Surgical procedures and drug prescriptions are steadily on the rise. 50% of adults 18 to 60 take at least one prescription drug. 80% of seniors take at least one prescription drug and it is not uncommon for a senior to take 5 or more prescription drugs. Tens of millions of surgical procedures are performed each year when biopsies and other dignostic procedures are included. Surely many people would prefer safer and less expensive alternatives.

Almost by definition, the cause or causes of chronic diseases are not well understood. We know that genes, the environment, and behavior all play a role. As knowledge accumulates, an increasing number of chronic conditions are proven to have multiple causes.

There’s not much practical that can be done about genes. I don’t believe that genes alone often completely predetermine chronic disease conditions. I believe behavior and the environment are usually contributing factors. Micro-organisms and micronutrients are important factors. Attacking micro-organisms, boosting the immune system, and accelerating wound healing constitute a sound strategy for preventing and healing chronic diseases.

I’ve only recently come to appreciate that micro-organisms may be playing a significant role in chronic disease. Obvious bacterial infections are common and often respond within hours to antibiotic treatment. Bacterial infections such as Lyme disease are difficult to detect and require weeks of antibiotic therapy to resolve. Some cases require years of antibiotic treatment to resolve. Micro-organisms are a proven cause of a handful of cancers.

Potent anti-biotics are one of the miracles of modern medicine. They are relatively safe medications, and, since they generally work quickly, they are rarely the cause of chronic discomfort. Potent, readily available antibiotics include amoxicillin, tetracycline, cephaliexin, and metronidazole. Each of these antibiotics works by a different mechanism. There is good reason to try them all if a micro-organism is a possible cause.

It is highly unusual to live a life depend upon antibiotics for survival. In the vaste majority of cases, antibiotics are used as temporary assistance to natural immunities. So – it seems like common sense to use immune boosting nutrients in combination with antibiotics. Micro-organisms frequently cause damage that requires wound healing. So – again it is just common sense to use nutrients that can accelerate would healing in combination with antibiotics.

If you’re taking one or more prescription drugs for a chronic disease, there’s much to gain and little to lose by giving vitamins and antibiotics a try. You have to get the antibiotics from a physician. The vitamins are obtained from sunshine and the local grocery store or pharmacy. The most important vitamins are the five that prevent deficiency disease. These are vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Vitamin D in high doses is best obtained from full body exposure to mid-day sunshine. Good doses of supplements can be found here.

There’s no point waiting for double blind, placebo controlled studies – they are not possible. Sunshine can not be administered double-blind. Doses of vitamin C of >2000 mg/day can not be administered double-blind because of immediate reactions of the intestinal tract. >200 mg/day doses of niacin cause flushing and immediate intestinal tract reactions. One nutrient at a time studies – including double blind, placebo controlled trials, have already established that vitamins A, B1, B3, C and sunshine are safe and effective. Extra vitamin C and niacin are associated with accelerated wound healing in addition to boosting the power of the immune system.

If you’re taking a prescription drug for a chronic disease, there’s no need to give up on a real cure and a future without dependence upon prescription drugs. The body has an amazing ability to heal.