The People's Pharmacy

By Joe and Terry Graedon

Alternative Health Kids & Family Medicine

What's The People's Pharmacy about?

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

4.5

718718 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The People's Pharmacy episodes:

04.10.2024
Show 1381: How to Eat Less Plastic
Chemists use compounds such as bisphenols and phthalates to help make plastic packaging strong and durable. In this episode, two experts describe how these chemicals get into our food and how we can minimize our exposure. They share their advice...
04.04.2024
Show 1380: Avoiding Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases
In this episode, two experts draw on the latest research about avoiding Lyme disease and other infections that may be transmitted through tick bites. Why are these conditions so difficult to diagnose? Most importantly, how can people with lingering symptoms...
03.29.2024
Show 1350: Why Psychotherapy Matters: Lessons from a Harvard Zen Master and Psychiatrist (Archive)
If you tell your healthcare provider that you’re feeling anxious or depressed, chances are they will prescribe you a medication. Millions of people take anti-anxiety pills or antidepressants, and many find that the medicine makes life more bearable. But can...
03.21.2024
Show 1379: The Healing Power of Pets
This week, Joe and Terry Graedon welcome your stories and questions about living with animals. Does a cat purring on your lap help you calm down after a hectic day? Has walking the dog become a part of your exercise...
03.15.2024
Show 1378: Rediscovering the Power of Medicinal Herbs
This week, two guests describe their work with the healing power of medicinal herbs. They draw upon family histories of herbalism along with their own studies of how to use botanical medicines. You may want to listen through your local...
03.08.2024
Show 1377: Tell Me When It’s Over!
This week, we talk with Dr. Paul Offit, author of the new book, Tell Me When It’s Over. Most of us are more than ready to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll discuss how public health officials could regain...
02.28.2024
Show 1376: How Well Does the FDA Monitor Drug Quality?
This week, our guests examine the quality of medications. Does importing a majority of our medicines from plants in places like India or China compromise our national security? Just how well does the FDA monitor drug quality? You may want...
02.22.2024
Show 1375: The Science Supporting Home Remedies
This week, Joe and Terry Graedon entertain your questions and stories about home remedies. What do you do for leg cramps or heartburn? Call in your favorites at 888-472-3366 between 7 and 8 am EST, or send us an email...
02.16.2024
Show 1374: Marvelous Medicinal Mushrooms
This week, we talk with 4th-generation herbalist, research scientist and mycologist, Dr. Christopher Hobbs. He extolls the benefits of mushrooms not only as nutritious foods, but also as important components of natural medicine. What should you know about marvelous medicinal...
02.07.2024
Show 1373: Malady of the Mind
This week, our guest is one of the country’s leading experts on schizophrenia, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman. He teaches at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, part of Columbia University, where he studies the treatment of mental illness. His research...
01.31.2024
Show 1372: Breaking the Cycle of Food Cravings
This week, our guest is renowned addiction psychiatrist Jud Brewer. He teaches at Brown University in both the School of Public Health and the Medical School, and he has developed programs that utilize mindfulness to help us figure out why...
01.25.2024
Show 1371: America’s Pharmacist Compares Natural Healing and Pharmaceuticals
This week, we talk with America’s Pharmacist, Suzy Cohen, about the effectiveness of medications and natural healing. Suzy has a multimedia presence in newspapers and on television. Millions of people trust her advice on over-the-counter and prescription medicines. She is...
01.18.2024
Show 1370: Winterizing Your Skin and Hair
This week, dermatologist Chris Adigun joins us live in the studio to answer your questions about how to treat your skin and hair when the weather gets cold. Cold wind, low humidity and forced hot air indoors can all conspire...
01.11.2024
Show 1369: What to Do If You Catch the Flu
This week, we hear from pulmonologist Roger Seheult, MD, about ways we can strengthen our immune responses to respiratory infections. Seasonal influenza activity is high and still rising in most parts of the country. In addition, wastewater surveillance shows that...
01.04.2024
Show 1368: Why Overcoming Loneliness Is Crucial for Your Health
In this week’s interview, Dr. Robert Waldinger of Harvard University explains why overcoming loneliness is essential for our health. His research, summarized in The Good Life, shows that close relationships are crucial for a satisfying life. In addition, the Surgeon...
12.28.2023
Show 1345: Secrets to Living a Long Healthy Life (Archive)
Too many of us assume that aging automatically brings debility and cognitive decline. So it is a pleasure to talk with a centenarian who is ready to share the secrets to living a long healthy life. Secrets to Living a...
