The People's Pharmacy®

Tune in to our radio show on your local public radio station, or sign up for the podcast and listen at your leisure. Here's what it's about: We'd like to imagine that the drug the doctor prescribed will do exactly... (Read More)

Q. Is there any herb I can take to make myself less attractive to mosquitoes without also making myself less attractive to the human race? I wear no perfumed lotions but seem to attract mosquitoes like a magnet. A. We... (Read More)

Q. Recently we bought some sugar-free chocolates. All four of us who "indulged" got intestinal upsets of varying degrees. When we called the candy store to report a possible food-poisoning problem, the lady informed us the candy contains sorbitol and... (Read More)

Q. A week ago, around midnight, I slid to the floor of my bathroom and was unable to get up. My arms and legs did not function and I laid on the floor for eight hours until my son picked... (Read More)

First, a big apology to our loyal MoM (milk of magnesia) deodorant fans. We have been out of stock for the last several weeks because of the popularity of the product and the time it took to re-manufacture to the... (Read More)

Q. I was a nanny last summer, and one day we were in the kids' back yard. Their dog knocked a yellow jacket down, but it was still alive. Unaware of this, I walked on the deck where the yellow... (Read More)

Q. I am 61 years old. My doctor recently tested me for vitamin D and found I am deficient. I was really surprised, since I play golf both summer and winter. (We go to Arizona in the winter.) What are... (Read More)

Q. I have had toenail fungus for years. It started with a big toe and eventually spread to all my piggies. My wife complained, but since no one else ever sees my ugly toes I wasn't too concerned. Now I... (Read More)

Q. I've used milk of magnesia to clear up poison ivy. I used to get poison ivy all over after clearing the weeds and grass from my mowers in the Texas winds. I had to go to the doctor for... (Read More)

Q. You wrote about antidepressants like Effexor for hot flash relief and I thought I'd share my experience. My doctor prescribed Effexor XR for my hot flashes five years ago. I took one tablet at bedtime, as directed, and did... (Read More)

Q. I put baking cocoa in my morning coffee instead of eating high-calorie dark chocolate. Is cocoa as good as the chocolate that is touted as beneficial to our health? A. Cocoa that has been processed with alkali (termed "Dutch... (Read More)

Americans have a strong Puritan ethic. They figure that if it hurts or tastes bad it must be good for you. That may partially explain the earnest embrace of prohibitions in our quest for good health. For decades people in... (Read More)

Tune in to our radio show on your local public radio station, or sign up for the podcast and listen at your leisure. Here's what it's about: Dr. Brian Goldman has worked the night shift in the emergency room at... (Read More)

Q. I am an avid gardener. I love digging in the earth and even find weeding enjoyable. My flowers and vegetables are looking fabulous, but my hands are a mess. What is it about digging around in the dirt that... (Read More)

Q. I am very concerned about my wife's practice of giving our boy's enemas on the last Thursday of every month. Our sons are 14 and 12. When I ask why she does this, she replies that it's good for... (Read More)