• What’s hiding in your medicine cabinet?
• Six medications that belong in the trash
• And seven natural remedies for what ails you

I’ll bet you have a cabinet in your kitchen or bathroom that contains a cure for every ill.

That’s where you stash the pain relievers, antacids and prescription drugs that you use most often. There’s probably Nyquil or Robitussin left over from the last time you had a cold, and maybe an antihistamine for sinus problems.

You might even have a few outdated prescription drugs hiding in there… the ones you’ve saved “just in case you need them”.

We love knowing we may have a solution for literally everything right at our fingertips.

But are these over-the-counter and prescription drugs the answer to what ails you?

Toss these Medications from Your Medicine Cabinet

I personally don’t recommend using any type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID). These drugs include Aleve (naproxen), Advil (ibuprofen) and Celebrex (celecoxib).

All of them increase your chances of a heart attack or stroke, even if you only use them for a few days. They also damage your kidneys, gut and can cause liver failure.

Aspirin increases your risk of gastrointestinal bleeds and intracranial hemorrhaging….and if it tried to come onto the market today, the FDA would likely turn it down. And acetaminophen, which is found in Tylenol and most cold medicines, is a leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.

If you chronically take heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors, like Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid, you boost your risk of heart attack by about 20%. You also decrease your absorption of vitamin B12 and calcium, both critical for good health.

Antihistamines are linked to the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia. They literally shrink your brain. Plus, they make you feel lousy. They cause drowsiness, dry out your mouth and sinuses, make it hard to urinate and can affect your vision

And you should never, ever, take any over-the-counter or prescription drug that’s expired. It could prove to be a deadly experiment.

Now, I don’t know about you, but these are all side effects that I don’t want in my life. That’s why I always opt for more natural remedies that will solve my problem without destroying my health.

Here’s what I suggest for your medicine cabinet.

7 Natural Remedies for All that Ails You

Relief for your aching joints. If you’re constantly taking a pain reliever to subdue joint pain, I have a couple of great options for you.

My favorite is called green-lipped mussel extract. It’s high in something called “furan” fatty acids. These fatty acids scavenge damaging free radicals. Just 150 mg. daily can reduce joint tenderness, morning stiffness and improve pain levels.

Curcumin is another winner when it comes to joint pain. In fact, it works just as well as ibuprofen when it comes to relieving pain and improving function in patients with knee arthritis. Take 500-1,000 mg. twice a day for the inflammatory component of your pain.

Shut down indigestion and acid reflux. In my experience, most patients with acid reflux are suffering from too little acid, not too much. Especially over the age of 50.

Finding out if this is what’s behind your digestive woes is surprisingly simple. Just take a tablespoon of apple vinegar the next time heartburn strikes. If the pain disappears, it’s a pretty good indication that your body isn’t producing enough hydrochloric acid.

It’s easy enough to restore your body’s natural production of stomach acid. Just take 325 mg. to 650 mg. of HCL betaine with pepsin at the beginning of each meal. (If you experience a slight burning sensation in the pit of your stomach then decrease the amount taken next time.)

Then, if you do occasionally experience indigestion, try some licorice. There’s a chewable form called DGL. And it’s just as effective as the acid-blocking drug Tagamet for heartburn symptoms.

Ease your cold and flu symptoms. Elderberry is my #1 pick to get rid of colds and the flu quickly. This herb practically stops flu dead in its tracks by blocking viral growth. And this is great news when it comes to recovery time.

When flu sufferers take elderberry extract, it reduces fever and other symptoms about four days quicker than if they didn’t take it. All it takes is tablespoonful four times a day for 5-7 days. And don’t be fooled by lozenges and other “Elderberry remedies”. Only the liquid extract works.

Say goodbye to allergy flare-ups. If you spend allergy season sneezing, dealing with a runny nose and constantly wiping your watery eyes, butterbur is a must for your medicine cabinet. It’s just as effective as Zyrtec and Allegra, but without any drowsy side effects. 50 to 100 mg. twice a day should do the trick.

Stinging nettle is another natural antihistamine that contains anti-allergenic compounds. These help boost your resistance to pollens and molds. And it goes to work quickly. Take 870 mg. of a freeze-dried extract whenever symptoms arise.

In most cases these natural alternatives are just as effective as any synthetic drug you can take for what ails you – but without the disastrous health consequences. I heartily recommend adding them to your medicine cabinet as needed.

SOURCES:

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA strengthens warning that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause heart attacks or strokes. Safety Announcement. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. July 2015

Larson AM, et al. Acute Liver Failure Study Group (ALFSG). Acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure: results of a United States multicenter, prospective study. Hepatology. 2005 Dec; 42(6):1364-72

Shah NH, et al. Proton Pump Inhibitor Usage and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction in the General Population. PLoS One. 2015 Jun 10;10(6):e0124653.

Gray SL, et al. Cumulative use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Mar;175(3):401-7.

Risacher SL, et al. Association Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. JAMA Neurol. 2016 Jun 1;73(6):721-32.

Gibson SL, et al. The treatment of arthritis with a lipid extract of Perna canaliculus: a randomized trial. Comp Ther Med. 1998;6:122–6.

Kuptniratsaikul V, et al. Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts compared with ibuprofen in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter study. Clin Interv Aging. 2014 Mar 20;9:451-8.

Morgan Ag, et al. Comparison between cimetidine and Caved-S in the treatment of gastric ulceration, and subsequent maintenance therapy. Gut. 1982 Jun;23(6):545-51.
Zakay-Rones Z, et al. Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections. J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40.

Tiralongo E, et al. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2016 Apr; 8(4): 182.

Roschek B Jr. Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis. Phytotherapy Research. 2009;23:920-926.

Schapowal A. Treating intermittent allergic rhinitis: a prospective, randomized, placebo and antihistamine-controlled study of Butterbur extract Ze 339. Phytotherapy Research. 2005;19:530-537.

Schapowal A; Petasites Study Group. Randomised controlled trial of butterbur and cetirizine for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis. BMJ. 2002 Jan 19;324(7330):144-6