Disgusted Doctors?

It would appear that more mainstream doctors are starting to get sick and tired of the control mechanism that rides roughshod over their careers and are speaking out more and more. A few years back, society just figured a few quacks escaped the zoo and wrote angry books because they got fired or found a way to make additional income by writing exposés, but it is hard to believe that line anymore. The number of doctors who are rebelling is increasing. Below I show a few examples; partial articles that you might choose to follow up on (or not). At the end of each excerpt, I have included the web link to the article from which these texts were extracted, but you will also see highlighted text within each article. Those are links to other related articles.

The FDA Exposed: An Interview with Dr. David Graham, the Vioxx Whistleblower

by Manette Loudon

The following interview with Dr. David Graham (senior drug safety researcher at the FDA) was conducted by Manette Loudon, the lead investigator for Dr. Gary Null. This interview contains jaw-dropping insights about the corruption and crimes that take place every day inside the Food and Drug Administration. This is no outside critic, either: these are the words from a top FDA employee who has worked at the agency for two decades. If you’ve ever wondered how the drug industry could pull off the greatest con of our time -- and turn the human body into a profit-generating machine -- you’re about to learn the shocking answers in this interview.

This interview is reprinted here with permission from Dr. Gary Null. Parts of this interview also appear in Dr. Gary Null’s Prescription for Disaster video documentary, which is available at the Gary Null website and is a must-see video for anyone who wants to know the truth about the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA.

MANETTE: Dr. Graham, it’s truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to interview you. Let me begin by asking you how long you’ve been with the FDA and what your current position is?

DR. GRAHAM: I’ve been with the FDA for 20 years. I’m currently the Associate Director for Science and Medicine in the Office of Drug Safety. That’s my official job. But when I’m here today I’m speaking in my private capacity on my own time, and I do not represent the FDA. We can be pretty certain that the FDA would not agree with most of what I have to say. So with those disclaimers you know everything is okay.

MANETTE: On November 23, 2004 PBS Online News Hour Program you were quoted as making the following statement. “I would argue that the FDA as currently configured is incapable of protecting America against another Vioxx. Simply put, FDA and the Center for Drug Evaluation Research (CDER) are broken.” Since you’ve made that statement, has anything changed within the FDA to fix what’s broken and, if not, how serious is the problem that we’re dealing with here?

DR. GRAHAM: Since November, when I appeared before the Senate Finance Committee and announced to the world that the FDA was incapable of protecting America from unsafe drugs or from another Vioxx, very little has changed on the surface and substantively nothing has changed. The structural problems that exist within the FDA, where the people who approve the drugs are also the ones who oversee the post marketing regulation of the drug, remain unchanged. The people who approve a drug when they see that there is a safety problem with it are very reluctant to do anything about it because it will reflect badly on them. They continue to let the damage occur. America is just as at risk now, as it was in November, as it was two years ago, and as it was five years ago. See the rest of this interview at: http://www.newstarget.com/011401.html

Psychiatric Drugs: Chemical Warfare on Humans - interview with Robert Whitaker

by Terry Messman

The following is a Street Spirit interview with Robert Whitaker, author of Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill. It is reprinted here with permission from the Street Spirit in Oakland, California. The interview is conducted by Terry Messman, editor of Street Spirit.

Investigative reporter Robert Whitaker, author of the groundbreaking book Mad in America, is now pursuing a fascinating line of research into how the mammoth psychiatric drug industry is endangering the American public by covering up the untold cases of suffering, anguish and disease caused by the most widely prescribed antidepressants and antipsychotic medications.

Whitaker exposes the massive lies and cover-ups that have corrupted the Food and Drug Administration’s drug review process, and co-opted research trials in order to spin the results of drug tests and conceal the serious hazards and even deadly side-effects of brand-name drugs like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Zyprexa.

The story becomes even more frightening when we look at the aggressive tactics these giant drug companies have used to silence prominent critics by defaming them in the press, and by using their money and power to have widely respected scientists and eminent medical researchers fired for daring to point out the hazards and risks of suicide and premature death caused by these drugs.

Whitaker starts by debunking the effectiveness of these massively hyped wonder drugs -- antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, and the new atypical antipsychotic drugs like Zyprexa. His research shows how they often are barely more effective than placebos in treating mental disorder and depression, despite the glowing adulation they have received in the mainstream media.

But he goes on to make the startling claim that these new psychiatric drugs have directly contributed to an alarming new epidemic of drug-induced mental illness. The very drugs prescribed by physicians to stabilize mental disorders in fact are inducing pathological changes in brain chemistry and triggering suicide, manic and psychotic episodes, convulsions, violence, diabetes, pancreatic failure, metabolic diseases, and premature death.

