|
There
has been some play in the press lately about a new pharmaceutical call “the
Poly Pill,” and it deserves some comment from those of us from the
“natural” side of health. The reason it deserves some comment is that, if I
didn’t believe they were serious, I would think the news was all dated
April 1—“April Fools!” But, unfortunately they (big Pharma and the media) are
serious. (I must give credit for much of this Newsletter to Jonny
Bowden and his cookbook “The Healthiest Meals on Earth,” which we highly
recommend for your cookbook collection!)
The
idea of a “Poly Pill” was first proposed on June 28, 2003 in the British
Medical Journal (by two researchers named Wald and Law) under an article
titled “A Strategy to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease by More Than Eighty
Percent.” Because cardiovascular disease is still slightly ahead of cancer
as the leading cause of death in the USA, anything written by reputable
scientists in a reputable medical journal that promises an 80 percent
reduction in this deadly disease is going to get serious attention. And now
it is getting that attention.
The
prediction of an 80 percent reduction was based on everyone over the age
of 55 taking this Poly Pill, and it was only a statistical prediction
based on no research whatsoever.
The
Poly Pill would contain a mix of six basic medications: 3 blood pressure
meds, a statin drug, low dose aspirin, and the B vitamin folic acid. All
have potentially severe side effects, including cancer!
But,
the question comes up—why a Poly Pill? Isn’t there another and better way
to do the same thing?
So,
some natural thinkers, including from the prestigious Harvard University
Medical School ,
got to thinking about a proven way to reduce heart disease by 80%
and they came up with the Poly
Meal! This was actually proposed by a Colombian Scientist named
Oscar Franco in the same BMJ one year after the article about the Poly
Pill.
Franco
and his colleagues and the researchers at Harvard took a revolutionary
approach that said that maybe pills were not the only way to prevent
disease. (Do you find something sinister in this way of thinking?) They
suggested that dining regularly on a Poly
Meal (a meal composed of ingredients that could boost the health of
the heart and the blood vessels) could do just as good a job, cutting the
risk of heart disease by 80%, without the terrible side effects of the
pharmaceuticals.
Using
the same statistical prediction techniques as the previous Poly Pill
researchers, Franco said that eating a diet rich in Poly Meals would delay the average onset of a heart
attack by 9 years for men and 8 years for women, and this would increase
the lifespan by between 4.8 and 6.6
years. Men could be free from heart disease for at least 9 years more than
without the Poly Meals,
and women for at least 8.1 years.
Franco
said that “the point we are trying to make is that it is not only through
pills that you can prevent disease. The Poly Meal is a natural alternative. By exercising
moderately, not smoking, and eating the prescribed food within a balanced
diet, a future of pills and medication could be avoided. The Poly Meal promises to be an
effective, non-pharmacologic, safe, cheap and tasty alternative to reduce
cardiovascular morbidity and increase life expectancy in the general
population.”
What
are the major ingredients of the Poly
Meal? It’s quite simple, really. Fish, garlic, almonds, fruits,
vegetables,
and dark chocolate, polished off with a nice little glass of red wine!!
One
of the biggest advantages of this Poly
Meal is the lifestyle change it forces on us. People need to sit
down more with family and friends and consume a good meal. Look at the
Italians and their lifestyle! Of course, the time element of just taking a
pill seems to fit better into our American lifestyle, but isn’t that part
of the problem? Good food should be enjoyed in a leisurely fashion. There
should be no rush!
One
other thing—why not spend your hard earned dollars on good food for you and
those you love, and not give those dollars to big pharmaceutical companies?
Makes sense to me! ;>)
Get
off the prescription meds you are taking or simply refuse to try these
medications until you have made good lifestyle changes and tried to help
your body to heal. Live life like Hippocrates (the father of modern
medicine) advised over 2,000 years ago: “Let thy medicine be thy food, and
let thy food be thy medicine.” Isn’t that what I’ve been telling you for
years now?
Please
tell your family, friends, co-workers, and everyone you know to please sign
up for the Newsletter Pathways to Optimal Health at www.wholebodyhealth.us and tell
them it’s free!
As
always, your questions, comments, and suggestions are welcomed!
All of Dr. Baldwin’s recommendations are based on
solid scientific research. However,
no one Nutritional Plan will work for ever person, nor will any one
Nutritional Plan work for every disease or degenerative condition. Pathways is not a substitute for
proper medical diagnosis of conditions which may require medical or
surgical intervention. Our
Diagnostic System allows us to treat the person with the condition and not
the condition that has the person.
Our program is not simply a weight loss program. It is a program intended to help
the client learn how he or she can attain optimal health and
wellness with a healthy immune system.
We maintain that everyone should be able to live life to the fullest
and enjoy each day of life. To get in touch with us, dial 410-326-6690 and
we will be only too happy to help you!
|