat.
00:12:02.14\00:12:06.80
Well, these are kind of signs
00:12:06.83\00:12:08.38
that we're NOT dealing
with a bacterial infection.
00:12:08.41\00:12:10.84
We often are doubly
CAREFUL in a situation like that
00:12:10.87\00:12:14.41
especially dealing with a
younger patient who may be
00:12:14.44\00:12:16.85
at high risk for rheumatic fever
00:12:16.88\00:12:18.68
and we may do a throat culture
00:12:18.71\00:12:20.34
or a rapid strep
screen just to make sure.
00:12:20.37\00:12:23.78
So, are there any concerns...
00:12:23.81\00:12:26.66
we've talked about
prescription drugs;
00:12:26.69\00:12:28.66
we've talked about those
that go to see their physician
00:12:28.69\00:12:31.74
and antibiotics basically...
00:12:31.77\00:12:34.25
Are there
nonprescription drugs that we
00:12:34.28\00:12:37.27
need to be worried
about, that we can overdo with
00:12:37.30\00:12:39.72
that can cause problems?
00:12:39.75\00:12:41.30
Well you know, we talk
about how society is affected by
00:12:41.33\00:12:44.97
medications and you're
right, it's not just antibiotics
00:12:45.00\00:12:48.26
that you need a
prescription for.
00:12:48.29\00:12:50.14
There are other
drugs that really pose
00:12:50.17\00:12:51.81
some risk to society.
00:12:51.84\00:12:53.21
Let me mention one class...
00:12:53.24\00:12:54.72
and that is
sleeping medications.
00:12:54.75\00:12:57.62
If you go into the homes of,
00:12:57.65\00:13:00.30
now of course, researchers
actually don't go into
00:13:00.33\00:13:02.48
people's homes and look
in their medicine cabinets,
00:13:02.51\00:13:04.43
but they interview people...
00:13:04.46\00:13:05.83
And they find that the average
American, as we get up in years,
00:13:05.86\00:13:09.49
we start buying,
purchasing, more sleeping aides,
00:13:09.52\00:13:12.69
whether they are prescription
or over-the-counter.
00:13:12.72\00:13:14.98
And what happens is,
Don, in our medicine cabinets
00:13:15.01\00:13:18.86
in America, there are DRUGS
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.95
that present a
RISK to our CHILDREN.
00:13:20.98\00:13:24.57
Kids can get in there,
grandkids can get in there...
00:13:24.60\00:13:27.74
They want to be
like grandma and grandpa;
00:13:27.77\00:13:29.44
they want to be
like mom and dad...
00:13:29.47\00:13:30.84
They want to take some pills,
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.24
OR... what happens if
the kid is discouraged?
00:13:32.27\00:13:34.89
They take some of
mom or dad's pills,
00:13:34.92\00:13:37.37
and it seems like
a quick and easy way
00:13:37.40\00:13:40.11
to get out of their problems!
00:13:40.14\00:13:41.53
We don't THINK
about these things.
00:13:41.56\00:13:43.31
But we don't keep our
medications USUALLY in
00:13:43.34\00:13:46.28
locked cabinets, and
the child proof caps...
00:13:46.31\00:13:48.69
Yeah, they may work
for a 1 or 2-year-old,
00:13:48.72\00:13:51.64
but what about a teenager?
00:13:51.67\00:13:53.41
So what do we do then
to get past this problem
00:13:53.44\00:13:57.19
that you described
so eloquently to us?
00:13:57.22\00:13:59.63
Really Don, what we're trying
to do in the program today is
00:13:59.66\00:14:02.10
educate people...
00:14:02.13\00:14:03.50
And one of the first
steps in education is to
00:14:03.53\00:14:06.63
move away from this
mindset that you have a problem
00:14:06.66\00:14:10.63
...you've got to have a pill.
00:14:10.66\00:14:12.16
And, now as we're
talking about this,
00:14:12.19\00:14:14.80
I can see some gears grinding
00:14:14.83\00:14:19.33
in people's minds
and they're saying...
00:14:19.37\00:14:20.86
"Okay, no more
medications, I got to be careful
00:14:20.90\00:14:24.31
about medications,
so I got to start taking
00:14:24.34\00:14:26.14
herbs and supplements. "
00:14:26.17\00:14:28.23
Well, that's not
the solution either!
