In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Prescription Drug Deaths Up
Doctors Debate Dangers of Avandia
More Evidence on Vitamin D Benefits
Does Vitamin C Fight Cancer?
Vitamin E Protects Women from Blood Clots
Resveratrol May Slow Prostate Tumors

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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

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This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com:

This Week's Radio Show: 649 Health Care and Medicare Update
Michael Moore's movie Sicko made a big splash in the theaters this summer. But how much did he exaggerate the problem of getting access to health care? We discuss the issues of access for ordinary people in three countries: the...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/649_health_care_and_medicare_update.php

Do Gin-Soaked Raisins Really Help Arthritis Pain?
Q. My mother read somewhere that vodka-soaked white raisins might be good for arthritis. She is now eating nine a day. Mom has taken quite a bit of ribbing from the family. What is the benefit from this formula? Can...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/do_ginsoaked_raisins_really_help_arthritis_pain.php

Can Statins Cause Debilitating Muscle Pain?
Q. My doctor insists I must take statins to lower my cholesterol even though I experience pain with all of them. Sometimes the pain gets so bad that I struggle not to cry when I walk down the hall of...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/can_statins_cause_debilitating_muscle_pain.php

Can Coconut Ease Digestive Woes?
Q. Your Web site mentions that eating two Archway Coconut Macaroon cookies daily can control chronic diarrhea. While this tip might be helpful for some, it may carry too high a health cost for others. These cookies are high in...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/can_coconut_ease_digestive_woes_.php

Doctors Deny Drug Side Effects
Doctors hate side effects. After all, physicians are supposed to follow the adage first, do no harm. Yet every medication they prescribe can cause problems.That poses a dilemma for any doctor prescribing drugs. Perhaps that's why many physicians discount patient...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/share_experiences/doctors_deny_drug_side_effects.php

Do B-Vitamins Discourage Black Flies?
Q. I was hiking high in the Canadian Rockies and the black flies were voracious. I didn't have insect repellent with me because mosquitoes, fleas and other critters never bite me. I think that's because I take B-complex and garlic,...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/do_bvitamins_discourage_black_flies.php

Sugarless Gum May Harm Dogs
Q. I am a veterinarian and read your advice about the benefits of using sugarless gum containing xylitol for dental health. I have seen several canine patients with toxicity from this sweetener. Your astute readers should be very cautious with...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/sugarless_gum_may_harm_dogs.php

Seeking Ways To Suppress Sex Drive
Check your email and chances are you will find spam. Even with a filter to block out unwanted messages, some junk slips through. These ads frequently offer to enhance your sex life. But what if you don't want a more...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/seeking_ways_to_suppress_sex_drive.php

Fiber One To Fight Constipation
Q. I've been troubled with irregularity most of my life until I discovered Fiber One cereal. I take it with me everywhere, on cruises, to Europe, even to the hospital. Fiber One bars come in handy when there's no milk...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/fiber_one_to_fight_constipation.php

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Featured Q & A

Don't Overdose on Pain Relievers
Q. I work in a greenhouse and have to do a lot of lifting and digging. Ibuprofen eases the aches and pains pretty well, but I find I am taking the maximum dose almost every day. Sometimes I need another two by bedtime even though the label says not to go over six pills. Is there any harm in taking the extra dose? I always take ibuprofen with food because it gives me a stomach ache if I don't.

A. You may be asking for trouble. Ibuprofen, like other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can be very irritating to the stomach. It is estimated that 76,000 people are hospitalized each year because of bad reactions to NSAIDs. Over 7,000 die from bleeding ulcers and similar complications.

Just because ibuprofen is available without a prescription does not mean it is safe. At the dose you are using you should have medical supervision. Labels on over-the-counter pain relievers specify that they should not be used for more than 10 days unless directed by a doctor.

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Featured Home Remedy

Odd Ways to Eliminate Plantar Warts
A reader in Buffalo suggests this painless way to cure plantar warts (warts on the sole of the foot): "Mix baking soda and castor oil into a paste. Put a little on the wart every night before going to bed and cover with a sock. Wipe the residue off in the morning. After three or four weeks the wart falls off."

