I never go down this aisle any more. No need to. This pic makes me sad.

Countless pills being popped every day. That was me. That was my family. Thankfully I wasn’t one to take them every day, but I personally know many that do, for countless reasons. Now I’m not bashing all that man has created. There is a place for it for sure. Modern medicine has saved countless lives. In no way am I telling you to quit taking your meds!! You will never hear me advise that.

The point I’m trying to get to is this… why do we look to synthetics first? Have we as a society gotten so lazy that we just want someone to “fix” us? Sad to say, but the answer is resounding YES! We are so busy that we don’t want to address the WHY… the root cause of an issue. Most want to put a bandaid on it and go about their business. The trouble with bandaids… they don’t stick for very long and they are not a cure.

It is proven that every man-made drug causes side effects, some extremely dangerous… even deadly.  If it doesn’t kill us right away, we end up with another side effect for which we need another prescription… and then we have to deal with more side effects. A vicious cycle. Why are we ok with that?

I know this is a sensitive topic that is bound to step on a few toes. I’ve never been one to candy-coat anything. Sorry.

The answer to my question: Because we are lazy and/or we as a society want to keep our head in the sand. WE DON’T WANT TO KNOW!! (This applies to many topics… world events, politics, life choices, spirituality … the list is endless… but I won’t go there today.)

Life is easier not knowing… not having to face reality and truth. If we listen we are forced to do something with the information we have received. We can accept it and apply it… and actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT… or we reject it and go back to our norm.

Here’s a list of possible side effects from taking Motrin listed on the FDA’s website: List Motrin side effects by likelihood and severity.

Another list of possible side effects from Advil: List Advil side effects by likelihood and severity.

Sure the serious side effects say that are less common or “infrequent”… but what if you are one that takes them every day, or even every other day? What about the damage to your liver alone?

I found this on the FDA’s website. I did not know they decreased the maximum amount of acetaminophen in these products to 325 mg per tablet. Last I knew it was 500 mg. (See I told you I was never one to take OTC’s) Per their website, they answer the question as to why they are lowering it… they say, the “FDA continues to receive reports of severe liver injury associated with the use of acetaminophen-containing products. The greatest risk for severe liver injury happens when people take more than the prescribed dose of acetaminophen, take more than one acetaminophen-containing product at the same time, or drink alcohol while taking acetaminophen. Severe liver injury can lead to liver failure, liver transplant, and death.” 

Here’s the link to read for yourself: Questions and Answers about Oral Prescription Acetaminophen Products to be Limited to 325 mg Per Dosage Unit

Their website is actually a great resource to find the side effects of any particular med, however I still recommend further research to gather ALL THE FACTS.

My husband had a liver transplant in 2010 as a result of Wilson’s Disease, which had taken it’s toll on his liver and it could no longer regenerate. (He has had a MIRACULOUS recovery, from the hand of God. The doctors were simply His instruments. Perhaps I’ll blog about that soon as I do love to tell the story!) Any way, the doctors at U of M told us in our pre-op classes that the #1 reason for liver transplants was liver failure caused by these meds!!

And, I don’t give a rat’s hiney about recommended doses. Slight damage vs severe damage… I want NO damage done to my liver, thank you very much!

What if the person taking the “recommended dose” is on another meds?  What if that person drinks alcohol? What if they do not drink enough water? Most do not drink enough water to flush the system…. causing all organs to not get proper hydration. (I’m always telling everyone to DRINK WATER! I know I drive people nuts… oh well!)

Also, per their website, they say, “even a small amount more than directed can cause liver damage.”

They also say, “You may not notice the signs and symptoms of liver damage right away because they take time to appear. Or, you may mistake early symptoms of liver damage (for example, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting) for something else, like the flu. Liver damage can develop into liver failure or death over several days.”

Here’s the link: Acetaminophen and Liver Injury: Q & A for Consumers

Did you know about a recent recall of Children’s Tylenol? And they “… pleaded guilty to a federal charge that it sold contaminated medication for nearly a year after uncovering the issue.” HUH? Yep. Maker of Infant’s & Children’s Tylenol, Motrin To Pay $25M For Selling Meds With Metal Particles

And the people are gently rocked back to sleep… 

Well not this gal!! Since my husband’s surgery in 2010, we have been on quite the journey towards better health! Boy have we come along way! Would I like to “unknow” what I know? Sometimes, yes! My studies and research have uncovered all kinds of things that are frightening… such as GMO’s, the food industry, how meat is raised, chemicals in everything, and so much more! But as I stated, now that I KNOW what I know …. I am forced to do something with this knowledge… which quite frankly, I believe it was God that showed me.

