How many times have you turned to Google for information about your newest health issue? And how many times has Google's answer freaked you out enough to make you schedule an appointment with your doctor? Unfortunately, I am totally guilty of this, and it wasn't too long ago that I was one of those people that turned to the doctor every time I had a minor health issue. I think one can definitely find a sense of comfort in knowing that your doctor will always have some type of medication to relieve you of your symptoms, but is that always the best way to go?

Pharmaceutical companies are taking over. You can't even get through one commercial break without having to sit through at least three pharmaceutical advertisements—and the majority of each advertisement is dedicated to the long list of side-effects, read at lightning speed in hopes that maybe you won't notice when they mention "death" as one of them. Are these companies really so concerned with money that they're willing to sell us drugs that have more negative outcomes than positive? And what happens when you take a medication and you happen to suffer from one of those many side-effects? That's right, they give you more medicine. Before you know it, you're knee-deep in those tiny orange pill bottles, and the people who made your drugs are knee-deep in money.

Pharmaceutical companies will actually sponsor, and even bribe a doctor to push their drugs on you. These companies buy expensive gourmet lunches for doctors, just so they can have a chance to pitch their latest drug. Crazy, right? So the next time you go to visit your doctor, keep in mind the fact that they may be prescribing you unnecessary pills just so that they can have a bigger paycheck at the end of the week.

We live in a society where people are more familiar with the pills they take than they are with their own bodies, and that's a real problem. Instead of trying to figure out the cause of their health issues, people are immediately running to their doctors for a prescription. Back pain? There's a pill for that. Acne? Yep, there's a pill for that. Anxiety? There's a million pills for that. But there areother options!

I used to be one of the many people that took multiple medications on a daily basis, but eventually it got to the point where I was in worse shape than I was before I started the medications. So I made the decision to stop taking all of those pills, and it was definitely a good choice on my part. I now know what my body can and cannot handle, and I know how to make adjustments, should another health issue arise. The learning process is never-ending.

Instead of calling up your doctor for an appointment, why not take the time to get to know your body? Maybe your back pain can be fixed with a little daily exercise and stretching. Maybe your acne can be cleared up by simply drinking more water on a regular basis. And it's possible that the burden of anxiety can be lessened with a little exercise and meditation. It's always a good idea to be aware of your body's quirks before you fill it up with all sorts of unnecessary drugs.

Everyone's body is unique; get to know yours!