My basic rule about drugs is to use them in a comprehensive healing program that addresses the underlying reason(s) why you’re sick. I prefer to use more natural, less toxic alternatives if they are available and efficacious. However, sometimes drugs are lifesaving, especially in acute situations. Some of my patients suffer needlessly because they refuse to take a drug that would help them. I encourage these patients to keep an open mind, especially during that period of time when integrative modalities are taking effect. Sometimes a short course of drugs can bridge the gap.

All medications carry a risk/benefit ratio.

If you’re taking an over-the-counter or prescription medication, find out how it works, what side effects it can cause, how it should be taken, and what substance should not be taken at the same time. Knowing the correct dosage is most important, as all drugs can be toxic at higher levels. In general, drugs tend to have a much more narrow therapeutic window (and consequently a much larger chance for toxicity) than nutrients.

Medications can be very problematic. Many routinely administered drugs can cause health problems. Every class of medication has its potential side effects. Antibiotics alone can cause diarrhea, colitis, liver function abnormalities, and decreased blood cell counts. As a culture, we have to stop using antibiotics to the extent we do because bacteria are becoming more and more resistant. In our search for a stronger and stronger “magic bullet,” we are forgetting that often, real healing comes from the patients own immune system.

Anti-inflammatory medications can cause gastritis, ulcers, bleeding, and kidney problems.
Blood pressure medications can cause impotence and fatigue.
Blood thinners can cause abnormal bleeding problems.
The Pill is associated with vascular complications (stroke, heart attack, blood clots) and nutritional deficiencies.
Steroids suppress the immune system and can allow infections to become more virulent or widespread.
Synthetic estrogens are associated with endometrial cancer and breast cancer.

There are far too many medications and side effects to mention here. All medications carry a risk/benefit ratio. When I find it necessary to prescribe a drug for one of my patients, I give the smallest effective dose and simultaneously recommend natural immune system modulators. (It should be noted that in certain conditions, such as Lyme disease, the effective dose may be higher than it is for less onerous infections.) In our practice, we always give nutrients and herbs with antibiotics to promote the immune system and to protect the gastrointestinal tract and liver.

Medications can:

Interfere with digestion and with the absorption and utilization of nutrients
Cause organ strain (different drugs tax different organs, including the liver and the kidneys)
Elevate your body’s need for certain nutrients used in the detoxification process
Raise your need for antioxidants to combat free radical damage

If you’re taking any medications, particularly for an extended period of time, make sure you’re eating an optimal diet and getting healthy doses of antioxidants and the specific nutrients and herbs you need to protect the organ(s) that may be affected by your medication.

Mar 6, 2019

Dr. Bock Featured in Natural Awakenings

From specialized diet and supplement regimens to a variety of alternative therapies, parents have a wealth of complementary options from which to choose. One integrative approach, however, is showing exceptional, research-backed promise: healing the gut.

Mar 22, 2018

Common Threads Seminar / Columbia University

Dr. Bock just recently spoke at the Common Threads seminar at Columba University Medical Center in NYC.

May 1, 2017

Broccoli Sprout Extract improves ASD behaviors...Food for Thought...

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is growing at an alarming rate! CDC surveillance reports show the prevalence of ASD in American children is about 1 in 68.

Feb 29, 2016

Detoxification in Childhood Neuroimmune Disorders

Detoxification requires a good deal of energy. Unfortunately, the accumulation of toxins can damage the mitochondria that provide that energy for our cells, and this can initiate a downward cycle, so many individuals need assistance to support detoxification.

Sep 22, 2015

Lyme Disease at Bock Integrative Medicine

Lyme disease, which we call Tick Borne Disease, is complicated and there are many things about it that we don’t fully understand, but our approach is reflected in the answers to these common questions:

Aug 31, 2015

The Immune Kettle

I use a picture of what I call the immune or toxic threshold "kettle" to help patients understand the effects of genetic or environmental influences on the immune system.

Jul 7, 2015

A Primer on Fungal Dysbiosis: Candidiasis

Fungal organisms such as candida are normally present in the body in limited numbers and are considered commensal (i.e., they are neither beneficial nor harmful). However, they always hold the potential for overgrowth (a condition called candidiasis or yeast infection). Candida is one of the oldest surviving life-forms and it has had eons to perfect its adaptability.

Jun 29, 2015

Current Strategies For Cancer Prevention

The term Preventative Medicine is usually applied to the use of mammograms, colonoscopies, PAP tests, etc. but this is actually early detection rather than true prevention. Whereas these tests can be valuable and even life saving, what we’re addressing here is an effort to prevent the initiation of cancer.

Jun 15, 2015

Diabetes And The Gut

There’s a common association between abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, and the theory is that inflammation messages from fat cells lead to the insulin resistance. But fat cells may not be the only source of inflammation.