Overmedicated

A quote from an unknown IRC channel, via bash.org
Egger: Heres the history of our medicine.
“I have a sore throat.”
2000 BC : “eat this root”
1200 AD : “That root is heathen, say this prayer.”
1500 AD : “That prayer is superstition, drink this elixir.”
1800 AD : “That elixir is snake oil, Take this pill.”
1900 AD : “That pill is ineffective, Take this antibiotic.”
2000 AD : “That antibiotic is artificial, Here why dont you eat this root.”
Fits hand in glove with the Health, United States, 2004 CDC report that Americans are overmedicated. Why does it always takes a study to discover the obvious?
When I was back in the States last month, I was shocked at the ubiquitous advertisements for medicines–not only OTC drugs like aspirin and new, improved “24 hour heartburn relief”–but also prescription medications for chronic and acute ailments apparently suffered by many Americans.
The advertising works, JAMA reports that doctors are prescribing advertised medicine–particularly when their patients request them by brand name.
Sad. A healthier lifestyle is so much better than medicine.
But that’s not going to happen any time soon. This week, Archives of Internal Medicine reported that only 3% of American adults lead healthy lives based on four factors: not smoking; eating five daily servings of fruit & vegetables; exercising regularly; and maintaining a healthy weight.
How hard is this to understand? Eat better, move around a bit and you’ll live longer and healthier without drugs.