By Dr. Mercola
Opioids kill patients more frequently than any other medication used for nonfatal conditions,1 yet disturbing statistics reveal more than one-third of American adults were prescribed these dangerous drugs in 2015.2 Even more shocking, opioid overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. More than half of all opioid prescriptions in the U.S. are also issued to patients suffering from anxiety and depression,4 despite the fact that this increases their risk for addiction. Overall, studies show addiction affects about 26 percent of those using opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.5While back pain is one of the most common reasons for receiving a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever,6 a surprising number of people — especially teens and young adults — receive these potent drugs from their dentist. Women are also increasingly being prescribed opioids during pregnancy and after delivery,7 creating addicts in the womb and destroying families by creating drug-dependent mothers and infants. Of the 1.1 million pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid in 2007, nearly one-quarter of them filled a prescription for an opioid drug.8 Not surprisingly, statistics9 reveal a disconcerting rise in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Between 2000 and 2009, the prevalence of NAS increased from 1.2 to nearly 3.4 per 1,000 live births. Read more of Dr. Mercolas article
Steve Steeves Commentary on Pain and Medication
Don’t you just love how Dr. Mercola exposes the deceptions that are destroying American lives? The scripture says “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Since the Lord revealed the truth to me many years ago regarding the use of pharmakia, I have been free from medication and the pain of debilitating and crippling arthritis for 27 years. Medical treatment for me was headed in the direction of these opioid drugs and I ran the other direction. Today, with the wisdom from our Creator, we help clients to remove the “works of darkness” from their lives and bring restoration and natural healing without the use of medication.
The body has many ways in which it controls pain and inflammation. This information is a worthy study for anyone who is human and lives in a physical body on planet earth. The immune system uses pain and inflammation as a protection or warning from danger or destruction. Opioids refer to synthetic drugs used to relieve pain, including morphine, hydrocodone, anesthesia, and many others. We must be careful when we experience pain, not to block the natural healing response that the immune system is activating through various messengers called cytokines. If we do suppress pain before repair takes place then damage can occur that makes the pain even worse once the effect of the medication wears off.
The production of natural hormones that quench inflammation is an ongoing process within your body. Most all programs that we set up for clients with nutrition support will incorporate foundational nutrition where there is continual support of pain and inflammation control mechanisms. The comments we receive back from clients are often surprising. When someone comes in our office seeking to improve their blood sugar they often return with comments such as, “I have less back pain” or “I don’t get headaches anymore”. We know this is how the Creator made us to be. The body only wants to be healthy. When we remove that which is deceiving us and add that which we were lacking then healing just happens and pain goes away naturally. If you are struggling with pain and you are trapped in the dark circle of medication use, we are here to help you find the natural answers that you are seeking.