May 2, 2011 — In the past few months, the results of published studies regarding the effectiveness of drugs call into question the validity of drugs as treatment.

As consumers become more aware of this kind of information, along with steady increases in degenerative diseases despite medical treatment, more people are turning to destination clinics for clinical nutrition and other treatment modalities that represent a more integrated and effective approach to health.

Two recent studies turning consumers away from traditional, drug-oriented medicine highlight the fact that many of the apparently positive effects from drugs may be more mental than physical.

For the first study, published in Science Translational Medicine, participants were put on an IV drip and then heat was applied to their legs — enough heat to cause pain. At one point, participants were told that a powerful painkiller was now added to the drip. They reported that their pain was significantly reduced in response.

When later told that the painkillers had been discontinued, their pain returned to pre-painkiller levels. What they did not know is

that the painkillers were never discontinued at all.

The second study was conducted on 80 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Before being divided into two groups, they were told about the “placebo effect” and that one group would receive "placebo pills made of an inert substance, like sugar pills, that have been shown in clinical studies to produce significant improvement in IBS symptoms through mind-body self-healing processes."

In fact, there were no such clinical studies. To give the researchers' story more credibility, the patients were also told it was critical to take the placebos as directed.

Nearly 60 percent of the group receiving placebos showed improvement. In fact, the number of patients whose condition improved was higher than that seen in recent drug trials for the same condition.

Considering the often debilitating and dangerous side effects of many drugs, an increasing number of patients are turning to clinical nutrition, chiropractic, physical therapy and other complementary and alternative treatments for their health problems.

Source: HealthNOW Medical Center, www.healthnowmedical.com