Surprising Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

Sleeping Pill Marketers and Doctors Ignore Causes of Insomnia

Volume 14 Issue 90

A new market research report says the booming sleeping pill market will reach $9 billion by the year 2015. The research company makes it sound like a great market to expand into, and sells the report to pharmaceutical companies and anyone else who’s interested for $3,950.

The report claims that “55% of the US population is affected by symptoms of insomnia, and close to 15% suffer from serious insomnia. Insomnia has become a major health issue the world over. As a result, more and more people are seeking medical intervention for relief.” Up to 20 percent of the world population uses sleep aids. Use of the drugs doubled among 20 to 45 year olds from 2000 to 2004.

The report says Ambien is the most prescribed sleep aid. Singer Health Reports is pleased to present the first 119 of 222 reported side effects of Ambien and other sleeping pills. These are just some of the horrible conditions that people are willing to trade for a good night’s sleep. We don’t have room for them all, but encourage you to follow the links at the end of this Report.

The point we are making is this: inability to sleep almost always has a cause that can be found and treated by a caring health professional. Instead of taking drugs, see one of our Wellness Doctors!

The following is a list of the side effects:

abdominal pain bronchospasm eye irritation increased saliva
abnormal dreams cerebrovascular disorder eye pain increased sweating
abnormal gait chest pain face edema infection
abnormal hepatic circulatory failure falling influenza-like symptoms
abnormal thinking CNS-depressant effects falls injection-site inflammation
herpes simplex /zoster completed suicides fatigue insomnia
acne confusion feeling strange intestinal obstruction
acute renal failure conjunctivitis fever intoxicated feeling
aggressive reaction constipation flatulence laryngitis
agitation corneal ulceration flushing leg cramps
allergic reaction coughing gastritis lethargy
allergy cystitis gastroenteritis lightheadedness
amnesia daytime drowsiness glaucoma lymphadenopathy
anaphylactic shock decreased cognition gout macrocytic anemia
anemia decreased inhibition hallucination manic reaction
angina pectoris decreased libido headache menstrual disorder
angioedema delusion hemorrhoids migraine
anorexia dementia hiccup muscle weakness
anxiety depersonalization hot flashes myalgia
apathy depression hypercholesteremia myocardial infarction
appetite increased dermatitis hyperglycemia nausea
arrhythmia diarrhea hyperlipidemia nervousness
arthralgia difficulty concentrating hypertension neuralgia
arthritis dizziness hypertension aggravated neuritis
ataxia drugged feelings hypoesthesia neuropathy
back pain dry mouth hypokinesia neurosis
behavior changes dyspepsia hypotension
bizarre behavior edema hypoxia
breast fibroadenosis enteritis hysteria
breast pain esophagospasm illusion
bronchitis euphoria impotence

SOURCE: Sleeping Aids, Drug Detox.org, http://www.drugdetox.org/druginfo/ambien.php#nav_addictions; Global Industry Analysts Inc., Sleeping Pills: A Global Strategic Business Report, http://www.prweb.com/releases/sleeping_pills/sleeping_tablets/prweb4318034.htm

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Do You Use These ADHD Linked Products at Home?

A new study led by a team of Boston University School of Public Health researchers has found that a group of chemicals widely used in many consumer products is linked to the condition called “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (ADHD) in children.

Commonly referred to as PFCs (which stands for “polyfluoroalkyl chemicals”, but you may also have heard of them as perfluorinated compounds), they are used in so many industrial and commercial products that almost everyone in the U.S. and around the world is constantly exposed to them.

PFCs are used in clothing, furniture and carpets to provide stain-resistance; in water-resistant coatings, grease-resistant food packaging like popcorn bags and pizza boxes; Teflon, cleaning products, personal care products like shampoo, and so on. They’re everywhere. When they are absorbed into the body it can take years to even partially eliminate them.

The new study linking PFCs to “ADHD”, which was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to compare the PFC levels found in serum samples from 571 children aged 12 to 15, including 48 kids with diagnosed “ADHD”. The study found “increased odds of ADHD in children with higher serum PFC levels.”

