- “I’m having a hard time getting to sleep.” Isn’t there a pill for that?
- “My cholesterol is higher than it should be.” Isn’t there a pill for that?
- “I have a headache every Monday morning.” Isn’t there a pill for that?
- “I have type II diabetes that is not well controlled.” Isn’t there a new pill for that?
For every human ailment, every bodily discomfort we turn to the medicine chest, or the pharmacist, or the nutritionist, or the medical practitioner and say, “Isn’t there a pill for that?”
But it doesn’t have to come in pill form. We eat tomatoes because we are sure that they contain substances that will prevent cancer. We drink wine because we are sure the wine contains substances that will protect our heart. We take male hormones because we are sure that they will increase our male functions. We examine the labels on our food and drink to make sure it is fortified with 100% of whatever it is we think we need to perform the day’s activities.
Most Americans are sure that the answer to what ails them is available as a pill, as a supplement, or as special substance eaten or applied that has special powers to cure and correct the problem. As a society, including our doctors, we have come to believe in the myth of the “pill.”
A good example of this phenomenon is the belief that consuming some alcohol each day is protective for the heart. Scientific studies have shown this to be true, yes? Yes, alcoholic beverages are made from grains, fruits, and vegetables. Many of the anti-oxidents and micro-nutrients that were in the original plants are still in the spirits made from them. And yes, these nutrients still do what they do for the heart.
But for what kinds of people is this true? In those people who have such a poor diet that they are deficient in good nutrition (fruits, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains), these people do derive some small benefit from their alcohol consumption. But people who eat a well-balanced diet of those named items derive absolutely no benefit whatsoever from alcohol consumption. This also is confirmed by the scientific studies.
In fact, most of the diseases that afflict us in Western society do not need a pill or a supplement or a special food. Most of the diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and stroke, can be prevented or severely curtailed by adopting a healthy life style: regular adequate sleep, sufficient exercise, a well-balanced diet to maintain ideal weight, regular significant social contacts, no smoking, no alcohol, and wearing seatbelts.
We don’t need a “pill.” We need common sense and the willingness to use it.