The People's Pharmacy® with Joe and Terry Graedon

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Health Headlines 01/11/08

Newsletter January 11, 2008

In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Beware Bio-identical Hormone Claims
Step Away from Stress During Menopause
Osteoporosis Drugs Can Cause Bone Pain
Sun Exposure May Do More Good Than Harm
Four Simple Steps to Longer Life
U.S. Lags in Health Care Improvement

New! Free Podcast Of The People's Pharmacy Radio Show

Miss the People's Pharmacy radio show last week? Now you can download our podcast! Every week we'll post the radio show as a free audio podcast. You can subscribe to our podcast using a program such as iTunes, and receive it automatically each week. Or you can visit our website and download a particular show you want to hear again. Each People's Pharmacy radio show is a 1 hour audio file which will be posted on Mondays.

Click here to download the podcast of last week's show, 662 Health News Update:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/free_podcast/662_health_news_update_podcast.php
Click here to learn more or subscribe to our podcasts:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/podcast/

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.

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

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com:

This Week's Radio Show: 663 Dealing with ADD
Millions of American kids have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This can make for challenges in the classroom, and even at home or with friends.People with ADD are often prescribed stimulant medications to help them...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/663_dealing_with_add.php

Kan Jang For Colds
Q. I am curious about a natural dietary supplement. It is Kan Jang (Andrographis paniculata) from the Swedish Herbal Institute. What is your opinion of using this to treat colds and prevent respiratory infections during the cold and flu season?...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/kan_jang_for_colds.php

Are Generic Beta Blockers Less Effective?
Q. My doctor prescribed Toprol-XL several years ago and it worked well. Last week my pharmacist refilled my prescription with generic metoprolol succinate. Two days later my blood pressure shot sky high to 190/100. Luckily, I found some leftover pills...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/are_generic_beta_blockers_less_effective.php

Extended Interview with Dr. Janet Woodcock
Listen to The People's Pharmacy extended interview with Dr. Janet Woodcock, chief medical officer of the FDA. They discuss criticism of the agency, statin side effects, problems with antidepressants, and questions about equivalence of generic drugs...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/audio_files/extended_interview_with_dr_janet_woodcock.php

Honey For Healing Wounds
Q. I did an internship in OB/GYN in 1973 at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. When a wound would start to open rather than healing, we would have the patient come to the hospital a few times a week and...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/honey_for_healing_wounds.php

Wife Wins Handwashing Competition
Q. My wife washes her hands like she is going to do surgery. She says it takes 30 seconds to get rid of germs. I wash my hands for about 3 seconds. I don’t see any advantage in wasting a...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/wife_wins_handwashing_competition.php

Cinnamon, Lime Juice and Vinegar For Weight Loss
Q. I would like to try the cinnamon, lime juice, vinegar combo mentioned in your column for weight loss. What is the recipe? My husband is diabetic, so we just started using cinnamon extract made in the drip coffee maker....
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/cinnamon_lime_juice_and_vinegar_for_weight_loss.php

This Is The Season For Dry Skin And Dandruff
Winter is hard on skin and scalp. With its low humidity, heated air pulls moisture out of the skin. This time of year millions of people suffer from dry skin, chapped lips and dandruff. Frequent hand washing also dries skin...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/this_is_the_season_for_dry_skin_and_dandruff.php

Do Glucosamine And Chondroitin Raise Cholesterol?
Q. My total cholesterol rose significantly while I took glucosamine and chondroitin to relieve arthritis of the knees. I took it from May, 2005 to May, 2007. I have always had a healthy, low-fat diet so I was surprised at...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/do_glucosamine_and_chondroitin_raise_cholesterol.php

Hydrogen Peroxide For Lovely Toenails
Q. I tried your hydrogen peroxide treatment for toenail fungus and it worked like a charm. A. The reader who suggested this applied pharmacy strength hydrogen peroxide daily to the nails with a cotton ball after showering....
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/hydrogen_peroxide_for_lovely_toenails.php

How Important Is The Daily BM?
Q. Is it important to have a bowel movement at the same time every day? My late mother-in-law used to insist this was the most important health advice. A. No one wants to be constipated, but not all healthy people...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/how_important_is_the_daily_bm.php

Featured Q & A

Licorice Candy Can Cause Trouble
Q. My husband takes coated aspirin, furosemide, and vitamins. He has just purchased a big package of licorice twists, which he loves. Did I read in your column that licorice can interfere with medicines? I am a bit concerned.