00:14:28.26\00:14:31.44
Because there are problems
with herbs and supplements too!
00:14:31.47\00:14:35.87
These are not the
panaceas of today.
00:14:35.90\00:14:38.64
The American consumer,
who is getting concerned
00:14:38.67\00:14:41.12
about drugs and some of these
issues we're talking about,
00:14:41.15\00:14:43.47
thinks that they could
just willy-nilly walk into the
00:14:43.50\00:14:45.47
health food store
and walk away with a
00:14:45.50\00:14:47.89
shopping cart
full of supplements,
00:14:47.92\00:14:49.64
and this is not
innocuous either.
00:14:49.67\00:14:51.72
Some of these supplements
have toxic potential as well.
00:14:51.75\00:14:54.70
So, give us
some counsel on that.
00:14:54.73\00:14:57.13
How do you know what to
get and what NOT to get?
00:14:57.16\00:15:01.05
Basically, what I recommend
people do is do research.
00:15:01.08\00:15:04.97
Do research? How
do we do research?
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.65
You know, #1 is talk with
your health care provider.
00:15:08.68\00:15:11.73
A lot of people say, "I
don't want to see a doctor,
00:15:11.76\00:15:13.49
I'm healthy, I don't need to
see a doctor just for a virus"
00:15:13.52\00:15:17.29
But if you're not reading
widely in things that are not
00:15:17.32\00:15:20.40
influenced by manufacturers,
you are being led astray, really
00:15:20.43\00:15:25.38
Most consumers read
are things that are heavily
00:15:25.41\00:15:28.38
influenced by industry.
00:15:28.41\00:15:30.28
Whether they walk
into the health food store
00:15:30.31\00:15:31.93
and pick up that nice,
colorful, free magazine,
00:15:31.96\00:15:34.47
well who do you think
put that free magazine there?
00:15:34.50\00:15:37.21
I mean, it's someone trying
to sell a bunch of supplements.
00:15:37.24\00:15:39.73
If someone is talking
with you about counting the
00:15:39.76\00:15:42.95
benefits of these
great supplements...
00:15:42.98\00:15:45.69
Let me give you an
example, NIACIN, NIACIN...
00:15:45.72\00:15:50.10
You take large amounts
of niacin and it can do some
00:15:50.13\00:15:53.45
wonderful things
for your blood fats.
00:15:53.48\00:15:55.89
But it can also just
make you feel terrible. Yeah!
00:15:55.92\00:16:00.16
I think my dad used to take
some of that and he got all RED
00:16:00.19\00:16:03.71
But worse than that, it
can cause liver irritation.
00:16:03.74\00:16:06.45
It can worsen diabetic control.
00:16:06.48\00:16:09.33
People... that's not
what they READ when they
00:16:09.36\00:16:12.05
read the little promo
in the health food store.
00:16:12.08\00:16:14.08
But they can go get
it anytime they want.
00:16:14.11\00:16:15.92
They can get it anytime they
want and the perception is...
00:16:15.95\00:16:18.07
Well, it's a
SUPPLEMENT, you see...
00:16:18.10\00:16:19.51
Not
prescription, over-the-counter;
00:16:19.54\00:16:21.69
therefore it's SAFE, but
it's still the same mindset.
00:16:21.72\00:16:24.77
What I'm trying
to tell people, Don,
00:16:24.80\00:16:26.73
and what we tell people at
the Lifestyle Center of America,
00:16:26.76\00:16:28.98
is that we could decrease
our problems DRAMATICALLY
00:16:29.01\00:16:32.22
if we get
serious about lifestyle!
00:16:32.25\00:16:34.93
SURE, it's harder to eat right
than it is to take a pill...
00:16:34.96\00:16:37.98
SURE, it's more trouble
to exercise than it is to
00:16:38.01\00:16:42.88
POP a prescription drug,
00:16:42.91\00:16:44.87
but these are really the things
that pay the greatest dividends
00:16:44.90\00:16:48.57
when it comes to
reducing the burden of suffering
00:16:48.60\00:16:51.27
when it comes to
illness in our country.
00:16:51.30\00:16:53.43
We're talking
with Dr. David DeRose
00:16:53.46\00:16:55.35
from the
Lifestyle Center of America
00:16:55.38\00:16:56.89
And he's got a
burden about medication
00:16:56.92\00:16:59.21
and I hope that
you have one too...
