Health Headlines 2/15/08

Newsletter February 15, 2008

In This Issue:

This Week on PeoplesPharmacy.com
Featured Q&A
Featured Home Remedy
Flu Strains Not Included in Vaccine
Aspirin Protects against Colon Cancer
Poor Social Support Affects Blood Pressure
Sugar Substitutes May Contribute to Weight Gain
One Drink Good, Two Bad for Blood Pressure
Beet Juice for Lower Blood Pressure

Free Podcast Of The People's Pharmacy Radio Show

Miss the People's Pharmacy radio show last week? Download our podcast! Every week we post the radio show as a free audio podcast. You can subscribe to our podcast using a program such as iTunes, or 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, 667 Dealing With Depression:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/free_podcast/667_dealing_with_depression_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 29% discount off the list price of $34.95.

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: 668 Men's Health
As men get older, they become more likely to experience symptoms of prostate enlargement. This is a common phenomenon that isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it can be inconvenient to have urine flow slow or to be unable to empty the...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/668_mens_health.php

Coconut Macaroons For IBS
Q. Thank you so much for writing about IBS and coconut macaroon cookies. IT WORKS. I suffered with chronic diarrhea for years and have been healed for the last two years. A. We’re always pleased to hear about success with...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/coconut_macaroons_for_ibs.php

Does Grapefruit Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer?
Q. I just read that grapefruit increases the risk of breast cancer. What gives? I always thought fruits and vegetables prevented cancer. A. One study showed that grapefruit raises estrogen levels in postmenopausal women. Higher estrogen is associated with greater...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/does_grapefruit_increase_the_risk_of_breast_cancer.php

How Much Cinnamon Is Too Much?
Q. I’ve heard that consuming too much cinnamon can be harmful, but what, exactly, is the acceptable limit? I eat two tablespoons on my cereal each morning just because I like the flavor and I don't need added sugar. Is...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/how_much_cinnamon_is_too_much.php

Don't Glue Your Mouth Shut With Gelatin
Q. I've had some arthritis in my left index finger. The treatments I tried helped a little, but didn't resolve it. I’ve heard that a packet of Knox unflavored gelatin twice a day dissolved in the beverage of your choice...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/dont_glue_your_mouth_shut_with_gelatin.php

Attention Deficit Disorder Poses Dilemma
Parents are caught in a double bind when a child is diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). On the one hand, they want to help their child focus and do well in school. Treating the condition can...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editorial/attention_deficit_disorder_poses_dilemma.php

Dangers of Drinking Listerine
Q. You had a question from parents concerned about their son using more than three big bottles of mouthwash in a week. Shame on you for soft-pedaling the use of Listerine. My dad dried out and then restarted on mouthwash....
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/dangers_of_drinking_listerine.php

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Raise Blood Pressure
Q. My orthopedic doctor did not warn me that the anti-inflammatory drug he prescribed might raise my blood pressure. When it spiked to 172/92 I got scared. The doctor did not respond to my complaints and a pharmacist said it...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/antiinflammatory_drugs_may_raise_blood_pressure.php

Castor Oil For Bruises
Q. My mother-in-law uses castor oil for bruises. At Christmas, my sister-in-law sat down in a very heavy old rocker-recliner chair. It went crashing to the floor, and one corner landed right on top of my mother-in-law's foot. My sister-in-law...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/castor_oil_for_bruises.php

Getting Rid Of Nosebleeds
Q. My daughter has excessive nosebleeds. Do you have any herbal or home remedy suggestions? A. You may want to start in the pharmacy. There are three products to consider: Nosebleed QR (www.biolife.com and 800-722-7559), NasalCEASE (www.nasalcease.com and 800-650-6673) and...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/getting_rid_of_nosebleeds.php

Pycnogenol Helps With Hot Flashes
Q. I have tried everything ever suggested for hot flashes but until now have gotten relief only from hormones (HRT). I recently started taking Pycnogenol and have noticed a marked improvement. I stopped HRT about eight months ago and have...
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/pycnogenol_helps_with_hot_flashes.php

Featured Q & A

Overcoming Nose Spray Addiction Can Be Challenging

Q. I've been using Afrin for three weeks because of a cold that just wouldn't go away. Now I am having a hard time stopping the nasal spray. I can't breathe through my nose when the Afrin wears off. How can I get off Afrin?

A. Gradual tapering may be the answer. One reader suggested diluting the Afrin with a saline solution (Ayr Saline, NaSal or Ocean) every time the bottle was half empty. Within several weeks the concentration of Afrin was so low that he had no trouble stopping.

