Héloïse Goy, with Alexis Patri
The doctor and TV presenter Michel Cymes wears on Tuesday on France 5 a new number of the program “Take care of yourself” entitled “Stop the excess of drugs”. He explains to the microphone of Europe 1 why the high consumption of drugs by the French poses a problem for their health.
A French person consumes on average one box of medicine per week. This corresponds to three billion boxes sold each year in the country. In the new issue of his show Take care of yourself, broadcast Tuesday evening on France 5, Michel Cymes tackles this overconsumption and demonstrates that it is possible to stay healthy with less medication. Before the broadcast of this program, the doctor explains to the microphone of Europe 1 why it is important to reduce his consumption of drugs.
“We tend to rush on the drugs as soon as we have the slightest problem. Whereas, and we show it in the program, a better lifestyle makes it possible to reduce this consumption. To have a reasonable consumption and reasoned medication, they should only be taken when it is essential”, affirms Michel Cymes. “Just because you took medicine for a sore throat after a doctor’s diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to take the same one a year later because you have a sore throat again.”
“You don’t have to have any medicine just in case”
“We must not forget that drugs can have side effects and interactions between them which can be harmful to health,” he continues. “We remind you: a drug is not a candy.” To show that it is possible to reduce one’s consumption of sleeping pills, analgesics, neuroleptics or other drugs, journalists and doctors followed, for three months, three French people ready to change their habits and their hygiene of life.
Michel Cymes explains how to sort through his medicine cabinet. “In the end, you need very few things: paracetamol, an antihistamine if you are allergic, medication for asthmatics. But everyone must have medication in their pharmacy that concerns them. And not medication just in case,” he presses. “Today, all the scientific data shows that physical activity must be part of the therapeutic arsenal for a large number of illnesses and chronic diseases.”
Take care of yourself: Stop over-medicating is broadcast Tuesday evening on France 5 at 9 p.m.