I am absolutely SOLD OUT on the fact that our health is a GIFT FROM GOD! I have been convicted that I need to take care of my body… the temple in which the Holy Spirit resides. Do I eat a perfect diet and exercise all the time? Um, no. I am not and refuse to become obsessed with this type of lifestyle … that would steal my joy as it’s almost impossible to avoid every exposure to toxins. We live in a contaminated world. Period. I treat myself, in moderation.

I think of this verse often when I think of my body being the temple where the Holy Spirit resides. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.  Yes, I take that verse for what it plainly says and it is my conviction that I do not have the right to do with my body anything I please.

And while I’m on the topic of being Spiritually led to take care of our bodies, let’s talk about gluttony. Watch your toes. I warned you. Sorry, but we can’t have a discussion about better health without looking to the SOURCE!!

The definition of gluttony: The sheer defiance of reasonable and balanced behavior; habitual greed or excess in eating or drinking.

Gluttony can apply to many different areas, but today I’m just applying it to how it can have a negative effect on our health.

In my bible it says this about the glutton:

• Prov 23:21 “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”
• Deut 22:20 “… This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.”

Drowsiness, stubborn, rebellious… well that certainly doesn’t sound positive does it? Here’s an online article I found on this topic, which I wholeheartedly agree with: Gluttony: Sin of Lust and Greed.

Benjamin Franklin said of man’s proneness to overeat, “In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.”

I should have said this earlier in this post. I better say it now. I know that having a weight issue is often a side effect of certain health issues and or could be an inherited concern. I get that and do not condemn it. If I come across mean-spirited or judgmental, I apologize. That is not my intent.

What I am hoping to convey is this:  We can all do better! We should all WANT to do better. We can all do something! Doing something is better than doing nothing. We can all make better choices! No one is force feeding us.

Self inflicted obesity, pain and misery is… well…  that’s just plain sad! I don’t want any one to have to live like that. All I can do is pray and try to help. That is the reason for my blog. It’s not to simply talked about essential oils. Sure the oils can help, but you have to address other areas in order to get the most benefit.

We live in the age of information. It’s at our fingertips! If you are reading this, you have no reason to say you didn’t know better. Back in the day, before computers, yes there were books on these topics, but still … most of us didn’t know. We took the “professionals” word as gold. We did as we were told, blindly trusting. Well that day is gone!

I was that person. I was blind.  I did as I was told, not questioning anything. I looked to synthetics first. We ate fast food often. We drank pop by the case per week. I bought frozen, mass produced, prepared and packaged food from the local bulk warehouse and really believed I was doing a good thing. After all, it tasted good and saved me time. I’m so thankful my blinders have been RIPPED OFF!

And if you come back with this comment … “Well, you gotta die of something!”… I will delete it and block you! Now I’m being harsh, I know. But seriously… don’t say that!! I have heard that way too many times and it goes right through me! Yes, we will all die!! A fact, no doubt. However, Lord willing, we can die in good health, of natural causes. We don’t have to give in to the “norm” and do what everyone else is doing. I know my days are numbered, but if I can help it, I don’t want to die in agony I brought on myself.

What if there was something that you could do to feel better than didn’t involve crap food and synthetic meds? Would you try it? Are you willing to make changes? I hope so.

Since my family has focused on diet, food quality, exercise (we still are not consistent in this area because of busy schedules.. an excuse, yep. I’m guilty and own it.) … and we have been using Young Living Essential Oils and other products for over a year now, we have been amazingly healthy!!!

Let me say this… I will ONLY use essential oils from Young Living. They are of the utmost highest quality and frequency! What to learn more about that? Get your hands on this book by Dr. David Stewart, The Chemistry of Essential Oils. It goes into great detail about the chemistry off essential oils. Simply fascinating!! Don’t buy the lie that all oils are the same. They simply are not! I have not used or purchased OTC’s in over a year now nor am I on any prescribed meds at the age of 47. Coincidence? I think not. The oils AND life style changes work!!!

Ready to incorporate Essential Oils into your life? Click the link below to get started! The NEW Premium Starter Kit is the best value! Any questions, let me know!

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Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The information represents what I, an Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family.  Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Products mentioned on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.Information found on this site is meant for educational and informational purposes only, and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment. Individual articles and information on other websites are based upon the opinions of the respective authors, who retain copyright as marked.