Vitamin, Mineral & Herb Remedies
Dietary supplements can be surprisingly helpful for many common disorders. There is substantial science supporting the use of herbs, vitamins, minerals and other supplements.
Vitamin D May Boost Cancer Survival
Q. I know that we need Vitamin D for absorption of calcium. Do you make Vitamin D if the sunlight is coming through glass (when you're riding in a car or sitting by a window)? A. The body makes vitami…
Shellfish Allergy Leads to Hospitalization
Q. My husband's internist suggested glucosamine and chondroitin for mild arthritis. My husband's medical records state that he is allergic to shellfish. I guess his doctor did not know ground shellfis…
No Way To Boost Bust Size
Q. I'm in 8th grade and have a very small chest size. This wouldn't bother me, except that lots of other girls in my grade have large B and C cup sizes. I have heard that eating lots of chicken helps …
Herbs May Ease Persistent Cough
Q. Last month I had a nasty cold. Even though it went away after about a week, the cough has lingered all this time. It is troublesome during the day and downright disturbing at night. I hate the tast…
Melatonin Conquers Morning Migraines
Q. Since the age of 23 I have had frequent migraine headaches. Over the years, many doctors have prescribed medicines to prevent them, but none has worked. Drugs can stop the migraine if I take them e…
Sunshine Vitamin In Short Supply
If you spend 10 to 15 minutes out in the sun two or three times a week, you make enough vitamin D to stay healthy. Our ancestors had little trouble getting that much sunshine. They walked and worked o…
Silver May Turn Children Gray
Q. My daughter and her husband make their own formulation of colloidal silver. They think this mixture protects them against the flu and other infections because it provides a natural boost to the imm…
Vitamin E Won’t Prevent Heart Problems
Q. My husband had bypass surgery five years ago, and last year he had two stents put in. The heart doctor asked if he were taking vitamin E. We said he'd taken it for years, and the doctor said to sto…
Mineral Supplement Helps Her Sleep
Q. I suffered from insomnia for three miserable years during menopause. My doctor prescribed Sonata but could not guarantee more than four hours of uninterrupted sleep nightly. I decided not to spend …
Can Sage Boost Brain Power As We Age?
Q. I recently read an interesting claim about the herb sage. It is said to increase mental acuity when taken orally. Apparently this is not brand new. Sage has been used this way since the middle ages…
Herbal Extract For Battling Baldness
Q. Several months ago I started taking 160 mg/day of saw palmetto extract to slow the progression of male pattern baldness. To my surprise, the regimen seems to work. There is less hair in the bathroo…
Worry Over Penis Size Causes Bashful Bladder
Q. I hope you will not laugh at my problem. My embarrassment over my small penis makes it impossible for me to use a public restroom to urinate. This causes me great trouble if I go to a football game…
Can Vitamins Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
Q. I just heard on the news that large doses of vitamins C and E have been shown to help stave off Alzheimer's in older people. Do you know anything about this? And if this is true, what constitutes a…
Natural Approaches Can Lower Cholesterol
Q. My cholesterol has ranged from 240 to 300 for years. My doctor finds these numbers unacceptable and has insisted I take medication. First I was put on Lescol. My muscles hurt so much I could barely…
Is Coral Calcium Just A Craze?
Q. A friend of mine swears by coral calcium that she orders through the mail. She says it cures her aches and pains. What makes coral calcium different from the inexpensive calcium I buy in the grocer…
MSM Saves Reader’s Hair
Q. I went through menopause early, at age 42, and was distressed to find my hair falling out. I read that MSM might reverse this problem and started taking it. My hair stopped falling out and has been…
Is Fish Oil Full Of Mercury?