00:16:59.24\00:17:00.66
and I hope that
you have SUCH a burden
00:17:00.69\00:17:02.22
that you'll join
us when we come back.
00:17:02.25\00:17:04.53
Have you found yourself wishing
00:17:06.24\00:17:07.61
that you could
shed a few pounds?
00:17:07.64\00:17:09.01
Have you been on a
diet for most of your life,
00:17:09.04\00:17:11.41
but not found anything that
will really keep the weight off?
00:17:11.44\00:17:14.66
If you've answered "yes"
to any of these questions,
00:17:14.69\00:17:17.32
then we have a
solution for you that works!
00:17:17.35\00:17:20.10
Dr. Hans Diehl and
Dr. Aileen Ludington
00:17:20.13\00:17:23.13
have written a
marvelous booklet called...
00:17:23.16\00:17:25.21
"Reversing Obesity Naturally"
00:17:25.24\00:17:27.47
and we'd like to send
it to you FREE of charge.
00:17:27.50\00:17:30.11
Here's a medically sound
approach successfully used
00:17:30.14\00:17:32.91
by thousands who were able
to eat more and lose weight
00:17:32.94\00:17:36.10
permanently without
feeling guilty or hungry
00:17:36.13\00:17:39.04
through lifestyle medicine.
00:17:39.07\00:17:40.56
Dr. Diehl and Dr. Ludington
have been featured on 3ABN
00:17:40.59\00:17:44.34
and in this booklet, they
present a sensible approach
00:17:44.37\00:17:47.13
to eating, nutrition
and lifestyle changes
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.66
that can help you
prevent heart disease, diabetes,
00:17:49.69\00:17:52.12
and EVEN cancer!
00:17:52.15\00:17:53.61
Call or write today
for your free copy of...
00:17:53.64\00:17:55.77
"Reversing Obesity Naturally"
00:17:55.80\00:17:57.51
and you could be on your
way to a healthier, happier YOU!
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.81
It's ABSOLUTELY free of
charge, so call or write today.
00:18:00.84\00:18:05.46
We've been talking with
Dr. David DeRose from the
00:18:06.42\00:18:08.98
Lifestyle Center of America
00:18:09.01\00:18:10.38
He has a burden that
we're using FAR too much
00:18:10.41\00:18:14.08
medication just willy-nilly.
00:18:14.11\00:18:16.20
We're not really
thinking it through...
00:18:16.23\00:18:17.68
It's causing problems and we're
developing antibiotic resistance
00:18:17.71\00:18:21.87
and many other problems
depending on the medication
00:18:21.90\00:18:24.59
that we choose to take.
00:18:24.62\00:18:26.05
We need to have more EDUCATION,
00:18:26.08\00:18:28.95
and we need to be talking
with our healthcare providers.
00:18:28.98\00:18:31.18
Dr. DeRose, I have a
question for you, however...
00:18:31.21\00:18:35.27
What is it that we
take MOST every day?
00:18:35.30\00:18:37.62
What is it that we put into
our bodies most of the time?
00:18:37.65\00:18:39.75
...It's FOOD! Is
FOOD a medication?
00:18:39.78\00:18:41.95
Well I don't think most people
00:18:41.98\00:18:43.53
would technically
consider it a medication.
00:18:43.56\00:18:46.48
Depending on who is
cooking... maybe, right?
00:18:46.51\00:18:47.88
Yeah, there you go.
00:18:47.91\00:18:49.28
But clearly, food
has PROFOUND effects.
00:18:49.31\00:18:51.66
Let's take the
example of diabetes...
00:18:51.69\00:18:53.91
We deal a lot with diabetes at
the Lifestyle Center of America
00:18:53.94\00:18:57.86
and when we're
dealing with diabetes,
00:18:57.89\00:18:59.64
people often come to us
on medications that are doing
00:18:59.67\00:19:03.68
one of several things...
00:19:03.71\00:19:05.72
They're either
taking SHOTS like insulin,
00:19:05.75\00:19:08.41
that are raising the
levels of insulin in their body;
00:19:08.44\00:19:11.60
they're taking PILLS to
stimulate their pancreas
00:19:11.63\00:19:14.51
to produce more
insulin, or they're taking drugs
00:19:14.54\00:19:18.21
that help the tissues
respond to insulin better.
