I almost SCREAMED at the TV a few minutes ago. I was watching the news while walking on my treadmill. The reporter said that some doctors are suggesting cholesterol screenings for children. Right now only kids with a family history of high cholesterol are screened. At first I thought wow that is a fabulous idea. Maybe parents will see what the shitty food they feed their kids is doing to them at such a young age. Then they can change their diets and get them on the right path for a lifetime of good health.
But......OH NO....that isn't the idea at all. They think that children with high cholesterol would benefit from cholesterol lowering DRUGS!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I could feel my heart start pounding and my blood pressure rising. When will this insanity end?
Yes, I am sure there are children that come from families where high cholesterol runs rampant despite healthy eating habits and exercise.....but come on....I would venture to guess....looking at the American diet these days, that most of the children that have high cholesterol DON'T have to have it!
Thank goodness not all scientists agree. Some say there is not enough evidence cholesterol lowering medication for children is safe or effective....so at least there are still some sane scientists out there! What are they going to do....take Lipitor for their entire lives?
Sorry for the rant, but I feel like the drug companies are running low on adults to drug, so now they are going after our children. I remember seeing some unbelievable number a couple of years ago about how many new drugs are being developed every year that target children.
Now don't yell at me. I know there are a ton of illnesses for adults and children that benefit from medication....I really do get it......HOWEVER.....let's take a good look at what we all eat, drink and breathe and how many hours we spend in front of the TV or on the computer and try to correct that problem before we drug ourselves into oblivion.
End of rant....hope everyone had a super day today. :)
Posts
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
13 comments:
Ok--I'm sooooo with you on this one. We didn't learn anything from the Gardasil fiasco did we? And obviously the big Pharma Companies haven't learned anything from their very biased, very narrow clinical trials.
Did you know that statin drugs don't cross the gender divide? Meaning they were tested on relatively healthy men under the age of 65 who had a potential risk of heart disease because of lifestyle? But when women take them, the side effects are exponentially magnified, such as muscle pain? Headaches? Chest pain? Dementia-like symptoms that lead to Alzheimer's? Furthermore, the drug DOES NOT LOWER THE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS significantly in women!
So now Big Pharma wants to drug our kids? Better foods are so expensive these days that poor families have not other choice but to eat junk. Why doesn't our government tax the hell out of food manufacturing companies instead of the individuals?
*shakes my head* Sorry for the rant--but can we get any stupider?
I'm part of the choir you're preaching to. I won't have my kids screened and neither one will have the gaurdasil vax. Big pharma really makes me angry.
I firmly believe there are many diseases we should have a cure for by now, my own disease included, but why cure? My drug costs over $14,000 a year! That's a lot of money to lose out on.
Now you got ME ranting... So sorry! =)
It is outrageous. Antidepressants, ADHD drugs, etc. Parents should take responsibility for their kids' health and do their homework. Then turn off the TV, the cell phone and the Wii and say, "We're all going outside to play!"
Standing Ovation, Kathy, for telling it like it is!
I hadn't heard this. Wow. I think that's extreme to put kids on meds for cholesterol. I'm so in agreement that diet and exercise will do more.
Great post!
Nancy
Children on preventative drugs? Absurd!
I agree with you. Proper eating habits and exercise are all they need.
I don't see anything wrong with it. My cholesterol is 305 and should only be like 200 or so. My parents weren't concerned with high cholesterol though when we were little, and neither was anyone else back then really. Now I am an adult and grew up eating the junk we ate, and not always the best cuts of meat either because we were poor, and that is what I am used to eating so now I am lucky I don't keel over from a heart attack. I don't see anything wrong with screening and educating.
I am one who can't take the statins tho, they caused me such pain I felt like I was 90 years old and could barely move or climb my stairs and ached all over. But who says drugs has to be the answer if screening catches it early enough to change habits?
PussDaddy
P.S. I am not trying to ruin your blog post or anything. I just wanted to add that my doctor only offered me statins after first suggesting a change of diet, and exercise, and adding supplements to my diet like vitamins and fish oil. I told her in theory that was nice but in reality I knew I wasn't going to do it, so she gave me statins. The only thing I did was add fish oil to my diet. A reputable doctor is going to offer non-drug alternatives first, then go to drus, and if they don't then you should find another doctor. So I guess I dont' see what all the fuss is about.
PussDaddy
My neighbor drops of boatload of fresh picked grapefruit brought back from their desert property. I have so much that I share. It's then that I find out actually how many people I know, who take prescribed drugs that do not allow them to eat Grapefruit.
...so get off the drugs, and eat the grapefruit! You'll like it better, and it will like you better too. Be well.
Cheers!
unfortunately there is so much we could do better that this subject is sort of a bottomless pit. we live in a country with an energy crisis whose only response is how to build a bigger vehicle that uses a little less gas....and pretends digging for more oil is the answer. we live in a country where a belief in the ruination of the ozone layer is seen as a vilification of our way of life and therefore untrue. we live in a country that allows a seed monoculture and bioengineering and ongoing poisoning of our land and water....why not drug the kiddies?
it is also important to note that many medicines have saved a lot of lives and we probably shouldn't rant against all medicines when given in a timely manner to people who actually need them...
Which is akin to my rant about children on antacids. WHY? If we'd just feed our kids well....GARGH!
WEll unless you never use any oil say by using any form of public transportation, or for heating your house, or even putting it in your lawnmower then I would say most of us help create the demand for oil Muna's Treasures.
PussDaddy
I agree that diet and exercise should be always tried first!!
PS If Pussdaddy is reading this...I can't figure out how to comment on your blog.
Post a Comment