The People's Perspective on Medicine, since 1976
Helping you to make informed decisions about both traditional and alternative treatments.
What Is the Story on Grapefruit Juice and Meds?
What do you know about the story on grapefruit juice and drug interactions? Some people have heard that it is risky to combine juice but not fruit with certain medications; others insist that the inte…
Go Easy on Licorice to Avoid Leg Cramps
Your mother probably told you not to eat too much candy because it could ruin your teeth. Maybe your grandmother warned that gobbling candy would make you gain weight. But did anyone tell you to go ea…
Polypharmacy and Premature Deaths Especially in …
Have you been to a doctor’s office or a clinic lately? Chances are very good that a med tech weighed you, measured your blood pressure and took your temperature. This information was entered into a …
Will a Keto Diet Help Eliminate Your Knee Pain?
Americans are continually searching for the one best diet that will make it easy to maintain a healthy weight, keep blood pressure and blood fats under control and help people feel vigorous. Over the …
Can Vicks VapoRub on Your Soles Calm Your Cough?
Sometimes a cough can linger on long after the respiratory infection that triggered it has vanished. What do you do for such a cough? We have heard from a surprising number of people that smearing Vic…
Bug Bites that Blister Respond to Hot Water
Most people get itchy bug bites. Mosquitoes, chiggers, fleas, flies, lice, midges and mites can all trigger an itch for a few days. Some people are so sensitive to the saliva of biting insects, howeve…
Gabapentin and Fuzzy Thinking: A Recognized Side…
We have been writing a lot about GABA drugs like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica). That because a report from ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices) has a QuarterWatch article: …
Spinal Manipulation Can Ease Low Back Pain
Low back pain is common and debilitating. It is estimated that 80 percent of adults will experience this distressing condition sometime during their lives. Physicians often recommend nonsteroidal anti…
Low LDL Cholesterol Linked to Bleeding Strokes
Ask any golfer if you can have too low a golf score and he will think you're nuts. After all, the lowest score wins in golf. Ask almost any cardiologist if you can have too low LDL cholesterol levels …
FDA Approves Evenity to Build Bone Against Osteo…
The FDA has just approved a new drug for osteoporosis that works differently than existing medications. Romosozumab will be sold under the brand name Evenity. This injectable monoclonal antibody actua…
Show 1160: How Good Is the Evidence for Cutting …
For decades, public health experts have been admonishing Americans to cut the salt in our diets. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that we limit ourselves to 2,300 mg of sodium daily.…
Scary Drug-Resistant Fungal Infection Is Spreadi…
A life-threatening drug-resistant fungal infection is spreading around the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are reporting outbreaks of Candida auris in 12 states. New York…
Do Whitening Strips Damage Your Teeth?
A white smile is a lovely feature. But how do whitening strips make your teeth so sparkly? Are there any drawbacks to using these over-the-counter strips frequently? Are Whitening Strips Good fo…
Will Gum Disease Boost Your Risk for Dementia?
If you are trying to reduce your chance of developing Alzheimer disease, you might want to schedule an appointment with your dentist. New research suggests that gum disease should join the list of fac…
Will High Drug Prices Soon Destroy Healthcare?
Have you ever heard of a house of cards? We’re not referring to the TV series. We mean a structure that will eventually collapse when it can no longer sustain itself. We fear that high drug prices w…
Should You Take Your Aspirin with Honey?
When we were kids, we were amused by a silly poem that went like this: "I eat my peas with honey. "I've done it all my life. "It makes the peas taste funny, "but it keeps them on my knife." We were eq…
Will Taking Krill Oil Help Your Dry Eyes?
Is there any value in taking supplements? Doctors have been debating this question for years. While many specialties have been extremely skeptical about the value of dietary supplements, ophthalmologi…
Will It Hurt to Switch Generic Levothyroxine?
Levothyroxine, or T4 thyroid hormone, is a very old medication. Scientists first extracted this compound from pig thyroid glands more than 100 years ago, but no drug maker marketed the synthetic form …
Doctors Deny That PPIs Can Cause Kidney Damage
It can take years or even decades to discover serious drug side effects. Think of it as a long-running drug experiment. Proton pump inhibitors like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and o…
What to Make of Contradictory Results from Diabe…
What is the best way to diagnose diabetes? For decades it was the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). But it’s time consuming and inconvenient for patients. They have to consume a sugary drink that …
Will Probiotics Help You Recover from Antibiotic…
Antibiotics are crucial tools for overcoming serious infections. However, they can often kill beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tract and elsewhere along with the harmful invaders. As lon…
Could Polio-Like Illness (Acute Flaccid Myelitis…
Dr. Anthony Fauci is head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on HIV/AIDS. He has won some of the most prestigious awards in m…
Do Cosmetics Contain Chemicals That Speed Pubert…
Body care products like toothpaste, soap and cosmetics contain chemicals that are suspected of being endocrine disruptors. A new study links heavy exposure to such compounds to early puberty in girls …
Show 1125: How Can You Find Your Sleep Solution?…
You may have read or heard that adequate sleep is a pillar of good health, like exercise and a healthy diet. Sleep affects blood pressure and heart disease, metabolism and obesity, the immune system, …
New Concerns About Gabapentin and Pregabalin (Ly…
A recent review of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) reveals some disconcerting data about commonly prescribed drugs for nerve pain (ISMP QuarterWatch Reports (March 27, 2019). This i…
The Best Way to Lower Your Blood Pressure with E…
High blood pressure (hypertension) increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. While numerous medications can treat hypertension, many people would like to control their blood pres…
Will Statins Protect the Brain and Lower Blood S…
We have written on several occasions that statins are linked to diabetes. The most recent article was this one: “Statins Cause Diabetes: The Link Just Got Stronger!” Before that we wrote: "Statins…
How to Cure Angular Cheilitis with Inexpensive R…
Truth time! The explanations for why some people get cracks at the corners of their mouths and other people do not leave us dissatisfied. Dermatologists have lots of fancy terms for this condition. An…
Benzodiazepine Dependence | A Hard Habit to Kick
When most people hear the words “drug abuse” they think of opioids like oxycodone, hydrocodone or heroin. Other contenders include stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine (“meth”), alcohol…
Generic Escitalopram (Lexapro) Bombs Out Against…
Escitalopram (Lexapro) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). That means it is a lot like fluoxetine (Prozac). We have lost confidence in the FDA’s ability monitor generic drug quality…