An earlier NHANES survey, performed in 2003-2004, analyzed 2,094 blood samples taken from the U.S. population and found more than 98 percent had detectable serum levels of PFCs.

PFCs aren’t anything new. As far back as the 1980s, the DuPont company, which manufacturers a number of PFCs, showed how PFCs can cross the placental barrier of women exposed to the chemical and cause developmental abnormalities in their children.

Workers at a DuPont factory in West Virginia had “statistically significantly higher” incidences of cancers, including cancer of the buccal cavity (the cavity between the jaw and the cheeks), the pharynx, kidney, other urinary cancers, and leukemia. Male workers at a Minnesota 3M plant had double the normal death rate from prostate cancer and female workers had abnormally high levels of the reproductive hormone estradiol, which is linked to breast and ovarian cancer.

Other studies performed in the 1990s at factories where PFCs were manufactured showed double and higher occurrences of disease than elsewhere.

Animal studies have also shown that PFCs may be potential “developmental neurotoxicants” — causing toxic damage to nerves involved in mental and physical development.

According to a 2004 report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the industry knew about the dangers, did nothing to protect its workers and hid from the EPA the known human health effects.

Although the Boston University School of Public Health researchers can’t say for sure that PFCs cause the symptoms known as ADHD, there is certainly enough evidence of health effects to warrant avoiding them.

SOURCES: Environmental Working Group report on PFCs, June 2008, Environmental Health Perspectives, June 2010, http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.1001898; Boston University School of Public Health, August, 2010, http://sph.bu.edu/insider/index.php/Recent-News/busph-researchers-link-widely-used-chemicals-to-adhd-in-children.html

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Do You Know The Escalating Health Risks of Fluorinated Water?

More and more information is coming to light about the health hazards of fluoride, the chemical used in almost all municipal water supplies. But in spite of study after study linking fluoride to a multitude of illnesses, nothing is being done to stop the poisoning of America.

Fluoridated water is not just used for drinking water. It is used on crops and for farm animals, where it enters the food supply. The list of debilitating conditions and diseases grows longer with each new study of the ill effects of fluoride on our health.

Here are some examples:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis: The US Public Health Service says fluoride makes bones more brittle and dental enamel more porous, both symptoms of osteoporosis. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists say the mass fluoridation of America’s water is also causing the soaring number of people suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and arthritis-like pains in myriad joints.

Hip fractures: This extremely common injury, related to osteoporosis, is now considered epidemic among America’s aging population. Some studies show fluoridated water doubles the rate of hip fractures for older men and women; others indicate an 87 percent higher risk.

Cancer: The National Cancer Institute Toxicological Program has found fluoride to be an equivocal carcinogen. The New Jersey Department of Health found a nearly 7-fold increase in bone cancer in young males attributable to fluoridation. Earlier studies found a 5 percent increase in all types of cancers in fluoridated communities.

Cancer Deaths: Nearly 20 years ago, the Chief Chemist at the US National Cancer Institute, Dean Burk, testified to congress that at least 40,000 cancer deaths in 1981 were directly caused by fluoride. Burk stated that fluoride causes more cancer, and causes it faster, than any other chemical.

Thyroid Disorders: Disease of the thyroid gland is a side effect of fluoride exposure, and a deadly one. The thyroid regulates iodine levels in our bodies, which plays a crucial role in protecting us from toxins and pollutants such as heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and radioactive pollution. The National Research Council found clear evidence that the amount of fluoride added to U.S. water supplies is a risk to the thyroid gland.

Infertility: The list of diseases directly related to fluoride by actual scientific studies also includes infertility not just in humans, but in most of the animal kingdom. FDA scientists reported a direct relationship between decreasing fertility rates in women under 49 years of age and increasing fluoride levels.

Alzheimer’s Disease: Numerous studies have linked aluminum with Alzheimer’s, while others implicate fluoride reacting to aluminum, resulting in double the amount of aluminum entering the brain.

