The People's Pharmacy

You’ve probably heard that lifestyle is the most important factor in keeping your heart healthy. Don’t smoke, exercise, and eat right seem simple. But what does it really mean to eat right? Should you be avoiding sat fat? How Big a Problem Is Sat Fat? Experts have been telling us for decades that we must […]

When you listen to bird song, smell pine needles or watch tree branches swaying in the wind, what is happening in your brain? For that matter, what is happening in your body? Does your level of stress drop when you are out in nature? The Nature Fix: When writer Florence Williams moved from Boulder, Colorado, to […]

There’s been a big increase in mouse populations in many places over the past year. As a result, the number of ticks is booming, and you have a greater chance of being bitten when you go outside. Could a bite put you in danger from Lyme disease? The Basics of Lyme Disease: Lyme disease is […]

Most Americans are not familiar with the principles of Ayurvedic medicine. Despite its thousands of years of tradition, it seems exotic and possibly irrelevant for today. How Ayurvedic Medicine Principles Can Be Integrated into Neurology: Learn how a neurologist re-discovered the importance of Ayurvedic approaches when she found that her own migraines did not respond […]

Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. But physicians often face a dilemma when they treat joint pain, back pain or muscle spasms with prescription pills. Drugs that relieve pain effectively frequently carry frightening side effects, especially over the long term. Problems with NSAIDs for Pain Relief: Doctors usually rely on a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory […]

Which fabulous foods can make a difference for our health? There might be too many to count. For this show, we are focusing on the science supporting the health benefits of just three power-packed foods: olive oil, curcumin and cherries. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Is One of the Fabulous Foods: Olive oil is a pillar of the Mediterranean […]

Americans are taking more pills than ever before. Last year we shelled out more than $400 billion for prescription drugs alone. Over-the-counter medicines are also extremely popular. But all those drugs also carry some risks. Around half a million people suffer serious adverse drug reactions every year. Are there drug-free alternatives that would help many common […]

Stiff painful joints can interfere with activities like gardening, cooking, playing tennis, climbing stairs or walking the dog. While we think of osteoarthritis as a condition that primarily affects older people, it turns out that most people with this condition aren’t yet eligible for Medicare. As many as 30 million people may suffer with this condition. How […]

Many of us are aware we could be at a healthier weight. Perhaps we’ve even tried to drop some pounds but found that we were always feeling hungry and grumpy on a diet. Perhaps counting calories could help us lose weight for a while, but we gained it back again. Why Is a Low-Fat Diet […]

The FDA is charged with making sure that prescription drugs are both safe and effective. But questions have been raised about antidepressants and other drugs for mental illness. Exactly how effective are these medications to treat psychiatric conditions? Are they safe? How Well Do Antidepressants Work? Dr. Peter Gøtzsche, a founder of the nonprofit Cochrane […]

Medical errors and misadventures account for surprisingly high mortality in the U.S. Some experts estimate that they should be considered the third leading cause of death in this country. Many such mistakes could be prevented. How can you protect yourself or a family member from becoming a victim of medical errors? Many major causes of […]

Dan Ariely is a behavioral economist with a genius for figuring out why we do the things we do. His popular column in The Wall Street Journal is called “Ask Dan.” Listeners have the chance to do just that this week. What’s Your Motivation? Dr. Ariely’s latest book is Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes […]

We rely on our feet to carry us throughout life, every day. What should we do to keep them from complaining? Taking Care of Your Feet: Podiatrist Georgeanne Botek explains how to manage warts, bunions, hammertoes and other common foot problems. Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. What causes it, and how can […]

The treatment of mental illness has a discouraging history in this country. Even in the 21st century, psychiatrists rely principally on antipsychotic medications without much else in the way of support. These drugs have serious side effects, and although they are helpful for those who truly need them, they are too often prescribed inappropriately. Finding […]

We often associate the term “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” with military veterans. Indeed, war creates many traumatic experiences, but it is not the only source of reactions that may cause people to shut down or blow up. Car, train or plane crashes, a life-threatening illness episode, family violence or other events can create a dysfunctional reaction […]

If you were to list the organs of the body, would it occur to you to include fat? Most people think of fat as a nuisance, an intruder or even an enemy to be overcome. But fat is crucial for normal physiological processes. What should you know about the secret life of fat? Discovering the […]

In this show, we explore the stories behind some health headlines: the drawbacks of OTC sleeping pills and the best way to use them; whether arthritis drugs cause heart attacks; and how to afford a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. When researchers discovered that the pain reliever Vioxx was associated with an increased risk of […]

Have you ever started taking a medication and discovered that it produced an unpleasant side effect? That’s not uncommon. Sometimes the doctor responds by prescribing an additional drug to manage a side effect from the first one. Occasionally a person will get caught in a cascade that results in several drugs to treat side effects caused […]

The idea of yoga classes usually brings to mind images of young, fit people twisting their bodies into difficult poses while breathing deeply. But does yoga benefit people who don’t fit that stereotype? Yoga for People with Pain or Disability: Both our guests teach yoga to people who are neither young nor fit. These are […]

Medications are often crucial for maintaining our health, but every drug you take has potential side effects and may interact with other medicines. What do you know about these hazards? Understanding Benefits and Risks: Our guest, Dr. Russ Altman, suggests that physicians should exercise more restraint in prescribing and patients should ask more questions about […]