12.21.2023
Show 1324: The Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders (Archive)
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, you’ll hear an internationally recognized expert on overcoming eating disorders. There are several different types of eating disorders, and they are far more common than most people realize. With so much emotion...
12.15.2023
Show 1367: How to Evaluate Prescription Drugs
In this week’s interview, Dr. Aaron Carroll of Indiana University discusses what we should take into account when we evaluate prescription drugs. How can we tell if the benefits would outweigh the risks for us? You may want to listen...
12.08.2023
Show 1366: How a Pharmacist Helps Doctors with Deprescribing
In this week’s interview, a board-certified geriatric pharmacist explains why taking an older person off a medication might be just as important as putting them on one. In fact, since prescriptions tend to accumulate over time, the delicate art of...
12.01.2023
Show 1365: Revealing the Secrets of Sudden Cardiac Death
This week’s interview is on an underappreciated killer, sudden cardiac death. This is not the same thing as a heart attack. Our guest, Dr. Zian Tseng, has been studying cardiac arrest for years to learn why it happens and what...
11.23.2023
Show 1364: Staying Sharp Through Better Hearing
This week’s interviews focus on the benefits of better hearing. Dr. Frank Lin describes the results of the ACHIEVE study, in which some participants got a very significant delay in the onset of cognitive decline if they were provided with...
11.16.2023
Show 1322: Herbs for Healing and Optimal Wellness (Archive)
In this episode of our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with two physicians who have looked closely at the research on using herbs for healing. Sometimes, people dismiss the medicines we can find in plants as old wives’ tales...
11.09.2023
Show 1363: Defeating Seasonal Affective Disorder
This week, we interview the doctor who first identified seasonal affective disorder (back in 1984!) and went on to develop treatments. You may want to listen to it through your local public radio station or get the live stream at...
11.02.2023
Show 1362: Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity –Part 2
This week’s radio show is the second of a two-part series on new medicines for treating obesity. This episode features Dr. Robert Lustig, neuroendocrinologist and anti-obesity crusader. He discusses the uses and disadvantages of drugs such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic)...
10.26.2023
Show 1361: The Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity
This week’s radio show is the first of a two-part series on new medicines for treating obesity. This episode features obesity expert Dr. Jamy Ard. He’ll describe how he uses drugs such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). What...
10.20.2023
Show 1360: The Pros & Perils of OTC Drugs
In this broadcast, we answer listeners’ questions about over-the-counter drugs. If you have bought a medicine without a prescription, how do you use it wisely? Dr. Stefanie Ferreri, Distinguished Professor in Pharmacy Practice at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy...
10.12.2023
Show 1359: Is the Food on Your Plate Real or Fake?
This week’s radio show features two of the country’s leading nutritional epidemiologists, Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard and Dr. Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina. They discuss some of the challenges with the food on our grocery shelves...
10.06.2023
Show 1358: Upsides and Downsides of Immune-Modifying Drugs
This week’s radio show features one of our favorite guests, Dr. Robynne Chutkan. She is a gastroenterologist in Washington, DC and is a brilliant communicator. You may want to listen to it through your local public radio station or get...
09.27.2023
Show 1323: Practicing Compassion as a Wonder Drug (Archive)
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with one of the authors of Wonder Drug: 7 scientifically proven ways that serving others is the best medicine for yourself. A self-proclaimed data nerd, Dr. Steve Trzeciak and his...
09.22.2023
Show 1357: Revisiting Ventilation to Avoid Airborne Germs
According to the CDC, cases of COVID-19 have been rising in several parts of the country. Cases of hospitalization for COVID are also up. One way to protect ourselves from airborne germs like the SARS-CoV-2 virus is through better ventilation...
09.14.2023
Show 1356: Looking Through the Windows to the Brain
Since at least the 16th century, people have suggested that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In the 21st century, ophthalmologists have developed technology that allows them to assess our health beyond our eyes. What do they see...
09.08.2023
Show 1355: Uncovering the Shocking Dangers of Misdiagnosis
When you develop a health problem with symptoms that trouble you, the first step is to find out what it is. Diagnosis may be the most basic task a doctor or other healthcare provider undertakes. That doesn’t mean it is...
09.01.2023
Show 1354: How Hypnosis Can Help Your Health
