(NaturalNews) Whether someone has an acute illness like appendicitis or a more long-term condition like diabetes, prescription drugs of some form or another are bound to be a part of the plan of care in modern medicine. There are some people, particularly the elderly or those with very serious conditions, who are on multiple prescription drugs at one time. This dependence on prescription drugs can lead to some serious problems, both for general health and for environmental quality as well. Read on to find out some of the more disturbing facts about prescription drugs.

Unsafe disposal

One problem with prescription drugs is that, when patients and their families are no longer using them, they are often flushed down the toilet. Many hospitals and other medical facilities do the same, only of course on a much larger scale. While this might seem safer than leaving unused pills around the house, it is actually very dangerous, because these drugs can leach into the public water supply... and wind up in the water that people are drinking or cooking with. And what is even scarier is that no large-scale studies on this problem have been done, so the consequences of this exposure are not fully understood.

Counterfeits abound

Prescription drugs can mean big money, so it is not surprising that criminals have attempted to counterfeit medications in order to sell them to unsuspecting consumers. Only recently, a large shipment of over 440,000 capsules were confiscated from China that were found to be laced with chromium. While chromium in small, safe doses is actually good for the body, if people ingest too much of it, it can build up in the body over time and become toxic. And this is one small incident; counterfeit drugs (some of them laced with dangerous substances) are becoming increasingly common.

Antibiotics and their side effects

Antibiotics are one of the most popularly types of prescribed medicines in the United States – and many believe that they are simply becoming too popular. Overuse of antibiotics has caused the rise of drug-resistant bacterial strain like MRSA which are responsible for thousands of deaths annually. They can also cause problems with the digestive system and immunity since they often kill off, along with disease-causing bacteria, the healthful bacteria that naturally reside in the gut. There is even some evidence to suggest that using antibiotics in children can help contribute to childhood obesity.

These problems with prescription drugs are serious and real. That is one of the reasons why so many people are trying to be less dependent on this kind of medication and seek more natural therapies instead. These therapies can include herbs and Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Medicine compounds or even practices like tai chi, diet therapy or other healthy lifestyle changes to treat conditions as gently as possible and avoid issues such as those mentioned above.

Sources:

GlobalHealingCenter.com

Clinton2.NARA.gov

EverydayHealth.com

About the author:
Sofiya has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments,health insurance, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.