This question has bothered me for a long time so I decided to write about it.

I have a family friend who has heart arrhythmias. I do not know what medication she is on but it has a lot of side effects so her doctor wants to decrease her dosage and she is afraid that she will go into a-fib also known as atrial fibrillation.  That means that she irregular heartbeats. They never figured out what was causing them so she was put on medication.

Did they check her magnesium and Coenzyme Q10 levels? I asked.

She said that they had run a lot of tests but she didn't understand them and she didn't ask her doctor to explain the results.

The reason why I asked about her Coenzyme Q10 and magnesium levels is because a lot of times when people are having irregular heartbeats they have low levels of these nutrients.

Long story short.

She is not the first person that I talked to that never questioned the treatment their doctor suggested.

What people fail to realize is that doctors do not know everything.

They get a minimum of 1 week of nutrition.  That is not enough time to learn about nutrition.

People research other things.  Why not research what options you have when it comes to treatment?

Don't just blindly follow what your doctors says.

Some of the main causes of conditions are inflammation, hormonal imbalances (No hot flashes are not normal.), gut imbalances (The communities in our gut are not in a happy place.)  and nutritional deficiencies.

Most doctors do not know those things either. It's really not their fault they are not taught that in medical school. They are just taught to prescribe medication.

I'm not saying that there is not a time for medication.  In some cases, that is the only option but in most cases other things can be done like seeing if you are have gut issues, have inflammation, hormonal imbalances or any nutritional deficiencies.

The next time a doctor recommends medication for something that you are dealing with do your research before filling that prescription and remember being on medication comes with side effects.

Sometimes those side effects do not go away even if you stop taking the medication.

No studies have ever been done about the effects of taking multiple medications on the human body.

I think we need to take responsibility for our health.  I'm not saying you should never go to a doctor again but I think we should seek out natural ways to resolve our health issues instead of just settling for taking a pill or pills.

What do you think?  Comment below.. 

1. Go meatless for 1 meal per day.

• Remember beans are more carbohydrates than protein so don't pair that with rice. Make sure you have some healthy fat and veggies with that.

2. Use your smartphone.

• Download apps that allow you to use coupons in your favorite stores.
• Look at flyers while in the store to see what is on sale.  Don't have a smartphone check them out on your computer before going.

3. Pickup meat when it is close to expiring.

• This is a good time to buy grass fed and organic meats at a bargain.  Most stores normally mark them down to get rid of them.
• If the meat isn't mark down, you can ask whether it can be marked down because it is due to expire.

4. Opt for frozen or canned vegetables.

• They tend to be cheaper than fresh. 
• Make sure the canned veggies you get are in a BPA free can.

5. Shop in the bulk section.

• You can save on spices, nuts, seeds, beans, baking flours, herbs and other items because you can just get what you need.

Have you used these tips?  What other tips have you used to save so you can eat healthy on a budget.

Do you know what the bulk foods section is?

I didn't until I started going to my local food co-op and Whole Foods. I also recently found out that Giant Eagle Market District has a bulk section too.

Why am I so geeked out over the bulk section?

You can save a lot of of money on food and spices.

How?

You can get exactly what you need.

You can get beans for cheap if that is your thing.  Some bulk sections have cereals, flours ,trail mixes, rice etc..

If you have never visited a bulk foods section or never heard of a bulk foods section, I urge you to seek out one at your local food co-op or other stores in your area especially if you want to eat healthy and save money.

Have you visited a food-co-op or other store that has a bulk foods section?

What is your favorite item or items in that section. Comment below.