Pill Fatigue?
Whether you are taking prescription medications or “green” pharmacy supplements, you may become tired with the routine of the daily ingestion of pills. They can be a challenge with folks with chronic conditions especially. Take inventory right now…how many supplements and RX’s are you taking daily, or two to three times a day? How long have you been on these? Are they still beneficial?
I remember myself as a VERY young nurse aide at Whetstone Care Center, in Columbus, Ohio. The doctor on staff at the time would enact a “drug holiday” one weekend a month. It was meant to give the elderly bodies a rest from the compounding effect of multiple drugs being given over times. Theoretically, this allowed the liver and kidneys to rest from their detoxing and filtering functions. I wonder if anyone is still doing this?
In order for our body to heal, we must have rest. Our bodies develop tolerance to medications of all types and supplements as well. Both are used best temporarily, until the cellular processes can take over the function again. Unfortunately, many people with chronic illness are told “you will be on this for the rest of your life.” Early in my nursing career, it was common knowledge that a diabetic, a depressive, a person with high blood pressure, would have to use the medications long term to allow them to be well.
Now we know, for example, that the use of anti-depressants over time, inhibits the bodies ability to create serotonin reserves, and this function may be lost altogether. Serotonin is needed to have a positive mood, highly functioning immune system, and a calm demeanor (and much more). Whether depressants are taking medication or not, depression does not go away without lifestyle changes. “Patients not treated with antidepressants after remission had the lowest recurrence rate (26%).” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4970636/ What does this mean? That lifestyle changes were the most effective. People do get better on their own. Things change.
This is one example, and it may sound very familiar to you. Supplements are often prescribed or suggested as a way to make up lost minerals and vitamins, enzyme factors and promote heathy gut flora. Temporarily, these are very important steps to take for your health. Considering our food and water supplies are not clean, our environment is laden with heavy metals and chemicals, and our homes are often full of hidden environmental toxins, it is reasonable to assert that we may need some help~temporarily. Changing our lifestyle takes time, and supplements and prescribed medications buy us the time to learn how to change. You may be motivated enough to change on your own, but if not, do you know someone who could help you change, if you have tried and been unsuccessful?
Becoming reliant on pharmaceuticals, RX or Green, is not the answer. Finding someone to help you let go of old patterns can be useful. Nurse coaches, health coaches, your physician who practices holistic, integrative or lifestyle medicine, nutritionists and educating yourself will get you started.
We can work toward wellness and vibrant health or we will become ill. There is only a limited amount of time the body will support an unhealthy lifestyle. And as we get older, that length of time shortens. It is a full time job staying healthy!
