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

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Show 1342: Balancing Your M...

06.01.2023

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 ...

The People's Pharmacy episodes:

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. ...
04.24.2023 Show 1181: How to Keep Your Hair from Falling Out Do you love your hair the way it is? Many of us wish our hair were different–curlier, straighter, darker or lighter. But what people worry about most with their hair is when they lose it. Can you keep your hair ...
04.20.2023 Show 1338: What 80+ Years of Research Tell Us About Happiness Have you ever wondered what makes for a meaningful life? Philosophers have debated this for centuries, but now science has something to add. The current director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development shares the findings from this long-running, in-depth ...
04.13.2023 Show 1337: Pros and Cons of LASIK Eye Surgery In this episode, four guests share their diverse perspectives on LASIK eye surgery. This procedure surgically changes the shape of the cornea with the goal of helping people see better, ideally without eyeglasses or contact lenses. Experts estimate that ophthalmologists ...
04.06.2023 Show 1307: Cocoa Compounds and the COSMOS Trial (Archive) This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we explore the power of cocoa compounds to help heart health. Our first guest is Harvard’s Dr. JoAnn Manson, lead investigator of the COSMOS trial. That stands for Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin ...
03.30.2023 Show 1336: How the Antiviral Gut Tackles Pathogens from the Inside Out This week our guest is gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan. She explains how keeping our digestive microbiota in good health can help our immune systems fight off pathogens from the inside out. This show will air Saturday morning April 1, 2023 at ...
03.24.2023 Show 1335: Visual Thinking and the Value of Neurodiversity This week, we talk with renowned author Temple Grandin. She reveals why she thinks visual thinking is underappreciated. Most importantly, she describes how we could change our educational system to better utilize a wide range of mental skills. Practical Applications ...
03.17.2023 Show 1334: Healthy Eating for Two In this week’s episode, learn about healthy eating for two. Most people realize that diet is especially important during pregnancy, but they may not know which foods are most nutritious. Researchers report that following a Mediterranean diet and practicing mindfulness ...
03.08.2023 Show 1292: Natural Ways to Treat Heartburn (Archive) Whether we call it indigestion, reflux, sour stomach or heartburn, this condition is painful. When acid from the stomach splashes up into the lower esophagus, it burns. Even though heartburn doesn’t actually have anything to do with the heart, the ...
03.02.2023 Show 1333: Overcoming Insomnia Without Medication In this week’s episode, sleep expert Dr. Jade Wu will join us in the studio to answer your questions about overcoming insomnia without medication. Email us [[email protected]] or call 888-472-3366 between 7:10 and 8:00 am EST on Saturday, March 4, ...
02.24.2023 Show 1332: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Weight Loss In this week’s episode, find out what everyone gets wrong about weight loss. Why don’t diet and exercise work very well? Do official guidelines and weight loss drugs offer a clearer path to success? Health Consequences of Excess Weight: With ...
02.17.2023 Show 1331: Staying Healthy During and After COVID In this week’s episode, we explore a range of practical approaches to staying healthy even in the midst of an epidemic or pandemic like COVID. Our guest offers evidence-based advice on what lifestyle changes can make a difference. Practical Strategies ...
02.10.2023 Show 1330: Rethinking Hypothyroidism In this week’s episode, our guest explains why treating hypothyroidism isn’t always as simple as it seems. He is a leading researcher on questions relating to thyroid hormones. What Is Hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t ...
02.03.2023 Show 1329: Dealing with Dangerous Food Allergies In this week’s episode, food allergy expert Dr. Edwin Kim will join us in the studio to answer your questions about dangerous food allergies in real time. Email us [[email protected]] or call 888-472-3366 between 7:10 and 8:00 am EST on ...
01.27.2023 Show 1328: Teaching Old Drugs New Tricks Our interview this week is all about repurposing medications. Hundreds of rare diseases don’t have effective treatments. Even some common conditions lack approved therapies. The research to develop new medications to manage or cure them is costly and time-consuming. Is ...
01.19.2023 Show 1327: What Have We Learned About Long COVID? When the COVID-19 pandemic began, it seemed there were only two outcomes from an infection. Either you died (as far too many people did) or you survived and moved on. Now, physicians, researchers and a growing number of patients are ...
01.06.2023 Show 1325: Recognizing the Ravages of Silent Inflammation This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, our guest describes the causes and consequences of silent inflammation. Usually, inflammation (redness, swelling, heat, pain) is a tool the immune system uses to fight infection. But what happens when it gets ...
12.30.2022 Show 1262: How to Manage Your Anxiety (Archive) More than two years of living through a pandemic has really increased anxiety for a lot of people. If we define anxiety as worry or unease about an imminent event with an uncertain outcome, it’s easy to see why. However, ...
12.29.2022 Show 1212: Should You Worry About Forever Chemicals? Virtually everyone in the US has been exposed to PFAS chemicals. That stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances found in fire-fighting foam, nonstick coatings, food packaging and waterproofing or stain resistant chemicals used on clothing, furniture and carpets. Pesticides are ...
12.22.2022 Show 1284: The Book of Hope–A Survival Guide for Trying Times (Archive) Jane Goodall is an eminent naturalist who spent years studying chimpanzees in their natural habitat. It was she who first reported that we humans are not the only primates to make and use tools. She transformed our understanding of these ...
12.16.2022 Show 1324: The Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, our guest has been recognized internationally for her work on overcoming eating disorders. There are several different types of eating disorders, and they are far more common than most people realize. With ...
12.08.2022 Show 1298: The Health Benefits of Tart Cherries (Archive) In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, we talk with two scientists who have been studying how eating cherries affects our physiology. Both are experts in sports medicine who have done some intriguing research that may convince you to ...
