Modern medicine and the pharmaceutical industry are truly a puzzle to me at times – and I’m not even talking about universal health care, financial policies, insurance companies, political maneuvering, Medicaid, Medicare and so forth.

On one hand, both are imperative to our overall well-being, increased life expectancy and, in general, living a healthier life. Yet there are times when I’m left scratching my head, wondering at the ironies inherent in certain products and treatments both have to offer.

I’ve never been big on medicine of any kind, I can tell you that much. I can, quite easily, count on both hands the number of times in the last five years I’ve taken any kind of pill or medication for a cold, cough, sinus infection, sore throat, headache, toothache, earache or any other kind of ache for that matter, if you get my drift.

It’s not that I never get sick, I’ve simply never let it bother me that much. Typically, by ignoring that which ails me, I’m able to get over any sort of minor sickness in a day or two.

Trust me, I’m grateful for that, as I realize this isn’t the case for everyone.

No, what really gets me are these “new” wonder drugs. You know, the ones that have been around for the last decade or so, able combat all manner of illnesses and afflictions. They’re usually pretty easy to pick out if you know what you’re looking for – they all have similar yet utterly confusing names such as Zopraxinalicid, Gutenaxinal or Frankensteinaproxizin – and they all come with a list of side effects a mile long (which are typically far worse than the ailment itself).

And that’s downright confusing if you ask me.

Now I’m certainly not going to name specific prescription medicines here, as I’m no doctor or pharmaceutical expert. Yet one such treatment – taken to address a rather disgusting irritable syndrome – had surprisingly few of those pesky side effects.

There were three to be exact: increased appetite, indigestion and nervousness.