Q. After chemo treatment, I had two bouts with shingles. Knowing that this is a herpes virus, I treated myself with L-lysine as I often do for cold sores. The discomfort and rash disappeared in less than a week. My... (Read More)
Latest Shows & Articles
from The People's Pharmacy
Subscriptions & Feeds
- All articlesSubscribe to our RSS feed to see all articles as soon as they are posted
- Podcast
- Newsletter
The People's Pharmacy is brought to you by:
Herb and Home Remedy
Q. I live in the desert southwest, where we have been experiencing allergy symptoms for about a month. With the high winds this time of year they will only get worse.My mother, who grew up in the Midwest and raised... (Read More)
Q. I have suffered with constipation for many years, despite regular prune juice and Metamucil. Since I read in your column that my calcium supplement might be constipating, I have been following your suggestion of taking magnesium with it every... (Read More)
Q. We are lice-free at last with Listerine, alcohol, vinegar and Denorex! We sprayed four heads every night with Listerine before bed, then combed and combed every inch with a nit comb.The lice were gone in 3 days, but we... (Read More)
Q. I grew up with a parent who was dependent on alcohol. I find myself struggling with cravings for alcohol also. While alcohol doesn't interfere with my daily life, I don’t like the cycle of abstaining, falling off the wagon,... (Read More)
Q. I was excited about a recent column describing health benefits from chocolate. Would high-quality chocolate include Snickers bars? What would be considered a moderate amount, to get the health benefits?A. High-quality chocolate is dark chocolate (at least 70 percent... (Read More)
Q. I am a physician schooled in the scientific method. I trained at the most prestigious medical settings and have adhered strictly to conservative scientific inquiry.Now comes the huge divergence between fact and fantasy. I have suffered from leg cramps... (Read More)
Q. In 2003 I started taking CoQ10 and flaxseed oil capsules. Five months later my vision improved, and within the year I stopped using glasses completely.I wore glasses for 40 years, bifocals for 15 of those. At one time my... (Read More)
Q. I am bothered with a patch of eczema on my face (chin area) that has not responded to any of the expensive steroid creams that have been prescribed.A friend told me that her dermatologist had her give her son... (Read More)
Q. I read an inquiry from a bus driver who was worried that eating gin-soaked raisins to ease joint pain would trigger a positive breath alcohol result. As a certified BAT (Breath Alcohol Technician) I would like to reassure that... (Read More)
Q. I had an enormous plantar wart on the heel of my foot. I let it go for a long time because I read they can go away on their own, but it got to be about 2 inches across.I... (Read More)
Q. After reading about coconut macaroon cookies against diarrhea, I took them for my spastic colon. They worked.But then I went on vacation and could not find the cookies when I needed them. So I ate two Mounds bars and... (Read More)
Q. I have been drinking “eggplant water” I made from floating half a dozen thinly sliced pieces of raw eggplant on top of two or three quarts of water in a bowl. I discard the eggplant after a few hours,... (Read More)
Q. A few years ago I read that selenium was good for everyone and that Brazil nuts were high in selenium. Since I love Brazil nuts, I bought them regularly and ate about three a day. After a few months... (Read More)
Q. You recently had an article about treating seborrheic dermatitis with milk of magnesia. My mom is wondering how much milk of magnesia she should take.A. Please tell your mother NOT to swallow milk of magnesia (MoM) for her skin... (Read More)
Q. Thank you for writing about taking vitamin B2 on a daily basis to prevent migraine headaches. I have suffered from them for 17 years and have been to many medical doctors, including two neurologists, two ear, nose and throat... (Read More)
Q. Is there vitamin D in wild salmon? We live in Alaska and eat king salmon about twice a week. We also take vitamin D3 since there is so little sunlight here during the winter. Would that be too much?A.... (Read More)
Q. Ten years ago my mom moved in with us. She was 87 and not getting around well any more. Her blood pressure was high and the meds she was taking weren't helping, and she had a stroke three weeks... (Read More)
Q. I am a nurse and I have “secretly” used soap under the sheets of patients who struggle with restless leg syndrome (RLS). They all tell me the only nights that they get sleep and wake up feeling rested is... (Read More)
Q. I just started drinking two ounces of aloe a day to heal a stomach inflammation. I don’t like taking prescription acid suppressors, and they did not seem to be helping so I thought I would try this natural remedy.Since... (Read More)
Q. I have been diagnosed with dreaded toenail fungus. My doctor recommended an oral medication that is taken over several months, or even up to a year.This medication can cause liver damage, though, so I want to try to avoid... (Read More)
Q. Some time ago I heard an unusual home remedy on your radio show: using Elmer's glue to prevent blistering on a burned hand. I burned myself last night and initially iced my hand.Since I've never had much luck with... (Read More)
Q. My mother had memory loss for about two years before she died. She didn't have Alzheimer’s, but it became fairly serious and I put her on ginkgo biloba.Both my dad and I noticed an effect within two weeks, but... (Read More)
Q. Do you have any home remedies for eczema and seborrheic dermatitis? I can no longer afford the creams that my doctor has prescribed.A. You may want to check for allergies. One reader shared her experience: “After seeing an allergist... (Read More)
Q. Thank you for writing about coconut for treating ulcerative colitis. I was diagnosed with colitis in 1980, and had three feet of my colon removed. My condition was moderate to severe and I was taking eight tablets of sulfasalazine... (Read More)
Q. I cramp easily even when I have not done anything strenuous, but more so after playing tennis. Drinking Gatorade before and after tennis helps some. What am I lacking?A. If Gatorade helps somewhat, you may be low in some... (Read More)
Q. My husband and I are both suffering from arthritis pain. His knees hurt and I have problems with my thumbs and my hips. My doctor says hip replacement is in my future.We have tried glucosamine and chondroitin. The supplements... (Read More)
Q. I love your column with the low-cost remedies. I have horrible eczema and my granddaughter has inherited it from me.My grandson has really BAD diaper rash. It is hard for him to walk, and he cries when we bathe... (Read More)
Q. I have heard that if you place pieces of eggplant in water for a couple of hours and then drink the water it helps reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Is this correct or do I have to put... (Read More)
Q. Last week I developed a nosebleed that would not quit. After a couple days I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist. Even after following his advice, though, the nosebleed persisted.After five days, I was finally fed up... (Read More)