Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You [Paperback]

Suzy Cohen (Author), Dr. Samuel Cohen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2008

Drug Muggers is not just about medicine, it's primarily about nutritional deficiencies that cause health problems (often labelled as a disease). This could be the result of lifestyle choices, diet and medication. This book is packed with so much information in an easy-to-read format, it is a MUST if you are dealing with any type of health concern, or if you take medication. There is a ground-breaking chapter on drug-food interactions and another chapter on how you can pick the best supplement. Suzy gives you insider information on what to look for, what to avoid and how pretty labels mean nothing when the vitamins inside come up short. Millions of people worldwide are taking medicine. This often means you are likely being robbed of essential nutrients because drugs can reduce your body's stores of vital life-sustaining nutrients.When a drug robs your body of a nutrient you will experience another effect of that drug, something you call a side effect. You probably didn't know that drugs could do that, but I bet you have experienced the drug mugging effect first hand. One example is with antibiotics...they are drug muggers for your normal intestinal flora and when they rob your gut of these 'friendly bacteria' you probably get diarrhea, cramps and nausea. Another example is with statin cholesterol drugs, like Zocor, Mevacor, Lipitor, Crestor, etc....when these medications mug your body of Coenzyme Q10, you get side effects like muscle aches, fatigue and cardiac problems in the long haul. That's because Co Q10 is found in your muscles (your heart is a muscle isn't it?) and so when these drugs mug Co Q10, your entire cardiovascular system and brain pay the price. Dozens of popular medications mug CoQ10, not just cholesterol busters. Women who take hormonal replacement drugs or birth control pills could be robbed of B vitamins (among other important nutrients) and this causes all sorts of problems including low thyroid, weight gain and depression. The list goes on and on. I have termed the nutrient depletion, the Drug Mugger effect. The information which I am sharing with you is rarely known by the public, but knowing it is very crucial to your health and well-being and it could save your life. One simple way to replenish nutrients is to eat a balanced diet that includes foods rich in vitamins and minerals, including leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and...if you like meat, grass-fed, hormone free meats. But sometimes eating doesn't do enough to offset the drug mugging effect, and supplementation of a particular nutrient becomes necessary.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I told my doctor that I wanted to take Coenzyme Q10 along with my Zocor because I read in your newspaper column, how this nutrient offsets the side effects of statin cholesterol medications. He said Don t bother, there s no proof. I even showed him your column, but he only increased my Zocor dosage! I bought the CoQ10 anyway, and I must say, you are an Angel. I no longer have as much shortness of breath and weakness. I ve stopped getting those terrible back spasms and leg cramps. May God bless you and your health ministry. --Jean from Gainesville, Florida

Suzy Cohen is an enlightened pharmacist who is on a mission to save lives! Drug Muggers is a must-read whether you are a doctor trying to do the best for your patient or a person trying to help yourself and your loved ones. This book will definitely occupy a permanent place in my library! --K.C. Craichy Author of Super Health: 7 Golden Keys to Unlock Lifelong Vitality

I have suffered for many years with insomnia. You can t imagine how difficult it is to face each day when you haven t slept properly. When I learned that my blood pressure medication was reducing my melatonin, and then bought supplements, I started sleeping again. It took several weeks, but it worked! This is all because of you Suzy, I am very grateful. --Denise, Vancouver BC

About the Author

Suzy Cohen, RPh is a best-selling author, syndicated columnist and speaker. She has been a licensed pharmacist for 20 years and has experience in retail, hospital and geriatric settings. In 1999, she began writing her popular syndicated column, Dear Pharmacist which now reaches millions of people worldwide. Intregrating conventional and holistic wisdom gives Suzy a unique approach to health. She often lectures or does media for professional organizations and natural health groups and has been seen on many television networks including CNN, FOX and CBS. Samuel Cohen, DC has been a chiropractic physician for more than 2 decades and has seen over a hundred thousand patients. He has training in acupuncture, physical therapy and hands-on healing techniques. Dr. Cohen has taken care of many patients complaining of joint pain, muscle aches and headaches, often the result of drug muggers. By explaining this phenomenon to them, his patients have gained better health through nutritional supplementation and dietary changes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Dear Pharmacist Inc.; 1st Edition (October 2008) edition (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981817319
• ISBN-13: 978-0981817316
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Is Your Medication Robbing Your Body of Its Health?, October 21, 2008

By 

K. Jadon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You (Paperback)

From: www.BasilAndSpice.com
Author & Book Views On A Healthy Life!

A FirstLook Book Review

Drug Muggers: How to Keep Your Medicine from Stealing the Life Out of You! (DPI, 2008) by Suzy Cohen, R.Ph. and Dr. Samuel M. Cohen

Suzy Cohen, R. Ph., is a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience. Drug Muggers follows closely on the heels of her celebrated The 24-Hour Pharmacist (Harper Collins, 2007) and Real Solutions (DPI, 2008). She is "America's Most Trusted Pharmacist," and has helped millions of patients in various clinical settings, such as retail, hospital, nursing home pharmacies, and through her nationally syndicated column, "Dear Pharmacist." A former spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Suzy Cohen is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, The Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists and The American Pharmacists Association.

Drug Muggers is sectored into five important areas:

I. Nutrition--injected here is a discussion of a multivitamin, how to pick one, what to avoid, how much to take, and general safety supplement issues.

