The People's Pharmacy

Inflammation is a double-edged sword. When you have a sudden injury or infection, your body responds by calling immune cells to the site of the problem. It may become red, swollen and painful, but all that is supposed to be part of the healing process. What happens with chronic inflammation is more insidious. Many serious […]

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, […]

Millions of people are feeling apprehensive these days. The headlines are enough to make almost anyone feel anxious. People who are distressed may have a difficult time finding a therapist, however. There are too few, and consequently many are not taking new patients. Wait lists are long, often three to six months. Therapists who are […]

Influenza usually starts in November, and cases increase throughout the winter, not fading until March or so. This year’s flu season is especially severe. An awful lot of people are suffering with fever, cough, congestion, body aches, headaches and other symptoms of influenza. Of course, flu is not the only infection out there. Other viruses […]

This week, we dig into the cooking oil controversy. For decades, we’ve heard that we should be using vegetable oils rather than butter, lard or other fats (possibly even olive oil). Oils from corn, soybeans, sunflower or safflower seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Consequently, people consuming them may have lower cholesterol levels than […]