Dear Healthy Friend,

It's quick and easy to pop into the chemist for those over-the-counter flu pills. Not to mention cheaper. And it saves a trip to the doctor's rooms.

But stop and think about this before you swallow that next pill: These drugs could age your brain prematurely.

Dr Ferril has some facts and figures for you to chew on before you “pop” into your pharmacy for another quick-fix.

In the name of good health,

Taryn Strugnell
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

P.S. With spring approaching fast, do you really want dry, unsightly skin? You’ll find details of a safe solution to this problem, below.

------------------------------------------

Why common over-the-counter drugs aren't necessarily safe
Dr William B. Ferril
Contributor to Healthier News

Most people make a critical mistake when they use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines:

They assume these drugs are safe.

But most of them aren’t safe.
Researchers at the University of Indiana show this in one of their studies. They found that a common ingredient in many OTC meds – diphenhydramine – could harm the brains of seniors.

It turns out that Diphenhydramine, used in some of the most popular cold, allergy, pain and insomnia drugs, could block a key neurotransmitter.
And that could have a disastrous effect on an ageing brain.

The study, published in the May online edition of the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Ageing, found that seniors on these meds - especially those who take more than one drug containing diphenhydramine - are at risk of cognitive impairment.

At its extreme, it can cause delirium - an acute brain dysfunction that could lead to institutionalisation or even death.

The researchers also believe taking a drug with this ingredient for 90 days or more could triple your risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

And yet there they are, on the shelf of your local pharmacy. Available to anyone without a prescription. With no overt indication that they could have this kind of effect on your brain.

Not only that… because this ingredient’s in so many drugs, many people - especially seniors - could take several pills containing diphenhydramine without even realising it.

Seniors may also have different reactions to common prescription drugs.

Take the latest study on sleep meds and sedatives. Not only are these drugs mostly unnecessary - we can treat insomnia and sleeplessness safely and naturally - but they're also especially dangerous for seniors.

Many of them can be habit-forming. More than a few have some pretty unpleasant side effects. And now, we're learning that seniors on these meds are at higher risk of committing suicide.

That's right, suicide.

Swedish researchers reviewed the records of seniors who had committed suicide, and compared them against a group of similar seniors who hadn’t.

They found that even after adjusting their data to compensate for psychiatric conditions, seniors who took meds to help them sleep were four times more likely to kill themselves (BMC Geriatrics, June 2009).

So, if your parents are battling sleeplessness, rather deal with it in the right way. That is, find the cause. Don't just take a drug that tricks your body into falling asleep. You’re just exposing yourself to any number of unpleasant or even deadly side effects.

In fact, whether it's a prescription sleeping pill or an over-the-counter cold med, think twice before you take any drug.

If your doctor’s the one telling you to take these pills, always, always ask about natural alternatives.

------------------------------------------

Natural relief for dry, burning skin

Q: My skin gets so dry it actually burns and cracks. I use cream, but that only works until I wash it off and not very well at that! Do you have any recommendations?

Dr. Wright: The solution for painfully dry skin is simple: Add more essential fatty acids to your diet and supplement programmes.

Essential-fatty-acid supplementation for adult skin health starts with a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The best single oil available for this purpose is flaxseed oil. But you can also get many other balanced blends of omega-3/omega-6 EFAs. How much should you use? Quantities vary from 1 to 2 tablespoons (in a very few cases, 3 tablespoons) daily. To figure out whether your dry skin is due to a higher requirement for EFAs, start by taking 2 tablespoons daily. Then observe any changes over six to eight weeks. After that time, if your skin is less dry, you can adjust the quantity accordingly.

You should always take essential-fatty-acid supplements with vitamin E in the form mixed with tocopherols. Take 400 to 800 IU daily. In a very few cases, EFAs aren't nearly as effective without a small quantity (2-5 milligrams daily) of biotin.
What is biotin? It’s a member of the B-complex family of vitamins. And it’s essential to the breakdown of carbohydrates and fat. Foods high in biotin include nuts and green leafy vegetables.

You’ll find Bioton and mixed tocopherols at health shops, but if you can’t find them there, contact Health Works - (011) 325-5168.