We say Grace—bless our food.

And that’s important.

It brings health of mind and body as well as spirit.

But what about others things we ingest, especially medications? Do we bless those? Shouldn’t we?

It’s not an irrelevant question when one considers some mind-boggling statistics.

Get this: CDC’s data show that 49.9 percent of people in the U.S. used at least one prescription drug in the past thirty days.

Let’s take this further.

When we do, we see that 24.7 percent—one in four—used three or more prescriptions in the past month, and 13.5 percent used five or more prescriptions in the past thirty days.

Of course, if we look at it in terms of the past year (not just the past month), it goes up to sixty percent (six in ten, of all ages).

In Canada, it was about the same: 55 percent during the past thirty days.

As for over-the-counter medications, a widely-cited consumer statistic is 81 percent of adults.

And now let’s get still more real.

For those over the age of sixty-five, the percent using prescriptions skyrockets to neary ninety percent (88).

This tell us a number of things, one of them that we are over-medicated; our physicians and other doctors are not well instructed in natural remedies (after all, they are medical doctors; they practice medicine).

And virtually every medication can have side effects.

How possibly (even using A.I.) could a doctor know all the intricacies of potential reactions, when a patient is using a half a dozen?

For most people over 65 in the U.S., taking at least one prescription isn’t optional—it’s part of daily life. The trend is similar in Canada, where most older adults use prescribed medicines, and use grows with age.

Translation: nearly as many elderly people take prescription drugs as eat meals.

Considering that, as well as potential side effects, and also considering the need to pray for a good result, praying a blessing before we gulp pills down sounds “like a plan” as they say.

A couple prayers:

“O God, You have made man out of nothing in a marvelous way,
and in a still more marvelous way You have ‘remade’ him.
You have been so kind as to come to our aid
with many remedies in the various sicknesses
with which mankind is weighed down.
Kindly hear our prayers
and pour Your holy blessing from heaven upon this medicine,
that he (she, or they) who partakes (partake) of it
may merit to receive health of both mind and body,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Or:

“Gracious God,
You have given us many healing remedies
that are a benefit to us when we are sick.
Through the miraculous intercession of St. Anthony,
we ask Your blessing upon the medication prescribed for
(mention name)
so that he/she/you may experience healing,
and be restored to full health in mind and body.
Amen.”

“O Lord Jesus Christ, my Father, I ask Your blessing on this medicine. May it work for Your purpose, bringing strength and healing to my body and mind. Amen.”

Let us also invoke Our Lady of Lourdes.

And Saint Raphael.

Saint Saints Joseph, Padre Pio, and Andre Bessette likewise don’t hurt (bring them to the doctor or dentist or chiropractor with you).

And the patron saints of medication?

Saints Cosmas and Damian.

[resources: The God of Healing]