195,000 Die Annually From Hospital Mistakes

It just seemed too absurd to be true, but there it was in the August 2, 2004 edition of Newsweek I picked up the other day: "According to HealthGrades, the health-care-rating organization that conducted the study, needless deaths averaged 195,000 a year in 2000, 2001, and 2002. 'That's the equivalent of 390 jumbo jets full of people dying each year,' says Dr. Samantha Collier, vice president of medical affairs."

My mind struggled feebly to conjure up 390 jumbo jets going up in flames - it imploded hopelessly on crash number 8.

I started to wonder what it all meant. How could so many "needless" deaths be happening when we're so advanced technologically? Why is this carnage allowed to continue unabated and who the hell's responsible, anyway?

I came to the conclusion that there weren't any good answers for any of it. The people who work in hospitals are fallible, just like you and me. The difference is, when you or I make a mistake, someone's life isn't hanging in the balance.

Still - 390 jumbo jets full of innocent people - what a tragedy. Most people checking into the hospital expect to be checking out in a few days - not checking out permanently. And the statistics just keep getting worse.

So what can a person do? Most people feel pretty powerless when it comes to protecting their health. If they get sick, they rely on existing healthcare and submit themselves to conventional medical treatment. But that's not health care. That's sickness care.

Real health care is about building health from the ground up. Sickness care is about cutting, radiating, poisoning and taking toxic prescription drugs.

So, the way I see it, there are two main options. Be good little medical consumers and go along with the healthcare program that we've all been taught to buy in to - or start thinking outside the healthcare box.

Personally, my advice is to be pro-active. For many, that's a scary option but it doesn't have to be. There are some great, emerging nutritional technologies that are proving very effective in warding off a wide variety of physical ailments.

For instance, for the past two years, I've been researching a new form of supplement called glyconutrition. This technology is a spin off of recent Nobel Prize winning scientific breakthroughs in the field of glycobiology.

Glycobiology is a relatively new field of science that is exploring the biochemistry of carbohydrates or sugars. In a related book, "Sugars That Heal", Emil Mondoa, MD explains that "?even tiny amounts of these sugars - or lack of them - have profound effects. In test after test in leading institutes around the world, these saccharides (glyconutrients) have been shown to lower cholesterol, increase lean muscle mass, decrease body fat, increase wound healing, ease allergy symptoms and allay autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis and diabetes."

People who regularly take glyconutritional supplements are finding, for instance, that they experience far fewer colds and flues. Others have reported recovering from conditions such as asthma, fibromyalgia, cancer, autism, and depression.

A lot of people hearing this for the first time are very skeptical. If you're in that group but are nevertheless interested in taking a look at evidence that supports these claims, you're one step ahead of everyone else. In fact, this is the first step you can take to reclaiming your power to make decisions about you and your family's health that isn't completely dictated by the medical establishment - you know, the same group responsible for 195,000 "accidental" deaths a year.

The bottom line: now you at least know about an alternative that's working for thousands of people - people who've made the decision to start thinking outside the medical box by adding these new wellness-promoting supplements to their diet.

David Lear is an independent nutrition researcher and free-lance writer. His main interest is in supplements that improve health. For further information on the supplements referred to in this article, visit http://www.glycoresults.com

---

Adaptogens for Life - The Science Behind the Discovery of Adaptogens

Modern civilization has produced an unusually stressful environment to humans and animals, with extreme high demands on our physical and mental abilities. The last one hundred years have brought unique new challenges for... Read More

Rheumatoid Arthritis : the time bomb

The beginning is very much hard to spot as we migh just wake up in the morning and feel that the fingers on our hand do not function as they should. A little... Read More

Joint Pain Relief

If you joints are constantly killing you, here are three suggestions:1. Traumeel is a product that has been used for years in Germany to relieve pain. I have not been overly impressed with... Read More

A Look At Acid Reflux Treatment

Heartburn is a by-product of digestion, specifically affecting the esophagus and the stomach. The esophagus is a tube that delivers food into the stomach, and it has a valve that opens and closes... Read More

Safely Mimicking the Effects of Accutane Without the Side-effects or Costs

Since 1982 Accutane has been a reliable, if not controversial, drug for treating severe acne. Now with FDA representative David J. Graham's statement that Accutane should be taken off the market, and pharmaceutical... Read More

Phenylpropanolamine (PPH) Lawyer: Decongestant Causes Stroke

Phenylpropanolamine, or PPH, used to be an active ingredient in many over the counter nasal decongestants and weight control drug products. The FDA pulled phenylpropanolamine off the market in May of 2000 when... Read More

Ulcers Are No Laughing Matter

Peptic ulcers, which are in the stomach and the duodenum (the first part of the intestine leading from the stomach) can occur at any age and affect both men and women. Untreated, sufferers... Read More

Bextra and Vioxx Withdrawal Spawn Advertising Pause from Bristol Myers

Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb has announced that they will suspend direct-to-consumer advertising for their prescription drug products for a year. This comes in the wake of the well-publicized withdrawals of Merck's Vioxx... Read More

Are You Suffering From Addiction?

Many researchers believe that addiction is a behavior that can be controlled to some extent and also a brain disease. And since some testing with functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) found that all... Read More

Environmental Medicine

Our modern preservatives and other pollutants like yellow dye no. 5 have caused bodily responses which detract or impair the natural process of our system. It is a serious issue that science may... Read More

Medical Testing: Health By The Numbers Doesnt Work

Perhaps one of the most insidious dangers in modern technology is medical testing. Although it would be nice to be able to visit our doctor and get all hooked up with electrodes, inflatable... Read More

Natural Vitamin E Combined with Vitamin C for Treatment of Alzheimers Disease

Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's DiseasePart 2 of 82. Vitamin E combined with Vitamin C. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that should be taken by nearly all people, not just those afflicted... Read More

?Ooohhh? my aching knee!!!? Insider Secrets on How You Can Get Relief Quickly and Easily!

When your knee hurts, getting relief is all that's on your mind. Getting the right relief, though, depends on knowing what's wrong. The correct diagnosis will lead to the correct treatment.Know Your Knee!The... Read More

Oral Chelation ? Is It Better Than Intravenous Chelation?

Intravenous Chelation was the most common practice until a few years back; however, with the introduction of oral chelation it became the preferred choice of most patients and doctors. There were a number... Read More

Anxiety Management With Prescription BuSpar: Don?t Worry, Be Happy

We've all had one of those weeks: the washing machine overflows, the dog forgets his housetraining and the toddler her toilet training, the boss is going through a divorce and making everyone miserable.... Read More

Are Drug Companies Destroying The U.S. Health Care System?

The U.S. government's annual bill for healthcare spending ? $3,925 per person ? significantly exceeds that of all other nations. Despite this, our current health care system is increasingly failing both patients and... Read More

Ultram Story: Keeping Pain Control Under Control

When Aspirin Isn't EnoughIt's surprising how clearly we can recall getting hurt. Years later, we can recount our first fall from a too-tempting tree, a bee-sting, the birth of a child. We can... Read More

Orphan Drugs: Hope Where There Is Little or No Hope

NEW YORK, N.Y., February 18, 2004 ? On a visit to his doctor, Gary Jacob received distressing news ? not about himself, but a friend of the doctor's.While playing with one of his... Read More

10 Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain Relief

Your Remedy No. 1 ==============Stretch Gently for Strength and Mobility.When it comes to arthritis, moving hurts, but not moving destroys.Incorrect moving harms, but intelligent moving heals.Yoga teaches movement with proper joint alignment which... Read More

Five Secrets of High Blood Pressure Treatment

Thirty percent of human population has a high blood pressure and everyone has a 90% risk to acquire it during the rest of the life. As a result, half of all human deaths... Read More

Treating Neuromas - Ten Tips

A neuroma is an inflamed nerve. In the foot, the most common place for a neuroma is between the third and fourth toes. The main nerve to your foot originates in the spine... Read More

The Pain Factor

Last year I told an acquaintance that at the age of 46, I had taken up running. The reply was, "Oh, that's awfully hard on your knees." At first I was taken aback.... Read More

Relafen: A New Drug with an Old Danger

Individuals who regularly take Relafen (nabumetone) or other anti-inflammatory medications, either for arthritis, joint pain, or other indications, should be aware of severe adverse health implications that can potentially result from prolonged use.... Read More

Your Kidney Function Really Matters: A Lighter Look at What You Need to Know to Prevent Adverse Dru

When you (or loved ones) are taking prescription or over the counter medications...there is a lot you should be worried about, and a lot that your pharmacist may not be telling you.Most people... Read More

Heel Pain - Ten Tips for Treatment

The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). If you experience a sharp pain in your heel when you first step down... Read More

Talking Money with Your Doctor: Drugs and Tests for Less

Would you buy groceries without knowing their prices? I suspect not. You probably compare the costs of different boxes of cereal in order to get the best deal. But when it comes to... Read More

Alprazolam/Xanax ? A Habit Forming Drug

Xanax is a Prescription Drug which is habit forming. You can become physically and psychologically dependent on the Xanax medication. Nevert take more than the prescribed amount of xanax or take it longer... Read More

Can You Always Trust Your Dentists Recommendations?

Can you always trust your dentists' recommendations? Think for yourself - in the last 30 years the health of our teeth has improved dramatically. We drink fluoridated water, which almost eliminated decay in... Read More

Potassium and The Dialysis Patient

Any dialysis patient who has had a brush with high potassium will know only too well how dangerous this can be. We are forever being told to watch our potassium intake, so I... Read More