See the rest of this at: http://www.newstarget.com/011353.html

Now, on top of those two, I was perusing the November 2005 issue of Discover magazine last night and came across:

One Doc’s Drug Complaint

“The truth is that lifestyle is far more important than cholesterol levels”

The article is an interview with John Abramson, Clinical Instructor of Primary Care at Harvard Medical School. He gives a two-page rant against the drug companies and doctors’ compliance to that training (um, brainwashing?), but you’ll have to go to the newsstands for that one (no web link). The bottom line is that he, too, is tired of the way bad drugs are marketed and prescribed and his thought is quite in line with what we’ve been telling you: you are far better off to not take drugs and instead just change to a healthier lifestyle.

Speaking of which, perhaps the following possibility from Lannie can help you do just that.

Recipes to Improve your Health

Because of the underwhelming response our newsletters seem to be generating (yes, that’s light sarcasm), I’ve been thinking about a few things. Why are most of you not asking any questions? You say you’re interested, but you’re not asking for clarification on anything. This infers that you’re not actually using any of the information we’ve given you. I wondered why, and then it hit me. It’s because it involves a change, and most people don’t like change (I’m one of them!). The only reason I even considered a change was because I was sick and tired of all my pain, and I was desperate for any kind of relief. The other positive changes I experienced were all unexpected benefits, but I had to change in the first place to realize any of them.

So I was thinking… how could I make it easier for you to make the change in the first place? Would recipes and sample menus help? It’s one thing to knock off a list of foods you shouldn’t eat, but what good does that do? It just makes you depressed because all your favorite foods are on that “bad” list. So how about if I give some advice on good foods to eat and how to prepare them? Would that help?

You probably recall that there are several “phases” to this way of eating. First, there’s the diagnostic phase (“Phase I,” or “Initial Phase”), which cuts all sugars, grains and carbohydrates out of your diet for a period of two to four weeks. This is how you can discover whether any of your physical problems or “incurable” diseases are actually being caused by the food you eat.

The next phase is the therapeutic phase (“Phase II,” or “Inter Phase”), where you eat limited amounts of carbohydrates, but only from the safer sources. You can change your eating habits to reflect this “Phase II” diet for the rest of your life (this has been my decision).

The last phase is called “Life Phase.” This means eating whatever you want to, but paying attention to how you react to certain things. So if you want a bowl of ice cream, have it, but pay attention to how you feel the next day. If you feel worse, then maybe you should save that treat for just once in a while, and then expect the consequences.

I think most people would be quite happy following “Phase II” for the rest of their lives. It’s really not that restrictive, and you’ll feel so much better. So what I was thinking was, if anyone is interested, I can include some recipes here in the newsletter. I’ll identify which ones are “Phase I” and which ones are “Phase II” so you can decide which ones you want to eat. Rich and I are on “Phase II” and doing absolutely great on it.

The other thing I was thinking about is that if you don’t think there’s anything wrong with you, you have no reason to change. But… how many things are actually wrong with you that you’ve stopped noticing? Or that you just accept as “normal”? Or “incurable”? Yes, I thought my Restless Legs Syndrome was incurable, because that’s what all the doctors and the websites say. But, hey, it’s gone now (unless I eat sugar, in which case it comes back for a day or two), so I know it’s not incurable. It’s caused by a yeast infection. When I eat sugar, it feeds the yeast I still have in my system, and it gets worse. Why do I still have yeast, you ask? Because it took 40 years to build up to the level I had and I’ve only been actively fighting it for three months. I guess I’ll have to give it a bit more time. Also, I still eat some carbohydrates, so I’m still feeding the ones that I haven’t killed with the antifungals yet. If I could go completely off carbohydrates for six months or a year, I could be virtually yeast-free (except for the free-air yeasts and molds that we breathe in on a daily basis), but I can’t, and neither can you. You need carbs to fuel your muscles and create energy. So, it’s not an overnight fix, but it’s effective. I called “Phase II” the therapeutic phase because that’s just what it is. You’re medicating your body with good food. Your underlying disease is still there, but you’re starving it to the point that it’s not manifesting active symptoms. Eventually, you’ll find that you’ve won the battle and you can eat some sugars and other “bad” foods on occasion and not have any flare-up of symptoms. Your immune system will be restored to normal functioning and it will take care of any baddies that you might ingest. That doesn’t mean you should then go out and start eating buckets of popcorn and jars of peanut butter – you can make yourself sick again, just like you did before (like Rich did in only one week on popcorn). It really can happen that fast. It’s up to you to experiment with different foods to see which ones you can eat and which ones cause harm.

So how about a basic shopping list to start off with? Just pick what you like off the list and go get it. This might give some of you some good ideas, and if you’d like me to give you some recipes, I’ll be happy to do that.

Meats*

Lean beef

Chicken

Turkey

Lean pork

Fish of any kind

Cold cuts (Read those labels! No nitrites!)

