You undoubtedly hear and see commercials enticing you to do this, be that, smell like this eat this or feel like this. Primarily the advertising is designed to do one of two things...help you avoid pain or move you toward pleasure. And removing your pain always seems to be more desirable. That pain is strong physically, but more so emotionally. So on our health focus; gaining pleasure is often overlooked in the search for eliminating pain. But ultimately, are we not also seeking pleasure, (health) a feeling of wellness: the state of happiness and joy. It is for me and I suggest it is for you. So the next question has to be "how do we find this state". If we already felt satisfied, none of the above would be an issue. Or maybe not...maybe we are looking for more pleasure.

A few days ago, I received a very interesting, helpful, and thought-provoking letter. This gentleman had been experiencing symptoms that led him and his doctor to consider the diagnosis of Meniere's Disease. I'll let his email speak for itself, but for obvious reasons, I am not going to mention the product or the gentleman's name. But he did give me permission to use the information. I think it's important enough to use this in one of my Pebble columns. He writes: "In a previous newsletter you dealt with 'triggers' that brought on Meniere's attacks. I have discovered another one! Being a Type II Diabetic for fifteen to 20 years I recently (within the past 4 to 5 years) took on the added problem of ED, 'Erectile Dysfunction. As soon as the 'ErectionAide' became available in Canada I got a prescription and found 'new life' where it had all but disappeared.

Then, while having a friendly conversation with my druggist about Meniere's Disease (having just picked up a refill of 'ErectionAide') he remarked that some of my problem might be right there in my hand!!! That reminded me that some of my attacks had certainly come the day following my use of 'ErectionAide'. So I started to keep a record. Three times in a row, without fail, 'ErectionAide' was followed by a severe attack lasting from 3 hours to all day. Upon discovery of this link I stopped using the 'ErectionAide'. No more severe attacks and only one insignificant 'unsteady' spell that lasted an hour or so. You will probably want to use this information, which is OK by me as long as you don't use my real name." Many of you know we have a very active Meniere's Disease website, so most of our discussions center around dizziness, balance, or hearing challenges. Why would someone think there could possible be a connection. One sites is a long way from the other. But this is how we get people to think about possible connections all the time...connections: no matter how removed from possibility or credibility they could be. And here this gentleman's pharmacist made the possible connection. I want to stress the word "possible" because not everyone has these side effects, but if you do, then start looking at what you are putting into your body...anywhere. And have these possible side effects ever been mentioned before? Probably. And would anyone want to know? Probably not! Back to the pain/pleasure marketing strategy. Know that this is perfectly reasonable...till it hits your body.

For many people these side effects are not a serious problem. However you are introducing another chemical into your body. This is not part of the body's original composition and the body has ways of getting rid of things it doesn't like or reacting to things it can't get rid of. I want to digress here a moment. Having a chemical element change something in your body is no different than having surgery to change something. And as with any chemical, in which there might be side effects, so it is with surgery. (And do consider the anesthetic as another chemical.) In a drug situation you would want to check out any possible side effects. How? You would ask to see literature, studies, and ask the pharmacist. And in a proposed surgery, you would ask to see the consent form. It has to list all possible complications or side effects. That is to cover the liability aspect. So read this form very carefully consider all the side effects and decide if you can live with the worst possible scenario. These side effects are mentioned because they have occurred and can occur, hopefully not to you, but it is possible. And if you can't live with them, ask your doctor for some alternative treatments. This, as I say endlessly, is YOUR body: not your doctor's. You will be faced with the challenges. They will be completely empathetic, but not personally involved. This will and must be your decision: not your medical team's. They will give you expert advice, but in the end you sign the form on your behalf.

Back to the chemicals ...you have read about all the proposed changes it will do to your body. Are you sure? Can you live with the results if they are not as planned...as our friend's are now? Can you go to work as a elementary school teacher and be sick and dizzy and nauseated? How about being an airline pilot or ICU nurse and having dizzy spells... So how do you find out about possible side effects? Look on the product bottle, read the inserts, ask the pharmacist, but know that some pharmacists aren't always willing to give negative feedback. The next best area to research is the Internet with Medline.com or Google or Ask Jeeves. Any good search tool will be helpful, but get some objective information about the products you are about to put into your body. And when you read some negative or confusing wording, stay calm. Ask someone to "interpret" them for you. Don't jump to any conclusions until you have considered all the angles. If you have sensitivities or intolerance's, be doubly alert. Will they be affected adversely? A sensitivity is something that your body reacts to a little more "intensely" than the average person. It could give quicker and stronger results, which you may not want. Read the ingredients carefully. You may not have any major problems with the main ingredients, but maybe some of the associate ingredients could be harmful. A good example is antibacterial soap. Most of us can tolerate those, but if you have an allergy or intolerance to the microbial agent in it, you could have side effects. Again, it's your body: know what is going into it.