Another home remedy comes from a physician who suggested weekly hot water soaks of 30 to 90 minutes. This approach requires six to eight weeks to see the response.

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

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Health Headlines:

Prescription Drug Deaths Up
Deaths from prescription drugs have increased dramatically over the last eight years. A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that fatalities from drug side effects nearly tripled. Researchers tracked data collected by the Food and Drug Administration between 1998 and 2005. There were 5,500 deaths reported in 1998, but in 2005 that number had increased to more than 15,000.
The investigators tried in vain to figure out why serious drug reactions have increased so significantly. Although the number of prescription dispensed has gone up during that time, the increase in deaths and serious injuries is disproportionately high. It is also important to recognize that this probably represents the tip of a much larger iceberg. That's because the FDA estimates that it receives reports on only about 10 percent of adverse drug reactions. The investigators conclude that the existing system is not adequately protecting patients from serious drug complications.
[Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 10, 2007]
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/167/16/1752

Doctors Debate Dangers of Avandia
Diabetologists have been debating the safety of two drugs used to lower blood sugar. Avandia and Actos are in the same category called THIA-ZOLADENE-DIONES. In May, Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen published a controversial analysis showing that Avandia increased the risk for heart attacks by 43 percent. Ever since, specialists have been trying to figure out whether there is a significant difference between Avandia and Actos. Now, two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association seem to confirm that Avandia poses a risk, whereas Actos may actually protect against heart attacks. The manufacturer of Avandia disputes these conclusions, however. GSK maintains that the drugs have never been compared in head-to-head trials and that there's not enough data to prove that Actos is safer than Avandia. Nevertheless, this new analysis will put increasing pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to scrutinize the safety of Avandia. [JAMA Sept. 12, 2007]
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/298/10/1189
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/298/10/1180

More Evidence on Vitamin D Benefits
A new review of 18 randomized clinical trials reveals that vitamin D seems to improve longevity. Researchers examined the effects of the sunshine vitamin on mortality statistics. Doses ranged from 300 to 2000 International Units of vitamin D daily. Those who took this dietary supplement were 7 percent less likely to die during the study period than subjects receiving placebos. The authors conclude that the intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seem to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates. An accompanying editorial notes that the analysis demonstrates no serious side effects from normal doses of vitamin D.
[Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 10, 2007]
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/167/16/1730

Does Vitamin C Fight Cancer?
Decades ago, Dr. Linus Pauling suggested that Vitamin C might have anti-cancer benefits. Scientists have challenged this theory however, and some research has discounted the usefulness of vitamin C supplements against cancer. Now, a new study in mice implanted with human cancer cells, suggests that vitamin C may be beneficial after all. It seems to keep certain tumors from growing at their expected rate. The scientists caution that taking large doses of vitamin C during cancer treatment is not advisable. Nevertheless, the new research suggests that Dr. Linus Pauling may have been going in the right direction after all.
[Cancer Cell, Sept. 2007]

Vitamin E Protects Women from Blood Clots
Vitamin E has been discredited as a dietary supplement against heart disease. But a new study suggests that vitamin E shouldn't be written off so quickly. The Women's Health Study included nearly 40,000 women over the age of 45. They were given either 600 International Units of Vitamin E or a placebo every other day. After ten years, women taking vitamin E had fewer blood clots than those on the inactive sugar pills. These blood clots can become fatal if they lodge in the brain, the heart or the lungs. The difference was greatest among women who had a genetic predisposition to developing such clots in their veins.
[Circulation Sept. 11, 2007]

Resveratrol May Slow Prostate Tumors
Red wine has captured headlines for its ability to reduce the risk of heart disease. Now a new study suggests that an ingredient in grapes and berries might be beneficial against cancer. The active ingredient in grapes is thought to be resveratrol. It was fed to mice that are genetically susceptible to prostate tumors. The mice receiving resveratrol in their chow were eight times less likely to develop dangerous prostate tumors. The investigators hope that further studies will demonstrate benefit in humans as well. If resveratrol slows prostate tumor growth in men as well as it does in mice, this would be an important advance in cancer prevention.
[Carcinogenesis, August 3, 2007]

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