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Health

The Scary Mistake You're Making With Over-The-Counter Drugs

October 14, 2020 by Justine Schwartz
shefinds | Health
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Many of us have gone all-natural and organic with our groceries and beauty products, but experts warn that there are other areas of your health that you need to “ditch the dirty” ingredients for, too.

One area is your medicine cabinet. If you think about it–the meds you ingest daily shouldn’t contain artificial sweeteners, dyes, preservatives, etc., if cleaning living is a priority. It just makes sense.

And the problem only becomes more apparent as we approach cold and flu season, a time when many of us will be taking more over-the-counter medications than ever before. You have to think about what exactly is going into your body as you load up on pain relievers, cough medicines, and other flu drug.

And it’s not just dyes and preservatives–medicines can even contain wood pulp, aluminum, talc, lactose and gluten as fillers. Not only do these sound horrible (wood pulp?!) but they can cause real harm and even trigger adverse side effects. Aka, exactly what you don’t want from taking medication.

The best thing you can do, according to health experts, is read your labels and clean out your medicine cabinet.

According to findings from Harvard Medical School, by the time drug makers add all of the necessary components, such as lactose to bind ingredients together or artificial sweeteners to mask bitterness, the inactive ingredients make up three-fourths of the typical pill.

Scientists found that 93% of the pills or capsules they looked at contained at least one potential allergen, and for example, one-third of the medications contained chemical dyes, such as tartrazine (often cited on labels as “yellow 5”) that has been linked to adverse reactions. Yikes!

So, what should you buy instead? There are many “clean” medicines on the market, such as Genexa.

Right now, you can swap out a free bottle of Genexa medication just for tossing out your old stuff. The campaign is call #DitchtheDirty and we are so here for it. Try it now.

 

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health, tips

Author:

Editorial Director

Justine Schwartz is a veteran women's lifestyle editor; she's written extensively about style & beauty tips, health advice and wedding planning. Her work has appeared in New York Magazine, Huffington Post and New York Weddings. Justine has been with SheFinds since 2010; you can reach her via email at Justine@shefinds.com.

Healthy seeds displayed over sweet pastries.
Grocery store aisle with sugar and sweeteners.
Woman enjoying a balanced lunch meal.
Woman enjoying spearmint tea for relaxation and wellness.
Frustrated older woman holding her head in distress.
Woman experiencing chest pain, looking concerned.
Various types of bread displayed on a wooden surface.
Woman holding her head in distress or frustration.
Woman experiencing joint pain and discomfort.
Popular fast food options from Dunkin', Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks.
Woman adding sugar to her aromatic coffee beverage.
Wooden board featuring bagels, blueberries, and butter.
Pouring vitamin D oil into palm for supplementation.
Comparing cooking spray and olive oil for healthy cooking.
Older woman taking supplements with a glass of water.
Brazilian food dish with rice, beans, and chicken served.
Handful of dietary supplements held by a celebrity for health.
Checking the time while enjoying a hearty breakfast.
Pouring supplement powder into a glass for a health drink.
Woman exercising, promoting fitness and wellness in a vibrant environment.
Healthy seeds displayed over sweet pastries.
Grocery store aisle with sugar and sweeteners.
Woman enjoying a balanced lunch meal.
Woman enjoying spearmint tea for relaxation and wellness.
Frustrated older woman holding her head in distress.
Woman experiencing chest pain, looking concerned.
Various types of bread displayed on a wooden surface.
Woman holding her head in distress or frustration.
Woman experiencing joint pain and discomfort.
Popular fast food options from Dunkin', Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks.
Woman adding sugar to her aromatic coffee beverage.
Wooden board featuring bagels, blueberries, and butter.
Pouring vitamin D oil into palm for supplementation.
Comparing cooking spray and olive oil for healthy cooking.
Older woman taking supplements with a glass of water.
Brazilian food dish with rice, beans, and chicken served.
Handful of dietary supplements held by a celebrity for health.
Checking the time while enjoying a hearty breakfast.
Pouring supplement powder into a glass for a health drink.
Woman exercising, promoting fitness and wellness in a vibrant environment.