Asa pro-naturalist, I have always been weary of pharmaceutical medications, even since being a kid. I have watched several people I love, family members, grow into dependency of heart pills and diabetes medication.

On a routine phone call with my grandmother this last summer, I said to her,

“My new medication is going great! If I have to take these for the rest of my life that’s ok!”

An unusual silence fell on her side of the line, but my unnatural optimism was so strong it canceled all hints of my screaming discernment.

As a rare disease survivor, most of my life has been pre-occupied with seeking healing solutions, but sometimes when the pain becomes too much and you start feeling desperate, you’ll trust just about anybody to help you.

I wish I hadn’t.

Prior to beginning these small, yet lethal daily dose of poisons, my only symptoms were the ache in my back, sharp pains when I walked and the usual fatigue… after the consistent dose of poisonous pills, my symptoms were as followed:

• extreme constipation
• dizziness/vertigo
• depression
• anxiety / melancholy
• racing heart
• extreme fatigue
• dry mouth
• emotional irritation

One of the worst symptoms yet has been the constipation and extreme vertigo. Based on my experience and personal research, I believe these symptoms stem from a buildup of toxins in the body’s organs, nervous system, connective tissue, kidneys, and liver after at least four months of medication dependence.

A common theme I see when going the pharmaceutical route for pain relief is once we begin one pill, a few months later, we are beginning another pill to offset the symptoms of the first one.

Below, I will provide you just a small comprehensive list of the common chemicals and toxins placed in Big Pharma’s pills to help make you sick- I mean, to help you…

Active Ingredients (Main Medicinal Components)

• Acetaminophen — Pain reliever & fever reducer (e.g., Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen — Anti-inflammatory & pain relief (e.g., Advil)
• Metformin — Lowers blood sugar (e.g., for diabetes)
• Atorvastatin — Lowers cholesterol (e.g., Lipitor)
• Omeprazole — Reduces stomach acid (e.g., Prilosec)
• Fluoxetine — Antidepressant (e.g., Prozac)
• Hydrochlorothiazide — Diuretic (reduces blood pressure)

Excipients (Inactive Ingredients for Stability & Delivery)

• Microcrystalline Cellulose — Filler & binder (plant-derived)
• Magnesium Stearate — Lubricant to prevent sticking in machines
• Titanium Dioxide — White pigment for coatings (controversial)
• Silicon Dioxide — Anti-caking agent
• Lactose Monohydrate — Filler (problematic for lactose-intolerant people)
• Gelatin — Capsule shell (animal-derived)

Preservatives & Stabilizers

• Sodium Benzoate — Preservative
• Propylparaben — Antimicrobial agent
• BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) — Preservative to prevent oxidation

Colorants & Coatings

• FD&C Dyes (e.g., Red 40, Yellow 5) — Artificial coloring
• Hypromellose — Capsule coating (vegetarian alternative to gelatin)

Binding & Disintegration Agents

• Croscarmellose Sodium — Helps pills dissolve quickly
• Povidone (Polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) — Binder & stabilizer
• Sodium Starch Glycolate — Helps tablets break down in the stomach

“But aren’t you supposed to always tell people to continue taking their medications as a integrative nutrition support coach?”

No, not exactly. My job as a integrative nutrition support coach is to inform you, not influence you. I never tell my clients what to do, especially things I’ve never even tried or experienced myself. However, my moral obligation does require me to inform of you of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My students have the freedom to make their own choices, we all do.

I am a true believer that there can be good found in every challenge, and I have seen the most growth in health journeys when medications are used sparingly, with a keen eye for ingredients and how your unique body’s chemistry responds to them. Pills are never supposed to be the end-solution to chronic pain or chronic dis-eases in the body.

True healing, which many of us seek, comes from a well-balanced, low-stress, and active lifestyle. It emphasizes whole foods while reducing daily exposure to free radicals in our environment and habits.

So, I highly encourage you to look more into the active and inactive chemicals you and your family are ingesting on a regular basis. Get curious about the long-term effects of their use. Consider whether your symptoms outweigh the immediate support the pills provide.