Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Speaking of aging . . .

If you watch TV (and I do) you will have noticed that drug companies promote the notion that by taking a pill we can have the vitality of a twenty year old.

The most recent televised target: low energy. I figure that's a pretty big audience of prospective buyers -- like everybody I know. This particular commercial named the cause of the lower energy , "Lower T." The suggestion was that even though I am 56, overweight, and under exercised, I should have more energy, and that if I were to take one of their pills I
would have more energy.

Also recently, I have learned that if my eye's tear ducts aren't working I can take Resistrol, and that if my prostate is malfunctioning, and I am embarrassed by frequent men's room visits, I can take ... oh I forget ... and there is Lipitor for my high cholesterol, and
I haven't even mention the dreaded V/pill and its all natural cousins.


I am certainly not suggesting that there are not wonder drugs. The lowly aspirin is one of them. Where we would we be without Penicillin? I do not object at all to those who do need to take one pill or the other. I am thankful that we have them. But I do tire of the drug commercials on television, their actor-doctors and nurses with feigned interest in the actor-patient's health, and all the silver-haired men and woman who suggest that life can be extended forever in full vitality by taking this pill -- the one they produced, of course.

I remember thinking how odd where the stories of Ponce de Leon searching for the Fountain of Youth, but we are not that much different.

2 comments:

Red-faced Rambler said...

We have prostate problems in my family, and as it happens, I am quite grateful for one of those little pills, thank you very much.

;-)

Lynn said...

In the delightful movie "I Could Never Be Your Woman", Tracey Ullman (sp?) plays Mother Nature. She has some pungent things to say about baby boomers and aging, most of which are right on target.

Very grateful for medicines, traditional and non-, and for all manner of health practitioners and disciplines. Even more grateful to not be currently needing any of them.

(I was really grateful for my orthopedic surgeon two years ago when I broke my leg; thankfully, I didn't require the full range of his services.)