Would you be surprised to learn that hypnosis is a powerful tool for healing? If your primary exposure to this practice has been in books and movies, you may have a few misconceptions about how it works and what it...
08.24.2023
Show 1353: Cutting Edge Cardiology from a Top Heart Doctor
When you think of preventing heart disease, what comes to mind? We hope you envision regular exercise and a healthful diet (whatever that means to you). Perhaps you also plan for regular checkups and know what your cholesterol levels are....
08.17.2023
Show 1352: Home Tests, Tech and Tools to Improve Your Health
Only a few decades ago, most households had very limited ways of measuring their members’ health. There were thermometers to tell if someone had a fever. A bathroom scale could tell if you were losing or gaining weight. For quite...
08.10.2023
Show 1351: Are You Risking Your Life Trusting Mail Order Medicines?
Have you ever taken a package out of your mailbox on a hot day and noticed that it was warm to the touch? If the pouch contained a tee shirt or a pair of sneakers, you probably didn’t think much...
07.27.2023
Show 1349: Solutions to Summer Skin Problems
No question about it, sunshine and heat can be stressful for your skin. This episode is all about solutions to summer skin problems. Sunscreens offer the promise of protection from sunburn, but are they as good as we think they...
07.20.2023
Show 1348: How Heat Challenges Human Health
It’s way too hot, not just in the United States, but in other parts of the world as well. The temperature in Rome this week was 107 degrees Fahrenheit. It is anticipated that the islands of Sicily and Sardinia could...
07.14.2023
Show 1347: How to Combat Adrenal Fatigue
You are probably familiar with adrenaline, the hormone that jolts through your body in an emergency. As a result, your heart beats faster and harder, your hands shake, your pupils dilate and your muscles are mobilized for fast action. This...
07.06.2023
Show 1295: How Delicious Flavors Shape Human Behavior (Archive)
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, our topic is evolution and the role of delicious flavors. We talk with Dr. Rob Dunn, ecologist and evolutionary biologist, about how the search for food with delicious flavors as well as...
06.29.2023
Show 1346: The Roots of the Herbal Industry
Until 1994, when Congress passed legislation on dietary supplements, most people using herbal medicine made it themselves or got it from a friend or family member with a green thumb. Before that time, most stores selling herbs in tinctures, capsules...
06.16.2023
Show 1344: Managing Meat Allergy and Other Tick-Borne Diseases
If you are like us, you welcome the first warm days of the season with joy. And then you start to fret. How can you avoid tick bites? Many people recognize Lyme disease as a serious health threat from deer...
06.09.2023
Show 1343: Hidden Harms of Herb and Drug Interactions
Millions of Americans take dietary supplements, and most of us assume that they are safe. While that is probably a reasonable rule of thumb, there are some situations that require more vigilance. In particular, we need to beware of herb...
06.01.2023
Show 1342: Balancing Your Movement Diet for Good Health
Physical activity is a key pillar of good health. Fewer than a fourth of American adults move their bodies enough to keep them healthy. The rest of us may spend too much time sitting in front of a computer or...
05.26.2023
Show 1274: Can We Make Sick Buildings Healthy? (Archive)
Are you getting enough fresh air? More than a century ago, Florence Nightingale insisted that hospitals needed good ventilation to get lots of fresh air. That would keep patients from spreading dangerous respiratory infections like tuberculosis. Although she didn’t use...
05.25.2023
Show 1326: Think Different About Alzheimer Disease
For decades researchers have told us that beta amyloid accumulation in the brain causes Alzheimer disease (AD). The FDA has recently approved two new drugs, Aduhelm and Leqembi, based on this theory. There is a third drug, donanemab, waiting on...
05.19.2023
Show 1341: Lessons Learned from Long Illness
You may not have thought much about long illness, but chances are you know someone who is suffering with one. The CDC estimates that some chronic condition afflicts as many as one in six American adults. That could be more...
05.11.2023
Show 1320: The Fascinating World of Tiny Animals Living on Us (Archive)
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we explore the ecology of our bodies, especially our skin. Our faces, our armpits and even our bellybuttons harbor a multitude of tiny animals that we don’t see most of the time....
05.04.2023
Show 1340: Were the Old Wives Right?
This week’s episode begins with an interview. We talk with Dr. Craig Hopp of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health about why doctors so often dismiss home remedies as old wives tales. Then he describes how we could...
04.27.2023
Show 1339: Harnessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve
We have multiple nervous systems. You are probably aware of the nerves that help move your arms to throw a ball or move your legs to jump. No doubt you also know about the fight-or-flight response triggered by a fright....

