Imagine this – you suffer a nasty fall and go to hospital. You are discharged and the treatment plan includes a variety of medication to assist you in your recovery. Only problem is, no pharmacist has approved the plan. The medications suggested conflict and create a raft of negative effects on your body and your health.

Then consider that this is happening to every 3 out of every 5 people given such a plan where a pharmacist has not been involved.

The peak body for pharmacists in Australia recently published a damning report against the unneccesary financial, mental and health cost of incorrect medication use. Over 600,000 people have either been admitted or presented to emergency in a 12-month period, with over 50% of those being preventable. The total cost of admissions alone was $1.4 billion. Let that sink in for a little (especially if you beat yourself up over wasting $10 on an entree you didn’t need).

What’s more, this report received very little news in the mainstream media (except for this article in the Sydney Morning Herald), testament to the growing view that the mass media no longer covers information that is in the public interest – instead opting for anything that will attract eyeballs.

If we’re to age gracefully, and to help our loved ones do to the same, an awareness of how the health system is breaking down is essential.

In this first of two parts, we hope you feel alerted, and then empowered to continue on your 100 Not Out Journey.

*** Greek Island Trip Of A Lifetime Awaits ***

In September this year we venture off to one of the 5 Blue Zones on the planet – the island where people “forget to die”, the exquisite Ikaria. We return for the third time for 10 days of longevity learnings. Based in the village of Nas, where National Geographic conducted their Blue Zones research, we live with the locals and live like the most well-lived people on the planet. To join us, go to www.100notout.com and apply.

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash