In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Heart Failure Warning on Diabetes Drugs
Poor Diet Contributes to Colon Cancer
Diet Foods May Backfire for Youngsters
Big Waist Signals Heart Hazard

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: 646 Diabetes Dilemmas
Over 20 million Americans have diabetes. As many as 40 million may have pre-diabetes. Controlling blood sugar is key to preventing the complications of this widespread metabolic disorder. But recent headlines have a lot of people worried that their medicine...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/646_diabetes_dilemmas.asp

Soy Sauce Eases Burn
Q. When we were at the beach a friend of ours burned her hand on a very hot pan handle. (I had just pulled the pan out of the broiler.) I grabbed the soy sauce and had her soak her...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/soy_sauce_eases_burn.asp

Special Chewing Gum Prevents Cavities
Q. On my last visit to the dentist our hygienist recommended we chew gum containing xylitol. She raved about its potential to stop the formation of cavities. Is this true? Is xylitol safe? A. Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/special_chewing_gum_prevents_cavities.asp

Vinegar and Water Fight Swimmers Ear
Q. Many years ago, I used vinegar and water to treat my son's swimmers ear. I cannot remember the correct vinegar and water ratio and I hope you can help. A. Doctors sometimes recommend using ear drops made of one...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/vinegar_and_water_fight_swimmers_ear.asp

Soap Works for Card Player's Cramps
Q. I read your column about using soap in the bed for leg cramps. It really works. My husband had leg cramps for years since he is a fisherman and on his feet 18 hours a day. They brought tears...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/soap_works_for_card_players_cramps.asp

Drug May Provoke Painful Nighttime Erections
Q. During sleep I am awakened five or six times a night by erections. I'm 53 years old and take Flomax, venlafaxine, fosinopril, trazodone and vitamin B12. Can any of these medications cause this problem? A. Men frequently experience erections...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/drug_may_provoke_painful_nighttime_erections.asp

Saving Money Shouldn't Be Life Threatening
People will do almost anything to save a buck. They clip coupons, drive miles out of their way to get cheaper gasoline and line up at the crack of dawn for special sales.Not surprisingly, most people are more than happy...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/saving_money_shouldnt_be_life_threatening.asp

Fish Oil Lowers Triglycerides
Q. I cannot take statin-type drugs. Is there a natural way to get triglycerides down? A. Triglycerides have just been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks (JAMA, July 18, 2007). Fish oil is a natural way to lower...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/fish_oil_lowers_triglycerides.asp

Healthful Diet May Cause Gas
Q. My husband has excessive gas. We eat a very healthy diet and he drinks no soda or carbonated beverages, not even beer. He takes medicine to lower his cholesterol.We eat lots of vegetables but we have eliminated the ones...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/healthful_diet_may_cause_gas.asp

Featured Q & A

Break Nasal Spray Addiction
Q. My girlfriend has been using a long-acting nasal spray daily for 12 years. She admits she is addicted. She keeps a bottle under her pillow in case she wakes up and can't sleep. If we leave the house and she realizes she forgot her spray, we have to turn around and go back.

Her doctor has warned her that she could be damaging her nasal passages but she can't seem to kick her habit. Can you offer any suggestions?

A. Nasal spray addiction is more common than most people realize. The rebound stuffiness that occurs as the decongestant effect wears off can be unbearable. The anxiety this provokes may keep a person using nose spray far longer than is healthy.

To break this vicious cycle, your girlfriend should try weaning one nostril at a time. She might need a prescription for a steroid spray though over-the-counter saline can also be helpful. An ear, nose and throat specialist will best be able to help her overcome her dependence on nasal spray.

Featured Home Remedy

Castor Oil for Warts
When I was a child I had warts on both hands. We tried many home remedies . This one worked perfectly: For two weeks, each night at bedtime, I rubbed my hands thoroughly with castor oil and my mother tied a sock over each hand.

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

Health Headlines:

Heart Failure Warning on Diabetes Drugs
Some popular diabetes drugs will now come with a black box warning. The FDA requires this type of alert only for the most serious side effects. Avandia and Actos as well as combination drugs that include them-Avandaryl, Avandamet and Duetact-can increase the risk for heart failure. Heart failure occurs when the heart loses pumping power. This can be a life-threatening condition. Symptoms may include fluid retention, sudden weight gain, shortness of breath, and a nighttime cough. People taking these medicines should not discontinue them on their own but should discuss them with their physicians.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01683.html

Poor Diet Contributes to Colon Cancer
The American diet has been accused of contributing to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. New research suggests it may also contribute to colon cancer. A five year study of 1000 patients diagnosed with colon cancer found that those who ate more meat, fat and desserts were more likely to suffer a recurrence. Refined grains are also part of this risky dietary pattern. The investigators hypothesize that this type of diet encourages higher levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors that stimulate tumor growth. They conclude that this observational study suggests that "a diet characterized by higher intakes of red and processed meats, sweets and desserts, French fries and refined grains increases the risk of cancer recurrence and decreases survival."
[Journal of the American Medical Association, August 15, 2007]
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/298/7/754

Diet Foods May Backfire for Youngsters
Despite the concern about childhood obesity, research from Canada suggests it might be a mistake to feed kids diet foods. Young rats that were given reduced calorie-foods tended to overeat when offered normal rat chow. The scientists think that the low-calorie foods may have interfered with the animals learning to sense satiety. They worry that youngsters given access to diet sodas and low-calorie snacks might not learn to regulate their food intake normally. The rat study showed that juvenile rats bred for obesity were especially susceptible to being tricked into overeating. As a result, the researchers are concerned that diet foods might be particularly counterproductive for kids at the highest risk of becoming overweight.
[Obesity, August 2007]

Big Waist Signals Heart Hazard
Although excess weight is certainly an important risk factor for heart disease and other health problems, waist measurement may be even better at predicting problems. Scientists at the University of Texas studied 2,700 middle-aged people. Those whose waists approached the size of their hips were most likely to have calcification in their arteries. This is a marker of atherosclerosis that can increased the risk of heart attack or stroke. The waist-to-hip ratio was a better indicator than a high body-mass index, which takes weight and height into account.