Alicia's posting about the toxicity of phenylpropanolamine, which has
been included in many widely used over-the-counter remedies, raises
the issue of whether or not we should use drugs at all.

In the case of phenylpropanolamine, there have been concerns about
its safety going back to a report from the UK Committee on Safety of
Medicines published in 2000:
http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk/ourwork/monitorsafequalmed/safetymessages
/ppa.pdf

The latest concern is about a drug currently being used to treat
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk/ourwork/monitorsafequalmed/safetymessages
/straterra%5Fhealthprof.pdf

How safe Can Medical treatment Be?
----------------------------------
Coming from a background of scientific medicine I am only too well
aware all, medicinal drugs are potentially toxic in certain
vulnerable individuals (which in the case of some medicines can be a
significant proportion of the population). Unfortunately there is a
widespread naive public view that "medicines" and "treatments" are,
or should be, a) safe and b) effective.

Unfortunately the reality is that medical treatment is like all
aspects of life, from getting out of bed in the morning (a
significant source of death and injuries) to travelling to work (an
even bigger risk of ill-health and mortality). Every moment of life,
every activity and decision, and every medical intervention,
including complementary therapies and herbal medicines carries an
element of risk.

This being said, life and medical treatment become a journey of risk
management (or an intuitive and experiential series of adventurous
experiments!).

Minimising Undesirable Outcomes
-------------------------------
Without Minimising Desirable Experiences
----------------------------------------
The biggest risks seem to be the ones that we are not "prepared" for
and a major part of our "preparation" comes in the great gift of DNA -
the earthly survival resources bequeathed to us by a million
generations of our ancestors.

Unfortunately there is quite a gap between the lifestyle that most of
us lead and the lifestyle that our DNA "prepares" us for - given that
98% of our DNA is basically "ape" resources" and even the 2% of
distinctly human genes have changed little over the last 30,000 years.

A lesson I derive from this is that there is some benefit in making
my way back, as far as I can, from the modern hi-tech lifestyle that
has generated so many health problems for me to the lifestyle of my
ancestors (i.e. plenty of nature, exercise, fresh air, communal
living etc).

However there is no point in me getting too
evangelically "fundamentalist" about this, because we know that most
of our ancestors suffered at least as many health and injury problems
and mostly much shorter lives than we do today. So personally I
choose not to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" - but to find
that blend of ancient and modern lifestyle that will optimise my
health, welfare and fulfilment - bearing in mind that the yinyang and
karmic principles dictate that perfect health and welfare for more
than a limited period are probably an illusion.

After all, ill-health and poor welfare carry the seeds of change,
wisdom and personal growth. "Quick-fix" remedies run the risk of
lifting us too soon out of the suffering in which we might learn
valuable lessons, cultivate desirable qualities, make new connections
or learn new skills.

Simplifying Health Decisions
--------------------------------
For me, the way out of this perplexing maze, where there are no
consistently "simple, safe and effective" solutions, has been to
return to a more "Eastern" approach to negotiating life's "tricky
patches" i.e. I have come into the awareness that there is "a path"
for me through each tricky situation/decision. The key
skills/activities to achieve this that I have discovered are:

a) Cultivating and accessing intuition (gut feeling):
http://www.sunflower-health.com/courses/massagecontent.htm

b) Connecting to divine guidance:
http://www.sunflower-health.com/workshops.htm
[this includes opening up to the divine guidance within us,
Godly/Goddessly/angelic connections in the spiritual/heavenly realm
and also the divine guidance which sometimes comes via the "God-
spark" in other people, including complementary health workers,
stress and lifestyle advisors, spiritual healers, healthcare
professionals and medical scientists]

c) Liberating our natural creativity and spontaneity:
http://www.sunflower-health.com/resources/alchemy.htm

So, how do you make your key health and lifestyle decisions?
Why not write in and tell us?

Best wishes for the Chinese Year of the Wood Rooster which is just
beginning
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Mike