00:19:18.24\00:19:21.11
Now, regardless of
what the patient is doing,
00:19:21.14\00:19:25.12
MOST of those EFFECTS can
be reproduced by lifestyle.
00:19:25.15\00:19:29.69
Let me explain... Most
people who come to our center
00:19:29.72\00:19:33.13
...like most people with
diabetes in our country today,
00:19:33.16\00:19:36.23
have type 2 diabetes...
00:19:36.26\00:19:37.74
Approximately 90% of
people with diabetes have the
00:19:37.77\00:19:40.74
adult-onset form of the disease,
00:19:40.77\00:19:43.16
and it's caused by
insulin-resistance.
00:19:43.19\00:19:45.41
They don't need more insulin,
00:19:45.44\00:19:46.97
but it's commonly treated
by boosting the pancreas'
00:19:47.00\00:19:51.31
output of insulin or
giving insulin shots.
00:19:51.34\00:19:53.84
That's NOT the optimal strategy!
00:19:53.87\00:19:55.73
Because it will
burn out the pancreas
00:19:55.76\00:19:57.28
and doesn't solve the problem.
00:19:57.31\00:19:58.91
Well the pills may
be contributing to the
00:19:58.94\00:20:01.85
demise of the
pancreas, you're right...
00:20:01.88\00:20:03.54
And higher insulin
levels are being associated with
00:20:03.57\00:20:06.37
diseases like
heart disease and cancer.
00:20:06.40\00:20:08.98
When you're
raising insulin levels,
00:20:09.01\00:20:10.47
you're tending to
increase your weight.
00:20:10.50\00:20:12.51
Now let's bring
this into perspective...
00:20:12.54\00:20:14.38
How about the pills that
lower insulin resistance?
00:20:14.41\00:20:16.81
These would be
drugs like Glucophage,
00:20:16.84\00:20:18.87
generic name is
Metformin, or Avandia, Actos...
00:20:18.90\00:20:23.91
These drugs lower
insulin resistance.
00:20:23.94\00:20:25.91
Do they work? YES, they work.
00:20:25.94\00:20:27.82
But, you know, there
are ways without using drugs
00:20:27.85\00:20:30.79
to lower insulin
resistance. Exercise!
00:20:30.82\00:20:33.20
Exercise, a beautiful
one, but what about diet?
00:20:33.23\00:20:35.10
High fiber foods. High
fiber foods, this is the
00:20:35.13\00:20:38.19
interesting one.
00:20:38.22\00:20:39.59
It's probably more the
FAT than the high fiber
00:20:39.62\00:20:43.93
that lowers insulin resistance.
00:20:43.96\00:20:45.64
The high fiber helps
to regulate blood sugar,
00:20:45.67\00:20:48.33
but it's not through lowering
insulin resistance EXCEPT
00:20:48.36\00:20:51.69
when you're eating more fiber,
what do you tend to decrease?
00:20:51.72\00:20:54.19
You tend to decrease the fat!
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.37
...When you're eating more
fruits, grains and vegetables.
00:20:56.40\00:20:58.66
Because you're full...
Yeah, you're more satisfied.
00:20:58.69\00:21:00.06
When we DECREASE our
fat, especially SATURATED fat,
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.79
ANIMAL FAT... what happens is
insulin sensitivity increases,
00:21:02.82\00:21:07.87
insulin works better.
00:21:07.90\00:21:09.27
And so we can often
get people off medications,
00:21:09.30\00:21:11.63
get them off their insulin...
00:21:11.66\00:21:13.03
And THINK about it, Don,
if you were in that situation,
00:21:13.06\00:21:16.50
taking a shot every
day, or taking pills,
00:21:16.53\00:21:19.04
wouldn't you
RATHER change your diet?
00:21:19.07\00:21:22.64
Oh, most definitely... and
so this is what you're saying...
00:21:22.67\00:21:26.91
You're saying that
instead of just taking a pill,
00:21:26.94\00:21:29.23
or asking a doctor for
some kind of medication,
00:21:29.26\00:21:31.54
we need to be addressing
the underlying cause and things
00:21:31.57\00:21:34.64
that we actually can do in
the normal day-to-day activities
00:21:34.67\00:21:38.27
Yeah, what I try to
educate people to say is...
