Improve Your Eating Habits To Save Money On Prescriptions
Improve Your Eating Habits To Save Money On Prescriptions by: Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD Do you like the arthritis pain relief you get from over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pills (like ibuprofen)? But do they “bother your stomach”? Take an honest assessment of your eating habits. Think about your diet before you declare the cheaper NSAIDs off-limits and switch to the more expensive coxibs like Celebrex or Bextra. (Each costs about $100 per month!) If you tend to skip meals or eat poorly, any anti-inflammatory will cause indigestion, heartburn or a bleeding ulcer! NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work by cooling off inflammation wherever it smolders. The theory is: No inflammation, no pain. Inflammation happens because of an elaborate sequence of biochemical reactions in your body. Some of the steps in these reactions lead to good work elsewhere, like controlling normal blood-clotting, and defending the stomach’s lining from the acid within. NSAIDs block these reactions, ...