Diabetes, neurological disorders, heart disease, hormonal imbalances — the list keeps growing. The question is, what can we do about it? We must actively campaign against water fluoridation through letters, emails and petitions to our elected representatives. Switching to filtered water with reduced or eliminated fluorides is very important. A filtering system for drinking water called ‘reverse osmosis’ reportedly does the job. If you can afford a whole-house system, you also can avoid exposure from bathing and showering.

All sorts of household essentials, from soaps and toothpaste to food and medicine, are all exposed to fluoride. Going green, going organic, and reading labels has never been more important to our health.

SOURCE: Shirley’s Wellness Cafe, http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/fluoride.htm

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So You Think Those Chicken McNuggets Won’t Hurt

In a recent newsletter by Dr. W.C. Douglass, he noted McNuggets containing 37 ingredients just in the chicken’ part and the ‘breaded’ portion and seven more in the oil. He also recounted a CNN story that listed the ingredients and showing them containing dimethylpolysiloxane, an ‘antifoaming agent’, which was also used in Silly Putty and cosmetics. Also contained a petroleum-derived preservative called tertiary butylhydroquinone or tBHQ, which according to Dr. Douglass, “A single gram of this stuff can cause nausea, vomiting, delirium, ringing in the ears, the sensation of suffocating, collapse and an overheated spell checker” (he has a sense of humor). These ingredients are not essential for their composition and are included simple for taste according to the company, however, other countries such as Britain do not contain them. Now you know that stomach ache after your last trip there was not in your head!

Ready for An Amazing Flu Solution??

Check out the article below on how Vitamin D is far more effective in helping the flu. But, in addition to helping the flu, look at the other benefits that Vitamin D supplementation can achieve. As always, I don’t encourage going to the supermarket or places like that. Find quality products! That is why I personally endorse and use Nutri-West.

http://www.naturalnews.com/029760_vitamin_D_influenza.html

Chemo Drugs Killing Doctors!

There is strong evidence that chemotherapy drugs are actually causing cancer among hospital workers, while causing new, additional cancers in cancer patients themselves.

Pharmacists who prepare the chemo drugs, and members of the teams of oncology doctors and nurses who handle the drugs, are getting sick and dying from cancers that are very likely caused by the drugs. The evidence points to a higher incidence of cancers among these workers than the public at large.

A massive, 10-year-long study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concludes that chemo drugs continue to contaminate the workspaces where they’re used and, in some cases, are still being found in the urine of those who handle it despite knowledge of safety precautions.

Thomas Connor, a research biologist with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has spent 40 years studying the effect of chemo agents on workers and is one of the lead authors on the latest study.

“There is no other occupation population that handles so many known human carcinogens,” he said.

If chemotherapy is this bad for anyone handling it in the workplace, one can’t help wondering how it could be good for a cancer patient already weakened and made vulnerable by disease.

Several relevant and disturbing facts should be considered:

Chemo drugs are highly toxic and studies have shown that they can actually cause cancer.

Although there are claims that chemo has saved countless lives, there is no credible evidence that chemo actually cures cancer, extends life significantly or improves the quality of life. There is a lot of evidence that it does the opposite.

Polls show 75 percent of oncologists would refuse chemotherapy because of its ineffectiveness and “unacceptable level of toxicity”.

Despite the evidence, the cancer “industry” continues to push chemo on cancer patients while ignoring potentially helpful therapies because they “lack scientific evidence.”  Yet, the evidence about chemo drugs is overwhelmingly negative.

Chemo drugs have been classified as hazardous by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since the mid-1980s. Hazardous drugs are those known to, or even suspected of, causing cancer, miscarriages, birth defects or other serious health problems.

OSHA does not regulate exposure to these toxins, despite multiple studies documenting contaminations and exposures including recent evidence that they are causing cancer in the workplace.

In the long run, it makes sense for anyone involved with chemotherapy, especially cancer patients, to move forward with caution and, while remaining under medical care, to carefully investigate alternatives.