00:21:38.30\00:21:40.10
instead of going to
your DOCTOR feeling like,
00:21:40.13\00:21:42.78
because you just saw the
commercial for the allergy pill,
00:21:42.81\00:21:46.01
and because you have allergies,
you need to call your doctor,
00:21:46.04\00:21:49.10
or walk-in and say, "I need
this new pill for allergies"
00:21:49.14\00:21:51.57
Instead of saying that,
you've got to ask yourself
00:21:52.57\00:21:54.30
the question... "What kind
of LIFESTYLE things can I do"
00:21:54.33\00:21:58.23
You know what the thing about
the lifestyle therapies are?
00:21:58.26\00:22:00.50
What is it?
00:22:00.53\00:22:01.90
They have side-effects...
00:22:01.93\00:22:03.30
but they generally
are good side effects.
00:22:03.33\00:22:05.74
You see, exercise
doesn't only help your diabetes,
00:22:05.77\00:22:09.44
it helps to decrease
your risk of heart disease
00:22:09.47\00:22:11.20
and cancer. GOOD side effects!
00:22:11.24\00:22:12.83
Yeah, it helps to
improve your mental performance.
00:22:12.87\00:22:14.83
Okay you convinced me, doctor;
00:22:14.86\00:22:16.23
I'm going to go
home, I going to take my
00:22:16.26\00:22:17.75
medication cabinet - I'm
not even going to empty it,
00:22:17.78\00:22:19.52
I'm going to pull the
whole thing off the WALL...
00:22:19.55\00:22:21.30
I'M GOING TO THROW IT OUT!
00:22:21.33\00:22:22.70
Is that good advice?
00:22:22.73\00:22:24.41
I almost just cut
right in on you there, Don,
00:22:24.44\00:22:27.31
because that's NOT the message
I'm trying to give people.
00:22:27.34\00:22:30.08
It is actually
DANGEROUS to abruptly stop
00:22:30.11\00:22:33.59
certain medications.
00:22:33.62\00:22:34.99
A classic example
are the beta blockers...
00:22:35.02\00:22:37.35
Drugs that are used for
heart disease prevention,
00:22:37.38\00:22:40.40
for high blood pressure.
00:22:40.43\00:22:41.80
Abruptly stopping beta blockers
00:22:41.83\00:22:44.14
could actually
trigger a heart attack.
00:22:44.17\00:22:46.06
I don't advice
people to just flush...
00:22:46.09\00:22:47.88
...To just throw things away.
00:22:47.91\00:22:49.28
Yeah, don't flush the
medicines down the toilet!
00:22:49.31\00:22:50.89
That's not the solution.
00:22:50.92\00:22:52.48
The SOLUTION is to say...
00:22:52.51\00:22:54.00
"Look-it, maybe I've been
moving in a mode of saying,
00:22:54.03\00:22:57.16
"DOCTOR, what's the new drug?"
00:22:57.19\00:22:58.77
"What drug can I take?"
00:22:58.80\00:23:00.17
Or maybe your doctor
seems to be in that mode.
00:23:00.20\00:23:02.27
And I'll tell you, it's usually
not the doctor's fault...
00:23:02.30\00:23:04.95
Because I've been in the
position, Don, of patients
00:23:04.98\00:23:07.87
walking out of my office
and you know what they're doing?
00:23:07.90\00:23:10.19
they're complaining,
especially new patients...
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.65
Not at the Lifestyle
Center of America so much,
00:23:12.68\00:23:14.45
but when I was in more of a
conventional practice setting,
00:23:14.48\00:23:16.92
people would
walk out of my office,
00:23:16.95\00:23:18.81
and they'd complain to the nurse
because I didn't give them a
00:23:18.84\00:23:21.49
PRESCRIPTION!
00:23:21.52\00:23:23.08
I gave them some
lifestyle therapy...
00:23:23.11\00:23:25.23
That wasn't why
they came to SEE me
00:23:25.26\00:23:27.34
They wanted a pill!
00:23:27.37\00:23:29.68
And so I try to tell people,
00:23:29.71\00:23:31.13
"Yeah, you may be
on these medications,
00:23:31.16\00:23:32.99
why don't you
talk with your doctor?"
00:23:33.02\00:23:34.95
"Why don't you read up;
why don't you get information
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.79
as to how to
DECREASE your medication"
00:23:37.82\00:23:40.24
And when people are frustrated,
00:23:40.27\00:23:41.82
they say, "Well, my
doctor doesn't do that...
