Empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options. 921997
When you decide to grab a bite to eat, do you think about how to feed your gut microbes? Most of us don’t. Even if we did, their only means of stating their preferences is somewhat after the fact. Do you end up feeling less than well? Perhaps the denizens of your gut aren’t happy. In this episode, we consider how to support your microbiota and whether that can reduce the inflammation that seems to…
You may have heard about antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They can greatly complicate the treatment of infections. But have you ever heard of antifungal-resistant fungus ? Infectious disease experts knew nothing about a scary fungus, Candida auris, in 2008. But in less than two decades this dangerous fungal infection is making waves around the world. It has acquired resistance to a number of potent…
Our kidneys do an incredible job filtering our blood every hour of every day. Most of us have two kidneys, and each one has about a million microscopic filters called glomeruli. Unlike the filters in our HVAC system, though, these filters cannot be replaced. But they do their work so well and unobtrusively that most of us don’t even think about our kidney function. Although 37 million Americans…
Millions of people suffer with foot trouble. Some have heel pain when they first get out of bed. Others complain of flat feet or bunions. Athlete’s foot is very common, though it doesn’t always respond as expected to antifungal medications. Speaking of fungus, toenail fungus can be extremely stubborn. What are your feet trying to tell you about what they need? How can you keep them healthy,…
One of the most basic pillars of health is good nutrition. A range of eating patterns might all be considered balanced diets, but in general people do better when they eat less processed foods and more whole foods. Vegetables and fruits play a starring role in at least two diets that have been studied extensively, the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet. Americans might be healthier if we…
Are you concerned about your bone health? Do you worry about osteoporosis? According to the CDC, more than 10 million Americans have low bone density that makes them more vulnerable to fractures. For many older people, a fracture can be devastating, reducing mobility and possibly even leading to death. What does the latest medical science tell us about how you can maintain strong bones? At The…
Do you have trouble sleeping? An occasional late night or early morning is probably not dangerous, but too many people get too little sleep on a regular basis. How does that affect their health? Even more importantly, what can they do to change the situation? You’ll want to listen to find out if you need a sleep reset. At The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up to date, rigorously…
When sunny summer days come around, it makes some dermatologists shudder. They would prefer we behave like bats and hide in caves until nightfall. Failing that, they stress the importance of always applying (and re-applying) high SPF sunscreen, wearing sun-blocking clothing with long sleeves and keeping a big-brimmed hat firmly on the head. A beekeeper’s outfit might be perfect. But must you…
This week, we look at the new pharmaceuticals that the FDA has approved for treating Alzheimer disease. Although they are effective at removing amyloid plaques from the brain, they don’t seem to help patients function better. Is it time to turn away from an exclusive focus on amyloid to consider other factors that might affect cognitive decline and change the course of Alzheimer disease? At The…
Too many of us are spending our days staring at screens. Little screens on our phones, big screens on the television, medium-size screens on our computers at work. Our modern lifestyles mean that we spend the vast majority of our time indoors–93%, on average. What is the time inside doing to our health? Is there an outdoor prescription to reverse dementia and depression? At The People’s Pharmacy,…