A. Your concern is justified. Natural black licorice contains glycyrrhizin, an herbal ingredient that can deplete the body of potassium. In combination with the potassium-wasting diuretic furosemide (Lasix), this could lead to a life-threatening situation. If potassium levels sink too low, heart rhythm may be disrupted. It only takes an ounce of licorice every day to get some people into trouble.

Featured Home Remedy

Sage Rinse Fights Dandruff
I have unexpectedly found a cure for my dandruff. I read a book that suggested using herbal tea to color hair naturally. After every shampoo, I would use sage tea as my final rinse. (The choice of herbal tea determines the hair color.)

After the first use, I realized that I did not have dandruff anymore. When I got my hair the right color, I discontinued the tea rinse and my dandruff came back. I started using regular tea, such as Lipton, so my hair color wouldn't change. Sure enough, the dandruff ceased. What an inexpensive and healthy way to be rid of dandruff!

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

Health Headlines:

Beware Bio-identical Hormone Claims
The FDA has issued a warning to women and health care professionals that some claims about bio-identical hormones are misleading. The agency has contacted seven compounding pharmacies about their online promotion of these products. Suggestions that bio-identical hormones are safer and more effective than conventional hormone replacement therapy are false and misleading, according to the agency. The FDA says that there is no research supporting these claims. Compounding pharmacies formulate these custom-made products from plants following doctors' prescriptions. But the FDA maintains that such hormones have not met federal standards for approval and it is a myth that they are safer and more effective than approved drugs.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01772.html

Step Away from Stress During Menopause
One step women may want to take as they face menopause is more walking or other exercise. A study from Temple University in Philadelphia followed 380 women for eight years. Their average age at the start of the study was 42, and they were pre-menopausal. The scientists collected information on physical activity at regular intervals. Women who walked an hour and a half a day five days a week were much less likely to experience significant anxiety, depression or other signs of psychological stress. Sadly, though, even vigorous exercise did not eliminate hot flashes. The scientists suggest that although exercise does not reduce the frequency of hot flashes it does help women cope with them better and improves general state of mind.
[Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Jan., 2008]

Osteoporosis Drugs Can Cause Bone Pain
The FDA has issued an alert about some side effects of popular osteoporosis drugs. The medications are in a class called bisphosphonates and include Actonel, Boniva, Fosamax and Reclast, among others. The agency warns doctors and patients to be on the lookout for symptoms such as severe bone, joint or muscle pain. These side effects have been known for some time, but health care professionals may overlook the connection between such medications and arthritis or musculoskeletal pain. Patients who experience such complications should report them promptly to the prescriber. Health care professionals may need to discontinue the drug temporarily or even permanently.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/bisphosphonates/default.htm

Sun Exposure May Do More Good Than Harm
Dermatologists warn people to avoid sun exposure since it increases the risk of skin cancer. A new study from the Institute for Cancer Research in Oslo, Norway suggests, however, that a little more time in the sun might improve longevity. Increased sun exposure leads to more vitamin D production, which in turn reduces the risk of dying from a number of cancers. Vitamin D helps the immune system function more efficiently. The investigators speculate that there may be more beneficial than adverse effects of moderately increased sun exposure.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jan. 15, 2008]
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0710615105v1

Four Simple Steps to Longer Life
January is traditionally a time for New Year's resolutions. Some may not last for very long, but British investigators have just four simple practices to recommend. People who followed all of them lived 14 years longer, on average, than those who didn't do any of them. Ready for longevity? The recommendations may sound boring, but they are based on a long-term study of some 20,000 healthy men and women. They are: quit smoking, exercise, drink moderately and eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day. The biggest bang on improved health comes with quitting smoking. Eating fruit and vegetables came in next. The scientists conclude that even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference in a population's health.
[PLoS Medicine Jan 2008]
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050012

U.S. Lags in Health Care Improvement
Health care can also make a difference, but the United States is not doing well on at least one measure. Statisticians tracked down deaths that could have been prevented with appropriate and timely medical care and ranked countries according to the rates. France had the lowest rate, with just under 65 preventable deaths per 100,000 people. Japan and Australia each had just over 71 deaths per 100,000 people. But the United States came in 19th at more than 109 deaths per 100,000 people. The researchers speculate that the large number of Americans with no health insurance contributed to the country's poor showing.
[Health Affairs , Jan. 8, 2008]
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/1/58

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