Staying out of the line of fire A friend of mine is a nurse in a burn intensive care unit. It's not
a job for someone with a weak constitution, as you might imagine.
His cases are usually the result of unimaginable tragedies. And
many times, his patients survive more through miracles and divine
intervention than medicine. When he shares some of their stories
with me, I am often reduced to tears. But nothing has come close to the one he told me about the
other day about a patient who had never been in a fire, but who
was burning from the inside out. I'll spare you the details, except
to say that even my friend, who is a seasoned nurse, was haunted
for weeks by the mental images he had of his patient. He said he'd
never witnessed such a painful and horrible death, ever. What does his story have to do with natural healing?
Everything. You see, the patient had something called Stevens
Johnson Syndrome (SJS), which progressed into an even worse
complication called TENS (toxic epidermal necrolysis), both of
which are caused by adverse drug reactions. And unless I tell you
about it here, the odds are you won't hear of it until you or
someone you know encounters it -- which is too late in my book. Here's the thing you need to know…some very commonly
prescribed drugs can lead to this often-fatal reaction. The list
includes: antiepileptic and anticonvulsant drugs, sulfonamides,
ampicillin, allopurinol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents
(NSAIDs), as well as some vaccinations (such as anthrax). And
another frightening fact: the reaction is completely unpredictable.
You might have taken ibuprofen, a popular NSAID, a thousand
times with no problem at all. But one day, your body might
become hypersensitive to it and go into an extreme inflammatory
immune response that causes the skin to die. It occurs in every age
group, from infants and children to the elderly and any age in
between. Mortality rates are a frightening 25-80 percent, and
survivors are often scarred or impaired for life. Another problem: the current belief is that this extreme adverse
drug reaction is rare. But the Stevens Johnson Syndrome
Foundation feels that the numbers are higher than the one in a
million the FDA and drug companies would have us believe -- and
getting a little higher every year as the numbers of people taking
them increases. SJS is commonly misdiagnosed, chalked up as
unexplained, or not reported at all. Of course, this is just one more reason for me to reiterate one
of Dr. Wright's main tenets: Avoid pharmaceuticals whenever
possible, opting instead to solve health problems by natural
methods. If you do need to take a prescription that puts you at risk
for SJS or TENS, watch out for any signs of allergic reaction, such
as rash, blisters, a scalding sensation, or fever, and discontinue the
offending medication immediately. You may need to be the first
one to suggest SJS or TENS before your physician will consider it,
since this diagnosis is often missed, or it comes too late. Also, if
you or any of your family members have ever had a reaction to a
drug before, you are in a higher risk category to begin with. If you'd like to learn more about SJS or TENS, you can visit
www.sjsupport.org. If nothing else, it will strengthen your resolve
to find natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals before you reach for
something as seemingly innocuous as ibuprofen. **************************************************************
ESSENTIAL DAY TO DAY HEALTH Are you paying $80 a month for vitamins? That's more than
some pay for groceries! As you probably already know, multivitamins run the gamut
from slick, TV-advertised formulas to generic, bulk retail
cheapies to $80-a-month concoctions hyped by nutrition "gurus"
you've never heard of before. Confusing, isn't it? What's missing in today's glutted multivitamin market is
a good, honest, easily absorbable daily formula with all
the basic vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need for
day-to-day health - with a price tag that won't induce a
coronary. But such a thing simply didn't exist...until now. http://www.youreletters.com/t/63874/4477585/650286/0/ ************************************************************** Bad is in the eye of the beholder Q: Help! I have a "bad" cholesterol reading of 142, and my
physician wants to put me on a statin drug that I've heard has
horrendous side effects. Can you suggest a natural alternative? I
really don't want to go down the statin path. JVW: As the recommendations for cholesterol levels go lower and
lower like an impossible game of limbo, more people will be faced
with a decision to either follow doctors orders -- or find another
path unsupported by the medical mainstream. Your level is in the borderline high range and it's important to
take it into consideration with your other levels, such as your
"good" (HDL) cholesterol level and your triglycerides. If everything points to a real need to lower your levels, there
are some natural steps you can take. First, pay attention to lifestyle
issues that can raise your good and lower your bad cholesterol
levels, such as getting enough exercise and eating a diet that is low
in carbs and completely free of refined sugar. I also recommend
incorporating niacin, chromium, and essential fatty acids into your
nutrition plan as well. Since your levels are borderline, these
simple steps might be enough to do the trick. If not, you can try a couple of natural remedies that will work
just as well as statins in most cases, without the negative side
effects. One is policosanol, a long-chain alcohol that is performing
well in research -- and standing up to statin drugs without the side
effects. (I wrote a lengthy article on policosanol in the January
2002 Nutrition & Healing newsletter that subscribers can look up
in the on-line archives by visiting www.wrightnewsletter.com). If
your doctor won't support you in naturally managing your
cholesterol level, you might want to find one who will. You can
contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine (949-
583-7666; www.acam.org). **************************************************************
Everyone's trying to help men spice up their sex lives... BUT WHAT ABOUT WOMEN! Modern medicine may have forgotten your needs - but not
Dr. Douglass! That’s why we scoured the world to develop the ultimate sex-
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intense orgasms... incredible sexual energy...and how to
keep him up at night for a change! http://www.youreletters.com/t/63874/4477585/645923/0/ ************************************************************ What is…cholesterol? Like fat, this much-maligned substance is actually essential to
your health and well-being. Cholesterol can be found in the cell
membranes and nerve fiber insulation of all animal tissue. It is a
critical part of the metabolism and transport of fatty acids, and the
production of hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol is
manufactured by the liver, and can be found in eggs and shellfish. There are two types of cholesterol in the blood, high-density
(HDL), which is referred to as the "good" cholesterol, and low-
density (LDL) lipoproteins, which are termed the "bad"
cholesterol. Too much LDL is most commonly linked to heart
disease. Very low cholesterol levels may indicate malnutrition and
lead to severe health complications as well. Like most of our
natural systems, balance is the key to good health. Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing Sources:
Roujeau JC, et al, "Medication use and the risk of Stevens-Johnson
syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis." N Engl J Med 1995
;333(24): 1,600-1,607 Hauben M. "Early Postmarketing Drug Safety Surveillance: Data
Mining Points to Consider." Ann Pharmacother 2004; 38(10):
1,625-1,630 "Group Urges Review of New Statin Drug Advice," Reuters
Health News, 9/23/04 | 