* I know it’s hard to find, and expensive, but wherever possible, try to buy organic, pasture-fed beef, poultry, and pork. The normal grocery-store fare is all corn fed (including the chickens), not to mention pumped full of antibiotics and/or hormones, so bear that in mind. If you’re eating an animal that was fed mycotoxins (corn and antibiotics), then you’re also getting those mycotoxins. If you can’t find pasture-fed meats, eat less of the meat you do buy and fill up on healthy veggies. J

Dairy

Milk (most milk contains Bovine Growth Hormone and antibiotics, so use sparingly)

Plain yogurt with live, active cultures (no gelatin, guar gum, cellulose or “flavored” types)

Sour cream

Cottage cheese

Cream cheese

Butter (not margarine)

Cream

Buttermilk

Cheeses*

Goat cheese

Swiss

Mozarella

Feta

Gouda

Edam

*Most hard cheeses, (except those listed above) and all cheddars, are made with mold cultures rather than lactobacillus cultures. For instance, what’s the “bleu” in Bleu Cheese? Mold!

Vegetables

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Carrots

Asparagus

Cabbage

Onions

Garlic

Lettuce

Spinach

Tomatoes

Peppers

Celery

Turnips

Squash, summer or winter

Peas*

Green beans*

Lima beans

Kidney beans

Radishes

(Basically any vegetables except corn, jicama, and potatoes)

*Try to stay away from canned peas and beans. Not only are they processed into mushiness, but most of their nutrients are gone by the time you open the can. Use either fresh or frozen.

Fruit

Green apples (Granny Smith)

Blueberries

Raspberries

Strawberries

Blackberries

Cranberries

Lemons

Limes

Grapefruits

Avocados

Spices and Seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Dried onion or garlic flakes

Vegetable flakes

“Mrs. Dash” seasoning

Turmeric

Cumin powder or seeds

Cinnamon

Paprika

Basil

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Thyme

Dillweed

Savory

Tarragon

Other Items to have on hand

Olive oil

Almonds (raw)

Walnuts (raw)

Hazelnuts/Filberts (raw)

Cashews (roasted but not flavored)

Tomato sauce (look for sauce with no citric acid)

Tomato paste

Chicken broth concentrate (not bullion cubes)

Beef broth concentrate (not bullion cubes)

Mayonnaise (sparingly – it usually has corn or canola oil)

Herb teas

Vegetable juice (such as V-8, again, read the labels – no citric acid)

Vinegar, preferably apple cider

Long grain rice, preferably brown

Flour tortillas (not corn)

Stevia or honey (as sweeteners)

I’m sure I’ve forgotten a lot of items, but this list should give you an idea of what you should be looking for in the grocery store. Just remember to always read the labels. If there is anything in there that comes from corn (high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids, citric acid, corn oil, etc.), soybeans (textured vegetable protein, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, soy protein, etc.), or peanuts (peanut oil, or actual pieces of peanuts), leave it on the shelf. Anything that says it contains “vegetable oil” usually contains soy and/or corn oil, so avoid those as well. Most processed, packaged foods contain at least one, sometimes several, of the above ingredients, so try to cook with whole foods as much as possible. Sometimes it’s inevitable that you’ll have to eat some kind of processed food, but just be aware of what’s in them and try to eat as few of those items as possible. If you do find yourself in a situation where you have to eat processed food of some sort, at least compensate a little by preloading with antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. Just don’t make a habit of it or you’ll never get better. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” –Doug Kaufmann

Well, that’s it for now. Let me know if you’d like some recipes to try out. I think once you make a dinner or two that contains all the good foods, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. J

A Question about Hypertension

We’ve talked about high blood pressure before, but I just got this off Heart Center Online today and it leaves me with a big question mark (which I will expound on below their words).

Oct 06 (HeartCenterOnline) - Another study adds to evidence that low-cost diuretics (“water pills”) can control hard-to-treat high blood pressure.

High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney damage and other serious health problems. Physicians often prescribe newer antihypertensive drugs and tend to overlook diuretics. Diuretics reduce blood pressure by stimulating the kidneys to produce more urine, expelling fluid and minerals such as sodium.

Scientists at Indiana University School of Medicine studied 98 hypertensive African-American patients. African Americans are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure and retaining sodium. The patients who had the diuretics amiloride or spironolactone added to their medication regimen showed significant improvements in blood pressure.

A large-scale federal study called ALLHAT also has found diuretics to be as good as or better than other antihypertensives in treating high blood pressure…

Now, I have to ask, “If a simple diuretic is as good as all the other hypertension medications, why was it “added to their medication regimen” and why don’t the doctors give their patients a natural diuretic instead of a prescription drug?” There are several plants (e.g., dandelion, alfalfa, etc.) that you can make a nice tea out of and they will definitely increase your urine output. When I use them regularly, they do drop my blood pressure, and the drug that is prescribed for me is Amiloride, one of those they mention in this article. Does that mean that alfalfa tea is better than the drug? Then why isn’t the tea what is prescribed? Ah, yes, the money trail again…

Come on… hurry through the line… my next yacht payment is waiting behind you.