Considerations

• Prescription drugs are often the most expensive means of taking care of your health, even if you have prescription drug coverage. Maintenance drugs--those you take every day for a long-term illness or condition--can be costly. And what is the long-term effect on your body? Although a prescription drug may help your high blood pressure, what effect does the drug have on other parts of your body, such as your liver?
  
  Generally, once you start on a course of a maintenance drug, you will be taking it for the rest of your life. Can you afford that? Is that really want you want to do?
  
  Even in the case of taking a drug for an acute illness, such as the flu, wouldn't you recover without it in time? Sometimes we want fast relief, but there are other ways to get relief that are as fast, yet are easier on the body.
  
  

Preventative measures

• Simply put, if you don't get sick, you don't need prescription medications.
  
  In our fast-paced lives we are likely to eat fast food fast, not get enough sleep, self-medicate with alcohol to relax, and fail to get enough exercise. With a bit of time planning, we can fit it healthy meals, at least 30 minutes of exercise, eight hours of sleep, and be relaxed enough to avoid the pre-dinner martini, the with-dinner wine and the after dinner liqueur.
  
  You can't expect your car to run on watered-down and dirty fuel--how can you expect your body to?
  
  

Lose weight

• So many medical conditions can be directly attributed to being overweight. Even an additional 10 pounds of additional weight on your body makes it harder for virtually every organ in your body to work properly. Simply dropping 10 percent of your body weight will have an effect on your overall health, and especially your heart and your blood pressure.
  
  Losing weight sensibly is key; simply eat 10 percent less and exercise 10 percent more. Remember that you didn't gain weight overnight and you are not going to lose it overnight.Commit to a healthier lifestyle and take it slow and easy. By the way, exercise is a great stress reducer.
  
  

Alternative ways to better health

• Eat properly. Plan your meals to include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean proteins like chicken and fish.
  
  Drink enough water. If your urine is clear or a very faint yellow you're drinking enough water; if not, drink up!
  
  Herbal remedies. An excellent resource for properly taking care of yourself is "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC. This book covers good nutritional care, herbal remedies and other ways of treating almost any physical disease and you will find yourself referring to it time and time again. At $25, it's an excellent investment in your health.
  
  Chiropractic care can often help many illnesses that you wouldn't necessarily think manipulations of your body could help. Many insurances cover chiropractic care. You might also consider acupuncture or acupressure.
  
  Physical therapy can often help with disorders that involve pain and inflammation and most insurance companies cover physical therapy if your doctor prescribes it for you.
  
  

Self care

• 
  
  Many illnesses can be traced to stress. You may need to take a long hard look at your life to determine the causes of stress in your life. What can you change to make your life more enjoyable and less stressful? Make a list of those things in life that you find enjoyable and do them more often. Schedule a massage or a manicure, take a mini-vacation or even a longer one. Figure out what is important in your life and what is just stuff that takes up your time and that you stress about. Change what you can change.
  
  

Taking responsibility

• Only you can know what's best for you. Talk to your primary care provider honestly about the drugs he wants you to take, or what you are already taking, and address what you can do to safely jump off the prescription medication train. But remember that you must follow through with whatever it takes to avoid the need for the prescription.