What's The People's Pharmacy about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The People's Pharmacy episodes:

Show 1381: How to Eat Less Plastic

Show 1380: Avoiding Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Show 1350: Why Psychotherapy Matters: Lessons from a Harvard Zen Master and Psychiatrist (Archive)

Show 1379: The Healing Power of Pets

Show 1378: Rediscovering the Power of Medicinal Herbs

Show 1377: Tell Me When It’s Over!

Show 1376: How Well Does the FDA Monitor Drug Quality?

Show 1375: The Science Supporting Home Remedies

Show 1374: Marvelous Medicinal Mushrooms

Show 1373: Malady of the Mind

Show 1372: Breaking the Cycle of Food Cravings

Show 1371: America’s Pharmacist Compares Natural Healing and Pharmaceuticals

Show 1370: Winterizing Your Skin and Hair

Show 1369: What to Do If You Catch the Flu

Show 1368: Why Overcoming Loneliness Is Crucial for Your Health

Show 1345: Secrets to Living a Long Healthy Life (Archive)

Show 1324: The Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders (Archive)

Show 1367: How to Evaluate Prescription Drugs

Show 1366: How a Pharmacist Helps Doctors with Deprescribing

Show 1365: Revealing the Secrets of Sudden Cardiac Death

Show 1364: Staying Sharp Through Better Hearing

Show 1322: Herbs for Healing and Optimal Wellness (Archive)

Show 1363: Defeating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Show 1362: Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity –Part 2

Show 1361: The Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity

Show 1360: The Pros & Perils of OTC Drugs

Show 1359: Is the Food on Your Plate Real or Fake?

Show 1358: Upsides and Downsides of Immune-Modifying Drugs

Show 1323: Practicing Compassion as a Wonder Drug (Archive)

Show 1357: Revisiting Ventilation to Avoid Airborne Germs

Show 1356: Looking Through the Windows to the Brain

Show 1355: Uncovering the Shocking Dangers of Misdiagnosis

Show 1354: How Hypnosis Can Help Your Health

Show 1353: Cutting Edge Cardiology from a Top Heart Doctor

Show 1352: Home Tests, Tech and Tools to Improve Your Health

Show 1351: Are You Risking Your Life Trusting Mail Order Medicines?

Show 1349: Solutions to Summer Skin Problems

Show 1348: How Heat Challenges Human Health

Show 1347: How to Combat Adrenal Fatigue

Show 1295: How Delicious Flavors Shape Human Behavior (Archive)

Show 1346: The Roots of the Herbal Industry

Show 1344: Managing Meat Allergy and Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Show 1343: Hidden Harms of Herb and Drug Interactions

Show 1342: Balancing Your Movement Diet for Good Health

Show 1274: Can We Make Sick Buildings Healthy? (Archive)

Show 1326: Think Different About Alzheimer Disease

Show 1341: Lessons Learned from Long Illness

Show 1320: The Fascinating World of Tiny Animals Living on Us (Archive)

Show 1340: Were the Old Wives Right?

Show 1339: Harnessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve