In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Flu Shots Fizzle for Seniors?
Cough and Cold Remedies Don't Help Tots
Cell Phone Safety Called into Question
Alcohol Boosts Breast Cancer Risk
Low Levels of HDL Carries Danger
Anger and Stress Boost Blood Pressure

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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: 652 Health News Update
The FDA is considering whether to change the dosing guidelines for children on over-the-counter cough and cold remedies. Some experts suggest these drugs should not be given to children at all.Blueberries are surprisingly rich in antioxidants. An extract containing these...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/652_health_news_update.php

Listerine For Smelly Feet
Q. I've had success with Listerine for smelly feet. If it kills germs that cause bad breath, it might k.o. germs that cause stinky feet. I applied Listerine to clean feet and wiped out the insides of my shoes as...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/listerine_for_smelly_feet.php

Solutions For Low Sex Drive In Menopausal Women
Q. Is there a solution for menopausal women who have lost their desire for sex? I am 54 and have talked to my OB/GYN about this. Over-the-counter DHEA prohormone tablets were suggested, but they didn't work. I could go to...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/solutions_for_low_sex_drive_in_menopausal_women.php

Can Gluten Be Toxic?
Q. I heard a woman call in to your radio show and say that her allergies went away when she maintained a gluten-free diet. I have had a similar experience. I had battled allergies for most of my life. I...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/can_gluten_be_toxic_.php

Smear Laxative On Face To Fight Flakes
Q. A friend who is an internist recommended a mixture of milk of magnesia (MoM) and Lotrimin AF to combat seborrheic dermatitis on my face and the backs of my ears. She suggested mixing roughly half a 12-oz bottle of...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/smear_laxative_on_face_to_fight_flakes.php

Pineapple Juice Postpones Joint Pain
Q. Years ago, you wrote about an enzyme in pineapple juice that helps with arthritis pain. At that time I was in my early 40s and already having pain in my hands and feet from arthritis. I started drinking one...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/pineapple_juice_postpones_joint_pain.php

Legible Drug Labels Could Save Lives
Americans love to plug and play. Reading instructions takes time and is incompatible with our fast paced life.Does anyone bother to read the instruction booklet that comes with a cell phone? Most people just want to hit the buttons and...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/legible_drug_labels_could_save_lives.php

Interview with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog
Listen now to Tieraona Low Dog, MD, discuss the use of DGL by people who want to stop taking acid-suppressing drugs.
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/audio_files/interview_with_dr_tieraona_low_dog.php

Alternatives to Ibuprofen For Pain Relief
Q. How much ibuprofen can a person take and for how long before needing to talk to a doctor? I have read that stomach upset may indicate problems. I can't really take any NSAID or aspirin unless I eat a...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/alternatives_to_ibuprofen_for_pain_relief.php

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Featured Q & A

Q. I have ugly, thick yellow toenails. Clipping them is difficult. My doctor has said they are infected with fungus but he doesn't want me to take Sporanox because it could interact with other medicine.

I have tried every remedy, including Vicks VapoRub, and none has worked. The podiatrist wants to remove the nails surgically, which makes me nervous. I know you have written about urea paste to dissolve away the infected nail, but I haven't been able to find any. Where do I get it and how do I use it?

A. Surgical removal of nails can be painful and lead to infection. Stanford dermatologist Eugene Farber discovered the urea treatment many years ago while traveling in Russia. He wrote up the results of his research in the journal Cutis (Dec. 1978).

Urea (40 percent) is available only by prescription (Ureacin-40, Carmol 40, Gordon's Urea 40). Treatment should be supervised by a physician.

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Featured Home Remedy

MSM for Hair Loss
I went through menopause early, at age 42, and was distressed to find my hair falling out. I read that MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) might reverse this problem and started taking it. My hair stopped falling out and has been fine ever since. I know this isn't science, but maybe someone else can benefit from my experience.

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

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Health Headlines:

Flu Shots Fizzle for Seniors?
Flu shots do not appear to provide much protection for older people. This is the time of year that senior citizens are urged to get a flu shot. The goal is to reduce the risk of illness and serious complications such as pneumonia and death. The track record for influenza vaccination, however, is not impressive. The most recent study published in The Lancet seems to show that increased use of flu vaccine over the past 20 years did not reduce the risk of flu-related deaths.
This is not the first study to reach this conclusion. An independent analysis last year that reviewed all previous influenza vaccination studies concluded that there was little, if any benefit. Deaths were not reduced, hospital stays were not shorter and people still needed time off work due to flu-related illness. The authors of The Lancet study stress that older people should probably continue to get flu shots, but the immunization needs improvement.
[The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Oct, 2007]
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473309907702360/abstract

Cough and Cold Remedies Don't Help Tots
Cold and cough remedies are not very effective for young children and appear to pose some risks. The FDA is considering whether to strengthen warnings and perhaps even advise against the use of such drugs for children under the age of two. According to the agency, 54 kids have died after swallowing decongestants. Another 69 deaths have occurred in relationship to antihistamines. Pediatricians have been cautioning against such cold medications for years. Although it is hard to predict what the FDA will decide, parents of young children may want to use traditional remedies such as chicken soup when a child catches a cold.

Cell Phone Safety Called into Question
The safety of cell phones has been controversial for decades. Many studies have shown little if any risk, but they did not have long-term follow-up. Now a new Swedish study suggests that long term use of a cell phone may double the risk for certain brain tumors. People who had used a cell phone for more than 10 years had a significantly higher likelihood of developing acoustic neuromas or gliomas. The danger was greatest on the side of the head where people held the mobile phone.
This study will not resolve the question of whether cell phones are safe. Because they are now so popular, it is unlikely that most people will consider giving them up. Nevertheless, researchers may be spurred to conduct longer-term studies to clarify the actual risks of using mobile phones.
[Occupational and Environmental Medicine, September 2007]
http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/64/9/626

Alcohol Boosts Breast Cancer Risk
Alcohol consumption has long been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, but scientists have not known the degree of danger. Research from the Kaiser Permanente health care system demonstrates that as women drink more, their risk of breast cancer increases. The scientists questioned 70,000 women about their habits and followed them for nearly 20 years. Those who consumed 3 alcoholic beverages a day had their risk of breast cancer increase by 30 percent. Those who had one or two drinks daily had a 10 percent greater risk than teetotalers. It made no difference whether the women drank wine, beer or hard liquor. Any alcohol increased the risk.
[European Cancer Conference, Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 2007]

Low Levels of HDL Carries Danger
High levels of good HDL cholesterol have long been thought to be protective for the heart. A new study reinforces the value of HDL cholesterol. Nearly 10,000 patients taking the cholesterol-lowering drug called Lipitor were tracked. The medication was able to lower dangerous LDL cholesterol dramatically. Nonetheless, people with low levels of good HDL cholesterol were still at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes. It is much harder to raise HDL cholesterol than it is to lower LDL. Exercise, moderate alcohol consumption and niacin are the traditional approaches to raising HDL. Niacin requires medical supervision because of its potential to cause liver toxicity.
[New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 27, 2007]

Anger and Stress Boost Blood Pressure
One risk factor that cardiologists often overlook is stress. But a new study confirms that a hot temper and chronic stress are particularly dangerous for people with borderline high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. The study considered more than 2,000 people whose blood pressure was higher than normal but below 140/90, or frank hypertension. Over the next 4 to 8 years, men who were particularly anger prone were 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension. Their risk of heart disease was also double that of men with more placid temperaments. Both men and women under chronic stress were 68 percent more likely to develop heart disease.
[Annals of Family Medicine, September/October 2007]
http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/abstract/5/5/403

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