Q. I keep reading that eating fish is good for your heart, your brain and just about everything else. I am not fond of fish, so I have started taking fish oil capsules. A friend says fish oil is conta…
Ginkgo Restores Sexual Pleasure
Q. I started taking Gingko biloba a few months ago for leg pain due to poor circulation. I got moderate relief from the leg pains, but I also began having great orgasms! I didn't ascribe it to the her…
Another Fish Oil Tale Of Gray Hair Gone
Q. I have been taking fish oil concentrate for heart health. After reading other readers' comments on fish oil restoring their hair to its original color, I checked mine in the bright sunlight. Lo and…
Omega-3 Fats Restore Natural Hair Color
Q. I am responding to a recent column about omega-3 fats changing hair color. When I was 30 years old, my formerly dark brown hair had turned completely gray. Now at age 63 I have a lot of my former h…
Cats Boast Thicker Fur With Supplement
Q. After an automobile accident that fractured my sternum and ribs and resulted in a herniated disk, I searched diligently for pain relief. Conventional over-the-counter pain relievers all had side ef…
Do Older Folks Need To Give Up On Sex?
Q. My husband and I live in a retirement community. One common subject here is what to do when one spouse has an active sex drive but the other no longer functions in this area. Usually, the reason is…
Can Fatty Acids Cure Cocker Spaniel’s Itch…
Q. I know you mostly answer questions about human problems but I have three pedigree cocker spaniels with dry skin. They scratch all the time but have no fleas. I have tried conditioner and baby oil o…
St. John’s Wort Does Not Mix Well With Sun…
Q. I tried taking St. John's wort some time ago to relieve anxiety. After several months I found I had become sensitive to sunlight. Not only was it difficult to look at things in bright light, but I …
Money-Back Offer Is No Guarantee Of Penis Enlarg…
Q. I read about some herbal pills on the market that are supposed to increase the length and girth of the penis. I wonder if there is really anything to that. They offer a money-back guarantee if you'…
Grape Juice Blocks Iron Absorption
Q. I recently heard part of a medical segment on the news regarding the effects of dark colored fruit juices like grape or cranberry on iron absorption. I regularly drink cranberry juice and I am also…
Vitamin Pill Linked To Bad Breath
Q. We have had a strange experience with prescription drugs combined with a multiple vitamin. My husband takes Verelan, Altace and Proscar. His doctor also recommended a daily multi-vitamin. Shortly a…
Can Dhea Turbo-Charge Sex Life?
Q. Is DHEA a safe way to increase testosterone and improve libido? My wife and I take good care of ourselves, but we do have some health problems that require medications. Our sex life has suffered ov…
Reader Worried About Licorice Fetish
Q. I was alarmed to read that eating licorice can lead to high blood pressure, weakness, fatigue, loss of libido and mineral imbalance. Is this only true of black licorice? I eat a good deal of strawb…
Will Growth Hormone Keep Him Young?
Q. I am a 30-year-old man, and I am starting to feel old. I am in the Army and can tell that I've lost a step on the younger guys. I want to improve my overall health, and after looking here and there…
The Vitamin Wars Are Over
The vitamin wars are officially over. Record the date for posterity: June 19, 2002. That's when the American Medical Association published a radical new recommendation-most Americans should be taking …
Will Herbs Pump Up The Penis?
Q. I have seen advertisements for pills that are supposed to enlarge and lengthen the penis naturally. They contain herbal ingredients such as yohimbe, ginseng, ginkgo and some that I have never heard…
Do Herbal Enhancers Increase Breast Size?
Q. What can you tell me about herbal breast enlargers? I'm considering surgery, but first I would like to try one of these products if they work and don't have nasty side effects. I am generally skept…
St. John’s Wort Study Creates Confusion
Q. I have been taking St. John's wort for the past three years for mild depression. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I am doing better than I used to. My mood and outlook improved without …
Chaste-Tree Berry For Chastity?
Q. I'm a 39-year-old woman in need of an herb that can decrease sex drive. I think you've written about this before, but I can't recall the herb you suggested. I'm in excellent health,…
Could Low DHEA Explain Low Libido?
Q. What can you tell me about DHEA? I recently had my hormones checked and the results showed I have very little testosterone or DHEA. Could this explain my lack of sex drive? I have had a very low li…