In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Healthy Diet Fizzles On Cancer Recurrence
Dairy Products Reduce Risk Of Diabetes
Do Diabetes Drugs Raise Risk Of Cancer?
Low LDL May Be Linked To Cancer
Curry Spice May Reverse Alzheimer's
Vitamin C Won't Chase Common Cold

Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy

We are pleased to announce a new edition of our book, Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy. Best Choices is filled with natural healing approaches for dozens of common conditions including:

• arthritis
• high blood pressure
• constipation
• insomnia
• diabetes
• leg cramps
• headaches
• menopause
• heartburn
• nail fungus
• high cholesterol
• osteoporosis

We also rate prescription drugs so you can get the best buys for your money. Best Choices is packed with remedies that will surprise you, statistics that will shock you, ratings to help assess your treatment options and drug information that could save your life. Purchases from the web site receive over a 25% discount off the list price of $31.95.

This special edition (524 pages) is not available in any bookstore. It contains an expansion of our People's Pharmacy Favorite Picks (home remedies) and a new chapter on Desert Island Drugs and Dietary Supplements. Some of the country's leading experts have contributed their insights on the best treatments for what ails you. This edition is not in stores or on other Internet sites. It is only available from Rodale Books and directly from The People's Pharmacy. We ship book orders Media Mail (5-10 day delivery expected).

http://ppcart.fountainshosting.com/p-249-best-choices-from-the-peoples-pharmacy.aspx

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com:

This Week's Radio Show: #642 Health News Update
Chocolate has a surprising number of health benefits. Previous studies have shown it can even lower blood pressure, but the dose was quite high. Now we know even a little bit of chocolate a day may help keep high blood...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/642_health_news_update.asp

Trouble Stopping Antidepressant
Q. I have just been through detox hell after stopping the antidepressant Cymbalta. After a week of dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, sweats, chills, itching, disorientation, mood swings and headaches, I am angry! My doctor did not tell me that this might...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/trouble_stopping_antidepressant_.asp

Colon Cleansing Not Recommended
Q. I am looking for a home recipe for colon cleansing without having to use expensive over-the-counter detox programs. I've seen your recipes for constipation, but I'm specifically looking for a thorough cleansing of the colon. A. We really can't...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/colon_cleansing_not_recommended.asp

Wild Sex Can Cause Injury
Q. I have an embarrassing question. What are your suggestions regarding penile fracture? I admit to being too wild and crazy one night. I bent a fully erect penis about 90 degrees. It was very painful and turned purple, black...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/wild_sex_can_cause_injury.asp

Generic Antidepressant Raises Questions
The first email message in February piqued our interest: "I have been taking Budeprion XL 300 mg for 3 months instead of Wellbutrin XL 300 mg. I find that I am easily upset and cry very easily. Sometimes I feel...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/generic_antidepressant_raises_questions.asp

Vinegar Is Secret Weapon Against Dandruff
Q. A few weeks ago someone reporting using Miracle Whip on her scaly flaky scalp. She said that after a couple of hours she had a flake-free scalp and wanted to know why it worked so well. I think the...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/vinegar_is_secret_weapon_against_dandruff.asp

Magnesium Eases Constipation
Q. I had constipation for five years. I was using Citrucel and extra bran on my cereal. I drank lots of water but still had very hard rabbit-like stools. At water aerobics a friend told me about taking magnesium. It...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/magnesium_eases_constipation.asp

Old-Fashioned Thyroid Drug Best for Some
Q. You once had an article about some people needing Armour Thyroid because Synthroid doesn't contain T3. I want to thank you for saving my sanity and life.Since 1993, I have been on Synthroid and more recently, Levoxyl. I have...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/oldfashioned_thyroid_drug_best_for_some.asp

Featured Q & A

Chocolate Dangerous For Dogs
Q. Please settle a family feud. My husband keeps giving our dog chocolate chips as treats when she does some stupid tricks he taught her. I keep telling him that chocolate is bad for dogs. He says it hasn't killed her yet and she loves chocolate chips almost as much as he does. Isn't chocolate a problem for pets?

A. According to our veterinarian consultant, dogs vary tremendously in their susceptibility to chocolate. In general, however, chocolate is poisonous to dogs. They have a difficult time metabolizing the active ingredient, theobromine, which is related to caffeine.

Dark chocolate is especially hazardous, and five ounces can kill a 55 pound dog. One pet died of convulsions after getting into its owner's bag of chocolate chips.

