Stay
healthy with the basics of good nutritional support
LIFESPICE
THE NUMBERS
• Studies show that only about one-third of all patients will actually
take their medications as prescribed
• Non-compliance results in the loss of 20 million workdays per year
• Not taking medications as prescribed results in some 340 deaths
per day and 10-25% of hospital and nursing home admissions each
year in the U.S. alone
COMPLIANCE: DOING THE RIGHT THING
How
many times have you gotten a prescription for an antibiotic or
some other medication from the doctor and just taken it until
you felt better, even when the instructions on the bottle tell
you to take the medication until it is finished? Well, you’re
not alone. An estimated two-thirds of patients in the U.S. will
regularly miss doses regularly or not take prescribed medications
at all. The inability or unwillingness of patients to comply with
their doctors’ orders concerning medications is so pervasive
the New York Times has called it the nation’s “other
drug problem.”
It’s called non-compliance, and it can be defined as simply
as an inability or an unwillingness to follow a medical recommendation.
It’s the failure of patients to take their medicines in the
prescribed manner, and it comprises a variety of behaviors, from
missing a dose at a particular time of day to taking medications
only when the person feels it’s necessary. Not finishing
a course of a medication, “doubling up” on doses to
make up for one that’s missed, and not following instructions
concerning interactions with other substances and medications are
also part of non-compliant behavior.
SO YOU MISS A PILL -- WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
While
non-compliance is nothing new, in today’s world filled
with an ever-increasing number of drugs to deal with a variety
of illnesses and conditions, compliance becomes more and more crucial.
Prescription medications need to be taken exactly as prescribed
in order for patients to derive the full benefits from them. However,
with certain prescriptions, failure to comply with instructions
can often lead to severe health problems, and, in some cases, even
be life-threatening.
When
we move to the realm of dietary supplements, the issue of compliance
remains just as significant. Our model of preventive
wellness operates on the belief that the human body is capable
of healing and repairing itself, if it is regularly cleansed of
toxic materials and harmful organisms, and consistently provided
with nutrients necessary for optimum functioning of body systems.
The key words here are regularly and consistently. Improperly following
cleansing protocols, or taking a supplement occasionally or just
in response to what we perceive as “symptoms” does
little or nothing toward our desired goals.
WHY
WE DON’T DO WHAT WE KNOW WE SHOULD
We’re all smart enough to know that whether we’re
taking a prescription medication for a specific health condition
or a nutritional supplement to bolster our overall health, we need
to use the product consistently and according to the directions.
That’s just common sense. So why, we might ask ourselves,
don’t we do it?
The
reasons vary, but let’s face it. We lead busy and complicated
lives. There are a lot of important things vying for our attention
and claiming priority in our days. Unfortunately, the old adage
is true – the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So, while we
consider our good health important, unless we’re really sick
and suffering, we tend to let other, more pressing issues capture
our attention. In most cases, fixing dinner for our hungry kids
and families seems more important than trying to support healthy
functioning of our body systems.
There
are many other reasons for non-compliance as well. These mainly
center around issues of convenience and ease of use. If
there are too many doses of too many things to take, we are less
likely to take all of them properly. We get too busy or just forget
to take what we should altogether. If we have to take a pill with
water and don’t have anything to drink, we probably won’t
take it. Or maybe we are on a schedule of properly taking supplements,
but we get unexpected company or go on vacation. Our daily routines
are disrupted, and so is our schedule of taking our supplements – so
compliance goes out the window. Additional factors like an unpleasant
taste, difficulty in swallowing or high cost can keep us from taking
the supplements as we should. Finally, we seem to need to be constantly
convinced that our wellness depends on troubling ourselves with
following our supplement routine. And when we aren’t convinced,
we often tend to let things that are the least bit inconvenient
slide.
LET’S GET COMPLIANT
So
what if there were a product that pulled together many of the
positive qualities that encourage compliance – ease of use,
convenience, tastiness, and naturally part of our daily routine?
Wouldn’t we be more likely to be consistent and compliant
in our use of such a product? Well, LifeSpice is just that product.
Lifespice combines N-Zyme, AlkaMin and AlliPRO into a single, easy
to consume supplement that costs less than the total of the individual
components. There has never been anything like it anywhere in the
world!
The
beauty of Lifespice in terms of increasing compliance is its
ease of use and the way it fits unobtrusively into your lifestyle.
This tasty supplement comes in a shaker and is taken by just sprinkling
it on prepared foods before eating them. These can include salads,
eggs, vegetables, meats, etc. While it’s not designed for
cooking or adding to hot foods like soups or casseroles, Lifespice
is a tasty and beneficial supplement to all your savory dishes.
It’s so easy to use, there’s simply no reason not to.
Just pack it in your pocket, purse, or briefcase, and carry it
with you wherever you go. It travels easily in a backpack or lunchbox,
and you can keep it in your spice rack, pantry, or even your desk
drawer at work.
CAUTIONS
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease,
but rather is a dietary supplement intended solely for nutritional
support.
SOURCES
Sbarbarro JA. Strategies to improve compliance with therapy. American
Journal of Medicine 1985; 79 (Suppl A):34-37.
Day JL. Why should patients do what we ask them to do? Patient
Education and Counseling 1995;26:113-8.
Jaret P (2001). 10 Ways to Improve Patient Compliance. Hippocrates:
Practical Advances in Primary Care. http://www.hippocrates.com.
Playle JF and Keeley P. Non-compliance and professional power.
Journal of Advanced Nursing 1998; 27(2):304-311.