12.01.2022 Show 1323: Practicing Compassion as a Wonder Drug 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 ...
11.25.2022 Show 1322: Herbs for Healing and Optimal Wellness This week on 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 or ...
11.17.2022 Show 1279: Challenging Dietary Dogma on Weight Gain (Archive) We hear a lot about the obesity epidemic in the United States and around the world. Scientists acknowledge that this has occurred too rapidly to be explained by changes in genetics. Instead, nutrition scientists often turn to the energy balance ...
11.09.2022 Show 1290: Approaches for Managing Chronic Pain (Archive) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 50 million American suffer from debilitating chronic pain. Despite that number, in 2016 the agency issued stringent guidelines limiting opioid prescriptions to a bare minimum. Such drugs are often the ...
11.04.2022 Show 1321: Rebalancing Our Microbiome Through Personalized Nutrition and Viruses This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we consider how to maintain a healthy balance in our gut microbiome. Each of us carries a vast collection of microbes in our digestive tracts. Although we usually think first of bacteria, ...
10.21.2022 Show 1319: How to Have Healthy Hair and Nails In our nationally syndicated radio show this week we’ll be taking your questions live. We have invited two distinguished dermatologists to discuss problems affecting the hair and nails and tell you how to have healthy hair and nails. Green Nail ...
10.13.2022 Show 1318: Challenging Dogma About Alzheimer Disease and Depression Examining the Basis of Neuroscience Dogma: This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, our guests discuss the evidence supporting widely accepted ideas about Alzheimer disease and depression. Neuroscience dogma holds that Alzheimer disease results from the accumulation of beta-amyloid ...
10.06.2022 Show 1193: How a Doctor Faced Down His Rare Disease (Archive) This week, an exciting interview from our archive airs on Oct. 8, 2022. A healthy young medical student, David Fajgenbaum, had been a student athlete in college and maintained his extraordinary level of fitness through much of medical school. Because ...
09.30.2022 Show 1317: Psychedelic Compounds for Healing This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we speak with scientists studying the potential of psychedelic compounds to help heal mental illness. Recreational use of drugs like LSD during the 1960s gave these compounds a bad reputation. As a ...
09.22.2022 Show 1316: Protecting Your Digestive Tract This week on our nationally syndicated public radio show, we invite gastroenterologist Nicholas Shaheen into our studio to answer your questions about protecting your digestive tract. He is a nationally recognized expert in esophageal diseases and has helped write numerous ...
09.21.2022 Show 1303: The Mental Health Crisis Affecting American Teenagers This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Matt Richtel. His latest series for The New York Times takes a long look at the mental health crisis affecting American teenagers. This is not a ...
09.16.2022 Show 1315: Are We Medicating Normal Emotions? This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we examine the consequences of prescriptions for anxiety or grief. All of us, at some point in our lives, will experience some of these emotions. If we discuss them with a healthcare ...
09.08.2022 Show 1314: Better Air Quality Through Ventilation and Filtration This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with one of the world’s leading experts on indoor air quality. If we had been paying more attention to air when the COVID-19 pandemic began, we might have saved millions ...
09.01.2022 Show 1285: The Plant Hunter’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines (Archive) Cassandra Quave is an explorer and an ethnobotanist uncovering potential ways that plants can benefit human health. She has a particular interest in multi-antibiotic resistant infections. Not only do these pose a grave risk for people around the world; her ...
08.25.2022 Show 1313: Avoiding Germs in Bathrooms and Bedrooms This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we learn where the most germs are lurking in our homes and workplaces. Public toilets often make people nervous, but in fact, says Dr. Chuck Gerba, cafeterias and break rooms are much ...
08.22.2022 Show 1299: Is Evidence-Based Medicine an Illusion? Modern medicine looks back on many old treatments with a great deal of disdain. A classic example is the lobotomy. In the mid-twentieth century, lobotomy was employed to treat serious mental illness. One of the earliest developers of this procedure, ...
08.22.2022 Show 1312: Fiber, Phytonutrients and Healthy Soil This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we discuss the importance of fiber and phytonutrients in our food for keeping our intestinal microbes healthy. We’ll also find out why encouraging a varied and thriving microbiome in the soil is ...
08.11.2022 Show 1311: Why We Should Fight Back Against Ageism This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we explore the impacts of negative attitudes toward aging and how to fight back against ageism. In the US, many people hold negative stereotypes about growing older. These beliefs can affect our ...
08.05.2022 Show 1310: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care This week on our nationally syndicated public radio show, Dr. John Abramson describes the impact of Big Pharma on American health care. In the US, we spend more on healthcare than any other country (both overall and per capita). However, ...
08.01.2022 Show 1308: Saving Money on Prescription Medications On our nationally syndicated radio show we take questions from listeners about how to save money on prescription medications. As with nearly everything else, drug prices have been rising. First, we speak with health and medicine investigative reporter for Consumer ...
07.28.2022 Show 1309: Coping With Dry Eyes and Tear Problems This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, learn how to cope with tear problems. This is an extremely common eye disease, but that doesn’t mean it is trivial. An estimated 16 million adults in the US suffer with dry ...
07.21.2022 Show 1257: The Metabolical Results of the American Diet (Archive) Dr. Robert Lustig has been warning us all about the hazards of sugar since 2009, when his YouTube lecture “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” went viral. As a pediatric neuroendocrinologist, he spent much of his career treating the causes of obesity ...

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