A few chips probably won't kill your pooch but why not tell your husband to lay off the chocolate and invest in doggie treats instead?

Featured Home Remedy

Corn Huskers As Personal Lubricant
I want to thank the person who wrote to you about Corn Huskers lotion. After menopause, I started using a vaginal cream, but the Corn Huskers lotion is much better. It had never occurred to me to use a hand lotion for vaginal dryness, but it has been a big help.

You can read more home remedies on our website:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/home_remedies/index.asp

Health Headlines:

Healthy Diet Fizzles On Cancer Recurrence
There's disappointing news about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. When women are diagnosed with breast cancer they are sometimes admonished to clean up their dietary act: eat less fat andconsume more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Now, a study involving more than 3,000 women shows that healthy eating can't ward off a recurrence. Half the women in the group were given cooking classes, telephone counseling and regular newsletters designed to increase vegetable and fruit consumption. Although the women changed their eating habits, over the next seven years women eating lots of fresh produce were just as likely to develop another breast cancer as women who made no dietary changes. Although these results are disappointing, there's no reason to give up on fruits and vegetables. Scientists recognize that such foods have many other benefits even if they don't prevent breast cancer recurrence or extend survival.
[JAMA July 18, 2007]
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/3/289

Dairy Products Reduce Risk Of Diabetes
A diet that is high in dairy products, calcium and vitamin D may reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. A new analysis of prior research suggests that people who get more of these nutrients are 18 percent less likely to develop this metabolic disorder. The investigators believe that vitamin D and calcium may enhance the body's ability to use insulin efficiently. Although these researchers are cautious about recommending dietary changes, there is little doubt that both nutrients are essential for good health and many Americans do not get enough in their diet.
[Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, June 2007]
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/92/6/2017

Do Diabetes Drugs Raise Risk Of Cancer?
The diabetes drug Avandia has had some bad press lately. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine linked this medication to a higher risk of heart failure. Then a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that older and less expensive diabetes drugs such as metformin were just as effective as newer medicines such as Avandia and Actos. Now, another study of nearly 9,000 diabetic patients suggests that there may be more bad news regarding the expensive newer medicines. People taking Avandia had a significantly higher risk of developing cancer than people taking other types of diabetes medicine. People taking Actos also trended higher on cancer diagnosis, but it was not statistically significant. The researchers call for caution in interpreting their results, but in light of the ongoing controversy, people on Avandia may want to discuss these questions with their doctors.
[BMC Medicine, June 21, 2007]
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/5/17/abstract

Low LDL May Be Linked To Cancer
Cardiologists are enthusiastic about lowering bad LDL cholesterol with statin-type medications. The lower the levels of LDL, the lower the risk of heart disease. A new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology raises a troubling question, however. The researchers reviewed data from more than 40,000 patients in a number of previous well-controlled studies. They found that patients with the lowest LDL levels were more likely to have a new diagnosis of cancer. The investigators were quick to point out that their data do not prove that statins cause cancer. Nevertheless, the study raises some important questions about long-term safety of statins and will doubtless lead to further research.
[Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 31, 2007]

Curry Spice May Reverse Alzheimer's
Turmeric, the yellow spice in curry, may offer hope for treating Alzheimer's disease. Research in the laboratories of the Greater Los Angeles Veteran's Affairs Medical Center shows that treating immune system cells called macrophages with a component of turmeric gives them the power to clear away amyloid from the brain. Amyloid plaques are a distinctive feature of Alzheimer's disease. The active ingredient in turmeric, bis-de-methoxy-curcumin, supercharges the macrophages. Clinical trials will be needed to determine if this treatment will help people with Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, it won't hurt to enjoy a little curry.
[Early Edition, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, July 16, 2007]

Vitamin C Won't Chase Common Cold
Vitamin C has been controversial for decades. Many people are convinced that regular doses of ascorbic acid can prevent the common cold. Others insist that if they load up on this vitamin when they catch a cold, it helps them recover more quickly. Researchers reviewed 30 studies of vitamin C covering more than 11,000 people for the Cochrane Collaboration. Their analysis shows that taking at least 200 mg of vitamin C a day did shorten colds, but by only a tiny amount. The authors conclude that it is not rational to take vitamin C routinely to prevent the common cold.
[The Cochrane Library 2007]
http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD000980/frame.html