00:23:41.85\00:23:44.19
I can't find somebody like that"
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.34
There are lifestyle
centers throughout this country
00:23:46.37\00:23:49.36
that are specializing
in lifestyle medicine...
00:23:49.39\00:23:51.56
In Oklahoma, we're there at
the Lifestyle Center of America
00:23:51.59\00:23:54.82
and that's what our focus is!
00:23:54.85\00:23:56.59
Have you seen a lot of patients
come there that have been on -
00:23:56.62\00:23:59.12
Yeah, give me a scenario...
00:23:59.45\00:24:00.82
Does someone come there with
00:24:00.85\00:24:02.22
20, 30, 40 medications...
What happens with them?
00:24:02.25\00:24:05.33
Oh this is common,
that people come on
00:24:05.37\00:24:06.97
multiple medications,
but MOST of them have
00:24:07.00\00:24:09.45
gotten to the point where
they've gotten frustrated.
00:24:09.48\00:24:11.86
That's why they come
to a lifestyle center.
00:24:11.89\00:24:13.90
And they say... "You know, I
see the doctor for one thing,
00:24:13.93\00:24:16.22
and he puts me on this drug,
00:24:16.25\00:24:17.62
and that drug
causes side-effects,
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.04
so I get another pill to take,
00:24:19.07\00:24:20.77
and now I'm having this problem
00:24:20.80\00:24:22.17
and I keep just keep
adding pills and pills. "
00:24:22.20\00:24:24.65
And they say they're
frustrated with that because
00:24:24.68\00:24:26.76
the main problem
isn't being addressed.
00:24:26.79\00:24:28.94
Pills often work for a
time but when we're using them
00:24:28.97\00:24:32.28
chronically... if we don't
address the underlying factor...
00:24:32.31\00:24:36.08
If we've got
high blood pressure,
00:24:36.11\00:24:37.48
if we've got a weight problem,
00:24:37.51\00:24:38.88
we're not exercising,
we're not eating right,
00:24:38.91\00:24:40.28
that blood pressure medication
may control our blood pressure
00:24:40.31\00:24:43.37
for a while, but you
know what tends to happen
00:24:43.40\00:24:45.24
several years down
the road? What's that?
00:24:45.27\00:24:47.86
That blood pressure
medicine is not sufficient,
00:24:47.89\00:24:50.30
and you'll need a
second drug or a STRONGER drug,
00:24:50.33\00:24:53.42
or a combination drug.
00:24:53.45\00:24:54.82
It's the same with diabetes.
00:24:54.85\00:24:56.22
And it's the same story,
when people walk in my office,
00:24:56.25\00:24:58.85
they say, "You know,
when I first had this problem,
00:24:58.88\00:25:01.40
I watched my diet a
little bit, things were okay,
00:25:01.43\00:25:04.67
then I was on this one
pill, then I was on 2 pills,
00:25:04.70\00:25:07.92
then, in the case of
diabetes, I was on insulin"
00:25:07.95\00:25:10.76
You see, and it's just
this relentless progression
00:25:10.79\00:25:13.79
to more and more drugs;
00:25:13.82\00:25:15.19
at the same time, they're
not changing their lifestyle.
00:25:15.22\00:25:16.83
They're not addressing the
root causes of the problem.
00:25:16.86\00:25:19.46
So you sit down
with them there at the
00:25:19.49\00:25:20.86
Lifestyle Center of
America and what you do is say,
00:25:20.89\00:25:22.62
"What are you taking?"
00:25:22.65\00:25:24.02
"How did you start taking this?"
00:25:24.05\00:25:25.42
And you start to help
them just untangle it all.
00:25:25.45\00:25:27.83
Exactly, and we don't just
throw away all their medications
00:25:27.86\00:25:31.31
But as they start
responding to lifestyle,
00:25:31.34\00:25:33.75
we often HAVE to
decrease the medications.
00:25:33.78\00:25:36.31
We get someone on a good
lifestyle exercise program,
00:25:36.34\00:25:38.97
and diet program,
it's DANGEROUS to keep
00:25:39.00\00:25:41.25
them on all their high
blood pressure medicines.