II. Antioxidants & Probiotics--this chapter is given to the explanation and role of major antioxidants:

* Beta Carotene (Vitamin A)--occurs naturally in the leaves of plants and produces a reddish/orange hue. Think sweet potatoes, pumpkins, carrots. Benefits the eyes, fertility, immunity, teeth, bones, skin.
* Coenzyme Q10--benefits the heart and makes energy. Food sources include the organ meats--kidney, heart, and liver.
* Vitamin C--protects us from colds, boosts immunity to infections and cancer. "Smokers need more vitamin C because nicotine is a drug mugger of C." Eat citrus fruits.
* Vitamin D--a deficiency results in rickets--the softening of bones leading to bowed legs, spinal curvatures, impaired growth. "Public health officials are reporting hundreds of new cases of rickets in the United States in the last few years." Cohen states that we are in a new epidemic of this disease, which was once unheard of.
* Glutathione (NAC)--a strong detoxifier, it boosts the immune system, reducing cancer risk. Necessary for the liver.
* Probiotics--these supplements are living bacteria which aid the digestive tract. Recommended for anyone with a GI complaint. Mugged by antibiotics, "Whenever you take an antibiotic, you should supplement with a probiotic to replenish what the drug mugger steals."

III. The B Family--This is not the Brady Bunch, rather it is a inclusive listing of the necessary life-sustaining roles the B vitamins perform.

* Thiamin (Vitamin B1)--plays a part in maintaining weight, lowering blood sugar, reducing cholesterol; a deficiency can cause reduced appetite, fatigue, weakness, poor digestion, chronic constipation, inability to gain weight, metal fatigue; a deficiency could lead to depression, nervousness, mental exhaustion, insomnia.
* Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)--works to improve thyroid levels, creates energy in the body, helps burn calories, reduces some types of headaches. These chapters end with "Just So Ya' Know" where the author gives her personal advice to the reader. For example with Riboflavin, "As a general rule it is important to take a B complex (especially with B6) because the Bs work better together, and you are less likely to tilt your Bs out of range...."
* Niacin (Vitamin B3)--has the ability to open blood vessels and capillaries wider, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, while supplying more blood to the heart. Good food sources of Niacin include lean beef, liver, crimini mushrooms, wild salmon, eggs, dairy, poultry, yellowfin tuna, corn grits, nuts, enriched cereals.
* Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)--boosts mood, improves sleep, nourishes the nervous system. Tip: "B6 is needed to break down protein found in meats and dairy; the more animal protein you consume, the more B6 you should take."
* Biotin--necessary for the skin, hair, and nails; critical for digestion, blood sugar control. It is produced within our intestinal tract by micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) and is mugged by antibiotics.
* Folate (Vitamin B9)--it is relatively well known by its relation to folic acid--the synthetically derivative. Necessary for red blood cell production, DNA manufacturing, and is used in some anti-cancer regimens. It also protects the unborn from neural tube defects and is found in all prenatal vitamins. Folate deficiency can occur easily because the vitamin is water-soluble.
* Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12)--important for sleep, energy, and the nervous system. The worst drug muggers of B12 are acid blocking drugs, junk food, and white refined sugar. This is a relevant chapter for those who suffer from ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, MS, or another autoimmune disorder.

IV. Minerals & Melatonin--this significant chapter is devoted to major minerals and their roles within our body, paying attention to the drugs which adversely affect the body's ability to use these minerals. Includes Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Selenium, Potassium, and Zinc. What I really like about these chapters (B Family & Minerals) is each vitamin and mineral gets a thorough explanation of its vital role, the author gives suggestions of foods to eat which will provide the mineral, and she also lets us in on medicines she keeps in her own cupboard. Example here: Cold EEZE Zinc Lozenges by Quigley--Cohen likes these because they are organic, gluten-free, have been through clinical trials, and contain 13.3mg ionic zinc, A further plus in each chapter is a small mention for each mineral titled, "Absurdly Inexpensive Way to Feel Better." The tips are great. It's like going into the drug store and speaking with the pharmacist yourself.

* Melatonin is a hormone in your body which helps you sleep. A complete chapter is devoted to this subject, noting which drugs interfere with the process, how it helps with jet lag, and other roles of melatonin in the body.

V. Safety Guide--"As of 2004, the average number of medications per person in the United States is about 12! This creates a tremendous potential for interaction with medication and food."

* Food, herbal, and drug interactions--both common and uncommon: an example, the MAO inhibitor Nardil (phenelzine) can fatally interact with cheese (tyramine) because of a rise in blood pressure.

Further listings:

* Medications to be taken with food
* Medications to be taken on an empty stomach
* Grapefruit interaction chart
* Lifestyle drug muggers--commentary on the effects on our bodies of: coffee, tea, alcohol, laxatives, soda, stress, smoking, fat blockers in dieting, and junk food.
* Drug Muggers includes several pages of references and resources of which Cohen approves. Most importantly the book has a listing of medications and their negative effects on the body.

Drug Muggers is really a thoroughly written book, offering advice to all people, whether they take medication or not. Drug Muggers provides a pharmacist's knowledgeable insight into the necessary nutrients we need on a daily basis. Suzy Cohen's natural answers and advice aren't simply the run-of-the-mill "Take two pills and call me in the morning." Read a the book and live a healthier life.

5 Stars

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read if you take Big Pharma drugs., February 6, 2009

By 

K. Peterson (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You (Paperback)

I got this book because Mike Adams recommended it and it is a good reference book especially for those who take drugs. It isn't as useful for those of us who use supplements to prevent having to ever take Big Pharma drugs.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything You Wanted to Know About your Drugs, August 26, 2009

By 

J. Alger (Oro Valley, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You (Paperback)

Suzy Cohen's latest book on the effects of drugs is the most informative that I've read. It's chock full of ideas to replace what the drug muggers deplete. She writes in very concise terms about each drug and how it affects a person. I refer to it often and use some of the supplements and websites that she mentions.