SOURCES: Natural News, July 2010, http://www.naturalnews.com/029191_secondhand_chemotherapy_cancer.html; The Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012327665_chemo11.html;  Philip Day, Cancer: Why we’re still dying to know the truth, Credence Publications, 2000. July 2010, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012327665_chemo11.html Normal 0 0 1 23 135 DSE 1 1 165 10.260 0 0 0 ;  Philip Day, Cancer: Why we’re still dying to know the truth, Credence Publications, 2000.

Cause More Pain By Taking OxyContin, Percocet, Lortab & Vicodin

It is estimated that a significant percentage of people taking opioid painkillers for chronic pain are actually causing more pain by taking the drugs — an effect called Opioid Induced Hyperalgesia (OIH).

“Hyper” comes from the Greek, meaning “over”. It is used as part of another word to mean “too much” or “excess”. Of course, by itself, hyper is slang for overactive.

“Algesia” is also from the Greek and means “sensitivity to pain”.

So, “hyperalgesia” means “too much sensitivity to pain” or just, “too much pain”.

Physical pain, in case you have any doubt, is defined as: “Unpleasant physical sensation — the acutely unpleasant physical discomfort experienced by somebody who is violently struck, injured, or ill.”

So now, with those definitions in hand, we can explain the amazing scientific discovery that painkillers can actually CAUSE pain. And why, in such circumstances, people should take fewer painkillers, not more.

Opioid painkillers, which are all fairly similar in what they do, include such drugs as OxyContin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Percocet, Lortab, Vicodin, methadone, morphine, Dilaudid and dozens of others that are based on the chemistry contained in the infamous opium poppy, the source of heroin.

A common misconception is that when painkillers “treat” pain, our body is less ill or injured. In fact, it is merely anesthetized so we can’t feel the pain. The drug has not improved the injury.

The brain produces a substance called endorphins that block pain signals from reaching the brain as pain. Opioids stimulate endorphin production that block the pain, but sooner or later the body begins to rely on the drugs for endorphin production, producing less on its own.

Recently, science has learned that opioids can damage the specialized sensory receptor cell, called the “nociceptor”, that sends pain signals to the brain. The damage causes the nociceptor to increase its signals, and the drug user feels increased pain — often more than the pain he or she was originally trying to treat.

Without knowing this, the drug user increases the dose of opioid painkiller, escalating the problem. It just keeps getting worse, and can even cause permanent damage.

It is well known that bodies and brains build up tolerance to opioids, creating the need to take more and more opioids to treat the same pain or get the same effects. Now we have the additional problem of the drugs causing more pain themselves.

Many busy medical doctors don’t take the time to find the cause of nor treat the actual cause of some pain. Instead, they prescribe opioids. Now, with Opioid Induced Hyperalgesia, we have even more reason to avoid the drugs if at all possible.

When we are suffering from pain, it makes sense to see a practitioner with the skill to diagnose and treat the cause of our pain, and who takes the time to do so. More and more people are finding Acupuncture and Chiropractic to be their treatments of choice.

SOURCES: Novus Medical Detox Center, http://www.novusdetox.com/opioid-pain-effects.php

Do Cholesterol Drugs Help Prevent Heart Attacks?

Excellent information that healthcare consumers need to know about:

Statins are the world’s most-prescribed class of medications. About 24 million Americans take drugs such as Pravachol, Mevacor, Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor.

But in recent months, the drugs’ medical reputation has come under tough scrutiny.

Today, a majority of people who use statins are doing so for primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes. It is this use of statins that has come under recent attack.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

“[M]edical researchers found that, contrary to widely held belief, statins do not drive down death rates among those who take them to prevent a first heart attack.

A second article cast significant doubt on the influential findings of [the 2006 JUPITER] study … that has driven the expansion of statins’ use by healthy people …

A third article suggested potential ethical, clinical and financial conflicts of interest at work in the execution of the JUPITER study”.

Sources:

Archives of Internal Medicine June 28, 2010;170(12):1024-31

Omega-3 deficiency was recently revealed as the sixth biggest killer of Americans

Found this on foodconsumer.org

A recent report adds to the growing evidence that omega-3 supplements may play a role in preventing chronic disease.

