『The People's Pharmacy』のカバーアート

The People's Pharmacy

The People's Pharmacy

著者： Joe and Terry Graedon
無料で聴く

Empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options. 921997Copyright 2018 Joe and Terry Graedon 代替医療・補完医療 衛生・健康的な生活 身体的病い・疾患
エピソード
  • Show 1446: The Science of Strong Bones: Lifestyle, Medication and Movement (Archive)

    Show 1446: The Science of Strong Bones: Lifestyle, Medication and Movement (Archive)
    2026/07/23
    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 People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up‑to‑date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You may have heard this interview when it was first broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. If you did not, you can download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post by clicking on the little triangle in the green circle. We have added extra information to these notes, but not to the interview itself. Strong Bones You may have seen Halloween skeletons or even chewed the meat off a bone that you then dropped on a plate with a clatter. No wonder we usually think of bones as hard, unchanging objects. Dead bones are. But living bones are quite different. Strong bones are constantly undergoing change. Scientists call it remodeling. One set of specialized cells, osteoclasts, breaks bone tissue down and recycles it. Another set, the osteoblasts, builds bone back. Ideally, their activities are in balance. But if the osteoclasts start to get ahead, as they tend to do while we age, that can weaken bone. The result is low bone mass, known as osteopenia, or even serious bone loss called osteoporosis. This puts a person at risk for fractures. Who Gets Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis may have been less common a hundred years ago or more, when many people had to do manual labor that put stress on their bones. That helps for strong bones, so today’s sedentary lifestyles can undermine bone health. Although we think of osteoporosis as typically affecting postmenopausal women, men can lose bone mass too. Medications may contribute to the risk for bone loss. Steroids such as prednisone or methylprednisolone are especially risky if taken for a long period of time. Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer is a risk factor specifically for men. Wait–MEN Can Get Osteoporosis? Q. My husband and I have two friends with significant disability largely due to spinal fractures as a result of osteoporosis. One man was always an avid exerciser, including running marathons. Both men are over six feet tall and have always appeared to be muscular. My husband is shorter and is physically active, playing tennis and going to the gym regularly. Because of our friends’ bone issues, I advised him to request a DXA scan to assess his bone health. The nurse practitioner told him that it was not recommended for men. I am still concerned that he may be at risk for osteoporosis. Are there medical studies that determine the risk factors for men? A. The nurse practitioner was mistaken. Men can develop osteoporosis, as your friends discovered. Many medical guidelines recommend that men over 70 be tested with a DXA scan to assess bone health. If your husband has low testosterone levels or has taken medications such as prednisone, he could be at increased risk for a fracture. He would be prudent to have the assessment. Diagnosing Osteoporosis Doctors assess bone mineral density with imaging called dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA for short. Then they compare the results on the scan to the results they would expect from a 30-year-old person. Results more than 2.5 standard deviations from that could result in a diagnosis of osteoporosis. A person who experiences a fracture without trauma, such as falling from standing height, is also suspected and often diagnosed with osteoporosis. Non-Drug Approaches to Strong Bones: People who want to keep strong bones need to focus on exercise. High intensity exercise can be helpful, but brisk walking may be enough. Tai chi and yoga are also popular. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, be sure to check in with your doctor before you start a new exercise program. Building balance and core strength without increasing your risk of a fall (and thus a fracture) would be ideal. Our guest expert, Dr. Kendall Moseley, says the jury is still out on technology such as vibrating platforms, weighted vests or vibrating belts. More studies should show how valuable these could be. Following a diet that supplies adequate protein, vitamin D and calcium is also crucial. If you must take a calcium supplement, calcium citrate may be well tolerated and absorbed. How Do Doctors Treat Osteoporosis? Physicians prescribe several different types of...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 5 分
  • Show 1480: The Sleep Reset: How to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep

    Show 1480: The Sleep Reset: How to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep
    2026/07/16
    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 researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, July 18, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org). Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. If you can’t listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on July 20, 2026. The podcast will be available on Monday (July 20, 2026) Do You Need a Sleep Reset? Why is sleep so important for good health? Our guest is a sleep medicine specialist who uses a metaphor of Disneyland. Crucial maintenance on the theme park happens at night, when there are no visitors. Streets are cleaned, flower beds are weeded, and rides are inspected and, if needed, repaired. None of that can happen while the park is open for business. Our bodies and brains also need time for maintenance and repair, and some of that happens while we are sleeping. When we don’t get the rest we need, we may find ourselves at increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular problems, cancer, cognitive challenges and even premature death. Unfortunately, anxiety about not sleeping can keep people awake all on its own. How can people break that cycle? We’ll also discuss ways that people can get help avoiding screens at night. That is an important part of a sleep reset. Blue light from the screen signals the brain to be alert instead of relax. Scrolling social media can often be emotionally upsetting, which also makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Is Your Diet Keeping You Awake? Most of us recognize that a big midnight snack, á la Dagwood Bumstead of the Blondie comic, is probably not conducive to sleeping well. How does nighttime eating affect our circadian rhythm? Are there diets that we should avoid because of their impact on sleep? Dr. Seheult describes a study in which volunteers had their sleep stages monitored closely during the time they were consuming different diets (Obesity, July 2023). When they followed a high-fat, high-sugar diet, it disturbed the pattern of their brain waves during what should have been restorative sleep. How Do Sleep Problems Affect Eating Habits? A lot of us are aware that when we are sleep deprived, we are more inclined to become hangry and we may be less discerning about what we eat. A recent study shows that the sleep deprivation can have an effect even if it is fairly mild and short-term. Scientists recruited people who normally sleep seven to eight hours a night and asked them to stay up an extra hour and a half (Annals of Internal Medicine, July 7, 2026). During the six weeks of that part of the experiment, people were less active during the day. They also ate more, so they gained about a pound, on average, during those six weeks. Presumably, disrupting sleep for a longer period of time would result in greater weight gain and metabolic disruption. Would a Ketogenic Diet Help with a Sleep Reset? A ketogenic diet, in which the body relies on ketones rather than glucose for energy production, may be helpful. In particular, fasting overnight for at least 14 hours helps the body do what it must during sleep time. To figure out when you should stop eating, identify when you usually start to feel sleepy. That should be your bedtime. Having your last meal of the day about three hours before that will generally offer enough time for digestion so that you don’t experience reflux in the middle of the night. Morning Light and Afternoon Naps Your sleep reset may depend on getting your own circadian rhythm to synchronize with the rest of the world. That is where early exposure to morning light comes in. It’s beginning to feel a bit like The People’s Pharmacy is on repeat: get morning light exposure! It sets your system up for feeling awake and alert during the day and starting to feel sleepy as the light fades in the evening. Obviously, this is most helpful for people who work during daylight hours. Those working overnight shifts would have to organize their days differently. People who have trouble falling asleep may be tempted to take a nap ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 7 分
  • Show 1479: Must You Shun the Sun to Save Your Skin?

    Show 1479: Must You Shun the Sun to Save Your Skin?
    2026/07/10
    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 really shun the sun completely to save your skin? Our guest describes how to practice moderation safely. He also explains why some people are addicted to sunshine, while others are allergic to it. At The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up to date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, July 11, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org). Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. If you can’t listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on July 13, 2026. Can You Really Be Addicted to Sunlight? Dermatologists do their best to discourage people from using tanning beds. They describe the damage that ultraviolet light can cause, ranging from wrinkles to skin cancer. For some people, though, those arguments just don’t make a difference. Our guest, Dr. Steve Feldman, conducted a study several years ago. The volunteers were accustomed to using tanning beds. In the study, there were two beds, one with the usual ultraviolet light and the other, identical in appearance and temperature, had its UV blocked. After a session in each bed, volunteers were allowed to choose their bed for the last session. They almost invariably chose the bed with the active UV. To follow up, the researchers administered naltrexone, the opioid-blocking medication. When volunteers had taken it, they were no longer able to distinguish which bed was active. It seems that, for these people, ultraviolet light activates pro-opiomelanocortin, which in turn triggers the production of natural opioids called endorphins. Further research imaging the brain during tanning sessions confirmed that the UV exposure was activating areas of the brain associated with pleasure (Psychiatry Research. Neuroimaging, May 30, 2016). Dr. Feldman and a colleague found that excessive indoor tanning is similar in pattern to substance use disorders (Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, May-June 2025). Can You Save Your Skin and Still Enjoy the Outdoors? Dr. Feldman offers advice on avoiding sunburn that is tempered with this fact from epidemiology: people who go out in the sun live longer (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, July 13, 2020). The goal here is not to shun the sun completely, but rather to exercise enough caution and good judgment to avoid burning your skin. (Who wants to burn, anyway? It hurts, and it looks bad.) Timing your sun exposure carefully is crucial to save your skin from sunburn. You may also be interested in the new sunscreen ingredient the FDA just approved, bemotrizinol. What Can You Do About Heat Rash? When the weather gets hot and bodies get sweaty, heat rash becomes a common complaint. Sweaty skin may develop bumps that can sometimes be very itchy. What do you do to ease the discomfort? If you can cool the skin off, it might help a lot. Of course, people may also suffer from other types of rash. Babies get diaper rash. Women sometimes experience under-breast rash, just as men may develop jock itch. Zinc oxide ointment can often be helpful for these types of rash. Managing Psoriasis Psoriasis is one of Dr. Feldman’s special research interests. The red scaly plaques of this skin condition have raised borders. They look a lot like a fungal infection, but there is no fungus present on the skin to cause them. Something else seems to trigger the skin’s immune system to react along the same pathways as if there were a fungus. Most of the time, psoriasis is mild enough to manage without costly medications. It actually responds very well to ultraviolet light exposure. UV downregulates the immune system’s over-response. While many dermatologists offer UV exposure within their office walls, in the summertime patients could get exposure to sunlight outdoors. This is practical if they avoid the middle of the day, when they might get burned. Another option? Tanning beds also offer an easy way to calibrate the appropriate amount of UV exposure...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 1 分
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
まだレビューはありません