The Hidden
Truth about Aspirin
http://thepeopleschemist.com/hidden-truth-aspirin/
Bayer didn’t “invent” aspirin. Mother Nature did,
sorta. Today, most people think of aspirin as a harmless wonder drug – able to
stop pain, fever and even prevent heart attack and stroke, without risk. Not
true. History proves it…Thousands of years ago, humans witnessed injured bears
(not the Chicago Bears) gnawing on the bark of white willow trees.
Some dude – probably an earlier rendition of The People’s Chemist – assumed
that it was done to relieve pain. After a long night of drinking away his
frustrations with people who talk more than they think, he decided to test his
theory. Hungover, the young chemist made a tea from the bark. It tasted like
shit. But, almost instantly, his discomfort melted away. Despite his gluttonous
indulgence, the crushing pressure on his head was released. It was like
cheating and winning. White
willow bark became the official pain reliever not only for bears, but also
for many other party-goers astute enough to follow his lead…
Hippocrates
Shuns Food
Around 200 B.C, Greek physician Hippocrates heard
about white willow bark…This is same guy that nerdy nutritionists today quote
as saying, “let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” Well, thank
God he started taking tips from chemists. The doctor put the real medicine to
use, and it worked – drugs like white willow bark are much
more reliable than a fucking apple when you need relief. It’s rumored that
Hippocrates later said, “Chemists are awesome tutors and fun to party with.” As
time past, Big Pharma got excited about the pain killer. This laid the
groundwork for the eventual isolation and synthesis of a molecule known as
salicylic acid – one of many ingredients found in white willow bark. To their
distress, the industry couldn’t market the natural ingredient as their own. (You
can’t patent Mother Nature, yet.) In order to have a monopoly, they had to
alter it a bit. Chemist Carl R. Gerhardt was the first to do so in 1853.
Bayer Steals
From Mother Nature
Starting with the parent compound, Gerhardt performed
a series of laboratory reactions. This yielded a molecular cousin. The newly
devised willow bark-fake was named ASA (acetyl-salicylic acid). It marked one
of the earliest and most profitable thefts from Mother Nature. Bayer
trademarked it as “Aspirin” in 1889. Some say the name was derived from St.
Aspirinius, a Neapolitan bishop who was the patron saint against headaches. As
aspirin popularity grew, the inherent risks surfaced. (So much for being a
saint…) The small molecular change made for big dangers.
Why Aspirin is
so Damn Risky
Like deflating a tire, aspirin depletes the body of
life-saving nutrients. These include folic acid, iron, potassium, sodium and
vitamin C. Symptoms associated with such depletion include: anemia, birth
defects, heart disease, elevated homocysteine (a risk factor for heart
disease), headache, depression, fatigue, hair loss, insomnia, diarrhea,
shortness of breath, pale skin and suppression of the immune system. Internal
bleeding is one of the biggest risks. Studies show that aspirin users die sooner
compared to those not taking it.
Body Count
Increasing Among Aspirin Users
Each year, a grossly underestimated 7600 deaths and
76,000 hospitalizations occur in the United States from use of aspirin and
other NSAIDS like Motrin, Aleve, and Celebrex. But, the FDA states that only
about 10% of deaths caused by NSAIDS are reported. Doctors aren’t willing to acknowledge aspirin
as the deadly culprit. Death by the drug is usually attributed to the victim
being either too damn sick or too damn old. Therefore, the body count is much
higher than we are told. In 1986, Dr. Otis R. Bowen, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, issued a warning reminding parents that children and
teen-agers with flu symptoms “should not be given aspirin.” Using it for the
flu or Chicken Pox, aspirin puts users at risk for Reyes Syndrome, a disorder
that causes organs to shut down, and large amounts of bloody, watery liquid to
accumulate in the lungs. In 2009, historian and researcher Dr. Karen Starko
showed that mortality rates were increased during the 1918 flu epidemic due to
aspirin use! At the time, massive amounts of the drug were purchased by the
military and given to soldiers. The “always pharmaceutically compliant” Journal
of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggested a dose of 1,000 milligrams
every three hours. That’s the equivalent of almost 25 standard 325-milligram
aspirin tablets in 24 hours – twice the daily dosage generally considered safe
today! Minus the overdose, it’s predicted that death rates wouldn’t have been
so tragically high.
Identifying
Aspirin Actions Gets Nobel Prize
It was pharmacologist John Vane who discovered the
good and bad actions of aspirin. On one hand, he found that it blocks the
production of an enzyme known as COX (cycloxygenase). Downstream, this prevents
inflammation, swelling, pain and fever. But, he elucidated a risky trade off.
Aspirin also stifles the formation of healing compounds. Crucial for
physiological support, they protect the stomach from damage by hydrochloric
acid, maintain kidney function and stop internal bleeding. Vane won the Nobel
Prize for his work. Bayer wasn’t concerned about the findings…Or they ignored
Nobel Prize winning science. Expanding their market reach, they pushed “baby”
aspirin to protect against heart attack and stroke. But, the “little bit” is
still harmful. Writing for The New York Times, Dr. Neena S. Abraham said, “If
your physician has suggested you take aspirin to reduce your risk of heart
disease, it is important to remember that even small doses of daily aspirin —
including “baby aspirin,” at a dose of 81 milligrams daily — can increase your
risk of ulcers and bleeding.”
…buffered or enteric-coated aspirin won’t protect you.
Judith P. Kelly of the Slone Epidemiology Unit at the
Boston University School of Medicine warned that “all forms of aspirin carry
risk.” Protective covering or not, it still paralyzes the production of
physiologically-important compounds in our body.
Safe
Alternatives
White
willow bark doesn’t contain ASA or “aspirin.” Therefore, it won’t
accidentally kill you. Adults and children can use it for all types of pain and
also high fever. Concerned about deadly blood clots? In Over-The-Counter
Natural Cures, I showed how the natural medicine hawthorn busts clots on
contact, without side effects! Trash aspirin, use White willow bark and hawthorn.
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