Researchers asked more than 35,000 postmenopausal women who did not have a history of breast cancer to complete a 24-page questionnaire about their use of supplements.

Regular use of fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, was linked with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.

Eurekalert reports:

“The reduction in risk appeared to be restricted to invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of the disease. The use of other specialty supplements, many of which are commonly taken by women to treat symptoms of menopause, was not associated with breast cancer risk.”

Sources:

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention July 2010;19(7):1696-708

Additionally, I’d like to point out some other stats as report on mercola.com: “omega-3 deficiency was recently revealed as the sixth biggest killer of Americans, responsible for up to 96,000 premature deaths each year…”

Now if you’ve ever been in my practice you know that I recommend a very specific formulation of fish oil for adults that is twice the EPA as DHA. I have offered and recommended this since 2001.

Two pioneers are Barry Sears, Ph.D and Andrew Stoll, M.D., have shown the importance of this groundbreaking health maximizer.

If you aren’t aware of the right ratios or how much should be taken contact the office at 565-7474 or visit www.nevadachiro.com.

Do You Know the Dangers Antacids Create?

Antacid drugs like Zantac, Pepcid, Prevacid and Nexium are some of the most widely prescribed medications in the world.

According to Britain’s National Health Service, physicians are warning seniors of serious side effects associated with the drugs, especially as you get older.

Antacids are linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal infections, and one actually type actually increases the risk of pneumonia, they are called protein pump inhibitors (PPIs).

PPIs are also associated with an increased risk of infection with the C. difficile bacterium, which is resistant to many antibiotics and can cause serious diarrheal illness.

This according to the New York Times:

“Several studies also have shown an increased risk of bone fractures from osteoporosis in patients taking P.P.I.’s, though the results aren’t consistent. Possibly the change in stomach acidity reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium.”

Despite the significant number of these prescriptions world wide, antacids are relatively ignored by doctors and patients regarding safety.

“When patients were admitted to our geriatric wards, a lot of them didn’t have clear indications for taking these drugs,” said Dr. Ian Logan, a Scottish physician. “And they’ve remained on them for a lot longer than they should have.” One of his patients had been taking an acid reducer for 15 years.

“They do have significant side effects, especially in older patients,” Dr. Logan said. Studies have linked antacids to an increased risk of pneumonia, gastrointestinal infections, antibiotic resistance, severe diarrhea, and possibly osteoporosis.

This common approach to heartburn and indigestion needs to be called into question. A better alternative does exist. Enzyme replacement therapy, father by Dr. Howard Loomis, is an effective soultion. You can see why this is important and how it works at http://nevadachiro.com/Easy-Lessons.html.

Sources:

New York Times August 11, 2010

Antacids Pose Unique Dangers for Seniors

Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 01 2010 | 15,166 views

pile of antacid tabletsAntacid drugs like Zantac, Pepcid, Prevacid and Nexium are among the most widely prescribed medications in the world.

However, physicians with Britain’s National Health Service are warning seniors of serious side effects associated with the drugs, especially as you get older.

Antacids are linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal infections, while one category of the drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), increase the risk of pneumonia.

PPIs are also associated with an increased risk of infection with the C. difficile bacterium, which is resistant to many antibiotics and can cause serious diarrheal illness.

The New York Times reported:

“Several studies also have shown an increased risk of bone fractures from osteoporosis in patients taking P.P.I.’s, though the results aren’t consistent. Possibly the change in stomach acidity reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium.”

Despite being among the most widely prescribed medications in the world, antacids don’t get much scrutiny from doctors or patients.

“When patients were admitted to our geriatric wards, a lot of them didn’t have clear indications for taking these drugs,” said Dr. Ian Logan, a Scottish physician. “And they’ve remained on them for a lot longer than they should have.” One of his patients had been taking an acid reducer for 15 years.

“They do have significant side effects, especially in older patients,” Dr. Logan said. Studies have linked antacids to an increased risk of pneumonia, gastrointestinal infections, antibiotic resistance, severe diarrhea, and possibly osteoporosis.

Sources:

New York Times August 11, 2010