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Lisinopril and Angioedema: A Life-Threatening Si…
Lisinopril is the most frequently prescribed blood pressure pill in the United States. At last count over 20 million Americans take this ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor daily. It works q…
Low-Salt Food Tastes Blah: How Helpful Is It?
We've been told to ban the salt shaker and avoid salty foods. No more chips, pretzels or pickles. But are there tradeoffs when you cut back on sodium? Low-sodium soup often tastes bland. Even when you…
How to Cure Toenail Fungus
Are you embarrassed to go barefoot at the beach or even in your own backyard? This is the time of year when people often kick off their shoes to cool down. Sandals or flip-flops have become everyday w…
Why Was Aleve Better Than Tylenol for Bed-Wettin…
Bed-wetting is not just a child's problem. Enuresis, as it is known medically, can also affect older people. Doctors sometimes prescribe anticholinergic drugs such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol) an…
Can You Lower Your Cholesterol with Bergamot?
How do you control your cholesterol? Many people take a statin medication such as atorvastatin or simvastatin to keep their blood fats within normal range. On the other hand, you might prefer a more…
How to Make Sense of Thyroid Blood Tests
As many as 20 million people in the US have thyroid disorders, according to the American Thyroid Association. But how would you know if your thyroid gland is functioning properly or not? First and for…
Is There a Cure for Concave Fingernails?
Have you ever looked at your fingernails and wondered why they look the way they do, with ridges or streaks or splits? Often, there is not a specific answer to such a question. There are, however, a f…
Show 1090: How Intense Exercise Benefits Parkins…
Parkinson's disease makes it difficult for people to move. In addition to tremors or twitches, people with Parkinson's often feel stiff and find it difficult to walk easily. Their handwriting shrinks,…
Mediterranean Diet Cuts Chance of Gallbladder Re…
Gallbladder removal is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. It is performed when gallstones made of cholesterol or bilirubin block the bile duct causing intense pain. In an…
Will Caffeine Wake You Up Quicker from Anesthesi…
Many people rely upon caffeine to get going in the morning or improve alertness during the day. Researchers have now found that caffeine might speed recovery from general anesthesia. Could caffeine wa…
Not All Flu Shots Are Created Equal
How effective are flu shots? The influenza virus changes from year to year, and consequently the vaccine must change as well to keep up. This means that experts need to study vaccination effectiveness…
Colorectal Cancer Is Killing More Young Adults
Researchers are reporting that colorectal cancer is killing an increasing number of American adults under 55. The death rate has risen noticeably since the mid 1990s. Colorectal Cancer Is Killing Whit…
Is Highly Variable Blood Pressure a Red Flag?
Blood pressure does not remain constant. It changes throughout the day depending upon stress, physical activity and many other factors. But could highly variable blood pressure signal a problem? What …
Exercise Hard During Free Time to Offset Workday…
It has been suggested that sitting is the new smoking. Having a sedentary job that requires you to sit and stare at a computer screen all day is bad for your health. Can you offset the danger if you e…
Is the Antidepressant Wellbutrin (Bupropion) a S…
Many people find that traditional antidepressants lower their libido and interfere with sexual pleasure. Drugs like citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Proz…
Is Your Confusion Due to a Vitamin Deficiency?
As we grow older, our mental lapses bother us more and more. Could losing the car keys be the first sign of Alzheimer's disease? Is forgetting the PIN for the ATM an early warning flag for dementia? O…
Can You Mitigate a Migraine with a Milkshake?
Migraine headaches are debilitating as well as painful. Many sufferers report nausea and an inability to stand light or sound that imprisons them in a darkened room until the symptoms pass. There are …
What Should Patients Do When Doctors Fight?
When doctors disagree in public, it drive patients crazy. Most people assume that their health professionals know what the best treatment is for any given ailment. But on some matters there is surpris…
Quitting Sugar Made a Big Impact on Blood Pressu…
Once people learn about common side effects of medications to treat elevated cholesterol or high blood pressure, they are often curious about non-drug approaches to heart health. The doctor may recomm…
Will Trazodone Be a Great Sleeping Pill?
In any given year, nearly one-third of North Americans have trouble with insomnia, and between 4 and 7 percent have prolonged difficulty sleeping (LeBlanc et al, Sleep, Aug. 2009). It isn't any wonder…
Can You Get All Your Vitamins from Your Diet?
Do you take vitamin pills? How do you know you are getting all your vitamins? What about the time-honored advice to get the vitamins you need from your diet? Many doctors offer this advice. How well d…
Can Curcumin in Turmeric Fight Pancreatic Cancer…
Pancreatic cancer is a challenging disease. The American Cancer Society puts one-year survival rates around 20%. Five-year survival is roughly 8%. That compares to five-year survival for prostate, thy…
Show 1089: How Plants Can Improve Your Sex Life
People around the world have learned how to use the plants in their vicinity to heal themselves and make life better. Not surprisingly, many cultures have found plants that can improve your sex life. …
Proving Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Real
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been a mystery illness for far too long. The condition is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID). Whatever you …
How Do Phthalates Affect Hormones?
A few weeks ago researchers reported that many packaged mac and cheese products contained detectable levels of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals called phthalates. These compounds are generally used …
Veterans Find Yoga Improves Their Moods
Many people think yoga appeals primarily to women. But a new study from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center should put that myth to rest. A group of veterans discovered that yoga improve…
How Can You Counteract Muscle Pain from Statins?
The doctors' debate over statins has become heated lately. You can read what we have written about that here and here. If you prefer, you can listen to our interviews with leading cardiologists here. …
Do Natural Treatments Really Help Toenail Fungus…
Toenail fungus is ugly. It turns toenails yellow and crumbly and makes them thick. They become difficult to cut. But drugs for nail fungus have drawbacks. Oral medications such as itraconazole (Sporan…
Can Ketamine Stop Suicidal Thoughts?
Time magazine has a cover story (August 7, 2017) titled: "THE ANTI ANTIDEPRESSANT Depression afflicts 16 million Americans. One third don't respond to treatment A surprising new drug may change that" …
Is Red Yeast Rice Safe with a Statin?
One of the most divisive topics in health care right now is whether it makes sense to take a statin if you don't have heart disease. Some physicians are adamant that this is essential, especially for …