00:25:41.28\00:25:43.25
So, I mean,
someone listening today,
00:25:43.28\00:25:44.73
let's say they just
listened to this program
00:25:44.76\00:25:46.37
and then they said,
"Okay, I'm going to start
00:25:46.40\00:25:48.79
exercising and doing
these other things. "
00:25:48.82\00:25:50.20
They need to be checking
with their physician as well.
00:25:50.24\00:25:52.85
I mean, that's
almost like a medication!
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.38
They need to be keeping in
touch, you're exactly right,
00:25:54.41\00:25:56.89
with the person who
prescribed those drugs
00:25:56.92\00:25:58.71
because if they get
really excited about changing
00:25:58.74\00:26:00.84
their lifestyle,
you're exactly right,
00:26:00.87\00:26:02.69
their need for medications
will often decrease dramatically
00:26:02.72\00:26:06.21
If they're not in
touch with their physician,
00:26:06.24\00:26:08.56
they're asking for trouble.
00:26:08.59\00:26:10.15
A lot of people will go to
these emergent care centers;
00:26:10.18\00:26:12.92
they'll go to these
immediate care places...
00:26:12.95\00:26:15.94
they're traveling
across the country,
00:26:15.97\00:26:17.35
maybe they're a business person,
00:26:17.38\00:26:18.75
maybe they're on vacation...
00:26:18.78\00:26:20.27
Is there any danger
with going to THESE places
00:26:20.30\00:26:23.11
in terms of medication?
00:26:23.14\00:26:24.51
Well, the message I
try to give people is
00:26:24.54\00:26:26.71
when it comes to
diagnosis, "see an expert"
00:26:26.74\00:26:29.75
...whether you're on vacation
and you've got to go into
00:26:29.78\00:26:32.70
one of these
in-and-out doctors' offices...
00:26:32.73\00:26:35.91
Listen, if you need a
diagnosis, you see a physician.
00:26:35.94\00:26:39.22
Don't try to diagnose yourself
00:26:39.25\00:26:41.50
because that's
asking for trouble.
00:26:41.53\00:26:43.23
I see patients, they come in
all the time and they're taking
00:26:43.26\00:26:45.81
something because they've got
00:26:45.84\00:26:47.41
indigestion and it
could be a HEART PROBLEM!
00:26:47.45\00:26:49.87
So, that's foolish
to diagnose yourself.
00:26:49.91\00:26:52.30
But once a diagnosis
made, then you're in a position
00:26:52.33\00:26:55.41
to evaluate and
talk with the doctor.
00:26:55.44\00:26:57.82
What if I don't take this
antibiotic for my earache?
00:26:57.85\00:27:01.59
And the doctor may say,
"Well, it may go away by itself"
00:27:01.62\00:27:04.38
Is there a RISK to
NOT taking the drug?
00:27:04.41\00:27:06.88
Ask that question,
it's a telling question
00:27:06.91\00:27:09.04
when you ask that
question to a physician.
00:27:09.07\00:27:11.08
And, I guess one of my concerns,
just in closing off the segment,
00:27:11.11\00:27:16.06
and I'm going to see
if you agree with me...
00:27:16.09\00:27:17.74
And that is, sometimes even
though you get the diagnosis
00:27:17.77\00:27:20.84
and I agree with that...
you need to get the diagnosis
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.87
from a professional...
your primary care physician
00:27:22.90\00:27:25.80
or the person that
sees you most of the time,
00:27:25.83\00:27:27.64
doesn't know what
that person gave you,
00:27:27.67\00:27:29.59
they're not in communication,
they don't have your records,
00:27:29.62\00:27:31.89
and that can be
dangerous too, can't it?
00:27:31.92\00:27:33.33
No... you're right.
00:27:33.36\00:27:35.64
We've been talking
with Dr. David DeRose
00:27:35.67\00:27:37.58
We've been
talking about medication.
00:27:37.61\00:27:39.08
It's important to
know what you're taking,
00:27:39.11\00:27:41.24
and why you're taking it,
00:27:41.27\00:27:42.64
and more
importantly that that even is
00:27:42.67\00:27:44.24
to try and figure
out WHY or HOW you can
00:27:44.27\00:27:47.30
get away from taking it.
00:27:47.33\00:27:48.70
We're NOT saying
throw away your medications,
00:27:48.73\00:27:50.66
but consult with
someone who can truly help you.
00:27:50.69\00:27:53.00
We're glad that
you've joined us today.
00:27:53.04\00:27:55.01