Featured Home Remedy

Deodorant Fights Fungus

I have had tinea versicolor a couple of times. It makes a brown spot on my ribs or back. The dermatologist explained that it is caused by a fungus and told me to use an antifungal cream like miconazole, but I have found a great home remedy. One study showed propylene glycol can be effective for this condition, so I looked at ingredient labels closely. My deodorant stick has propylene glycol and does a good job getting rid of the spot. I apply it twice a day for a couple of weeks.

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

Health Headlines:

Flu Strains Not Included in Vaccine
This year’s flu vaccine is not working as well as expected. In anticipation of flu season, scientists must guess which strains of influenza virus are likely to predominate. They have to do this eight to twelve months before the flu season really takes hold. Last year the experts predicted that a flu called Wisconsin would be the major type A strain. They thought that type B flu would be represented by a bug called Victoria. But influenza viruses don’t play by the rules. This year most type A flu is caused by a strain called Brisbane and the Type B flu is mostly Yamagata. As a result, the flu vaccine may not be protecting people as well as the virologists had hoped. Influenza infections are on the rise throughout the country. At last count more than 30 states had widespread outbreaks. About the only effective treatments are prescription antiviral drugs such as rimantadine, Relenza and Tamiflu. Although some flu bugs are developing resistance to these medications, most are still susceptible.

Aspirin Protects against Colon Cancer
An aspirin a day may keep cancer away. At least, that is the conclusion of a study published in the journal Gastroenterology. Researchers have been following 47,000 male health professionals since 1986. The men who took aspirin regularly had 20 percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who didn’t take aspirin often. The dose was higher than is usually recommended for heart health. Those who took 6 to 14 standard aspirin tablets a week lowered their risk by 28 percent while those who swallowed more than 14 tablets of aspirin weekly had a dramatic 70 percent lower risk. At that dose, however, aspirin can have very serious side effects, including bleeding or perforated ulcers. No one should ever take aspirin on a regular basis except under medical supervision.
[Gastroenterology, January 2008] http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(07)01745-3/abstract

Poor Social Support Affects Blood Pressure
Blood pressure usually goes down at night while people are sleeping. But a new study found that older African Americans who lack social support are less likely to follow this pattern. Lack of friends, family or other social contact may lead to higher blood pressure and a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. The investigators speculate that increasing social support for isolated older people might help relieve chronic stress and improve blood pressure control. [Psychosomatic Medicine, January 2008] http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/70/1/7

Sugar Substitutes May Contribute to Weight Gain
A lot of people trying to lose weight are careful to stick to diet soft drinks and non-caloric sweeteners. But a study in rats throws this tactic into question. Scientists at Purdue University gave laboratory rats either yogurt sweetened with glucose or yogurt sweetened with saccharin. Although the artificial sweetener contains no calories, the rats eating the saccharin-sweetened yogurt ate more and gained more weight. They also put on more body fat and did not compensate by eating less later. The investigators hypothesize that saccharin changes the way the brain senses and regulates food intake. It’s not clear whether humans have the same problems with artificial sweeteners, but the researchers think it is a possibility.
[Behavioral Neuroscience, February, 2008] http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/bne-feb08-swithers.pdf

One Drink Good, Two Bad for Blood Pressure
Scientists have long been fascinated by epidemiologic data suggesting that moderate wine drinkers are less prone to heart attacks or strokes. In an effort to discover whether red wine differs from plain alcohol in its effect on the circulatory system, investigators in Toronto studied 13 volunteers intensively. Contrary to expectations, they found no difference between a dose of red wine and a comparable dose of plain alcohol. After one drink, blood vessels dilated and the heart did not have to work so hard. There was no effect on heart rate or blood pressure. Having a second drink, though, reversed these benefits. Heart rate increased, blood vessels did not dilate, and the heart had to work harder. Over a period of time, these factors could raise blood pressure and increase the risk for a heart attack or stroke. The researchers caution that no one should begin drinking alcohol to prevent heart disease.
[American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology, February, 2008]
http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/294/2/H605

Beet Juice for Lower Blood Pressure
If you want a beverage to lower blood pressure, you might try beet juice. British investigators randomly assigned volunteers to drink either two cups of beet juice or two cups of water. Blood pressure was carefully monitored before and after the subjects drank the beet juice. Readings were monitored up to 24 hours later. Compared to water, beet juice lowered blood pressure readings by around 10 points and the effect lasted for nearly a day. That compares well to many antihypertensive drugs.
[Hyptertension, online, February 2008] http://hyper.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.103523v1

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