Although it can be helpful for those at high risk or those who have suffered a heart event, aspirin side effects can be quite serious and it is certainly not for everyone. Before you start taking aspirin, make sure you understand the risks involved and what alternatives you have.
What are the aspirin side effects?
It’s important to realize that aspirin is a drug, just like other over-the-counter and prescription medications. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. As such, there are definitely adverse reactions to contend with.
Some of the most common aspirin side effects are stomach pain, heart burn, nausea and vomiting. An aspirin overdose or higher dosage than recommended can cause very serious health issues.
With short-term use for specific problems, aspirin has been shown to be effective and does not present significant health risks. However, long-term use can lead to many problems.
It is one of the leading causes of gastrointestinal tract complications, including micro-bleeding and ulcers. There is also a small but very serious risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
I don’t think I have a heart condition…should I take aspirin as a preventative measure?
According to recent studies, probably not. Research shows that aspirin might cause as many problems as it’s supposed to prevent.
One of the recently discovered aspirin side effects is aspirin-induced asthma, which could effect up to 21% off all those who regularly take it or other NSAIDs. This discovery was based on 66 medical papers dating back to 1964.
According to a new study in the British Medical Journal, many people who regularly take aspirin still suffer from heart problems, giving birth to a new condition: aspirin resistance.
So as far as a preventative measure, you are probably much better off with a safer alternative to an aspirin blood thinner that can reduce inflammation without aspirin side effects.
Is there a safer option than aspirin for preventing heart disease?
Although aspirin is thought of as a blood thinner, what it actually does is reduce inflammation in the blood, particularly C Reactive Protein.
By reducing this inflammation, the blood can flow more easily throughout the body. This blood flow improvement decreases the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack, which is why aspirin is prescribed as a preventative measure as well as a post-incident application.
However, due to the potential side effects of long-term aspirin usage, you may be better off with an aspirin alternative, something that has been proven to reduce inflammation without the adverse reactions.
One such option is fish oil, which contains essential Omega 3 fatty acids and has been shown to reduce inflammation in the blood. It also has numerous other benefits for cardiovascular health and well-being.
Learn more about how fish oil can offer the benefits of aspirin without the aspirin side effects here.
Other natural anti-inflammatories include ginger root extract and MSM. Ginger root has long been used in Asian cooking and has been used for centuries as a digestive aid and motion sickness cure, and more recently to lower cholesterol.
Ginger is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, relaxing the muscles surrounding blood vessels and facilitating blood flow throughout the body. MSM, a naturally occurring sulfur compound found in vegetables, has strong anti-inflammatory properties. As such, it is the main ingredient in many arthritis treatments.
Found out more about reducing inflammation (C Reactive Protein) without aspirin side effects here.
Featured Fish Oil Supplement
We have discovered a high quality fish oil supplement that we have been taking ourselves for over a year. It contains the highest levels of DHA and EPA, two of the most therapeutic Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike most fish oil supplements, this supplement contains molecularly distilled fish oil esters, which is a purified form that is most readily absorbed in the body. It is also free of any contaminants because it is harvested from pristine, clean waters.
Take a look at these Omega 3 DHA Fish Oil esters and see how they can help reduce inflammation and promote a healthy heart today.
Featured Ginger/MSM Supplement
We have also been taking a specially formulated product called Total Balance as our core nutritional supplement. It has replaced the poor quality multivitamin we had been taking for years. Through our extensive research, we discovered that not only do the ingredients in a supplement need to be of the highest quality, they also need to be perfectly blended in order to offer the most therapeutic benefits. We have learned that herbal extracts such as ginger as well as other nutrients such as MSM can provide even more health benefits than many vitamins and minerals on their own.
See for yourself how Total Balance with natural ingredients can not only lower CRP levels but also decrease triglycerides (fat) as well as lower cholesterol.
Please note that in many cases, an aspirin blood thinner can be a helpful treatment and may be your best option. Please consult with your physician before deciding whether or not to take aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatorys (NSAIDs), or natural alternatives to prevent or treat heart conditions.