Q: You have sometimes answered questions about foot odor, but I’ve never seen the remedy that worked for us. Years ago, my husband had this problem. It was hard to be in the same room with him after he removed his shoes. A friend had grown up in Arkansas with […]
Q: People with frequent migraine headaches often are advised to follow an elimination diet. Is there any evidence regarding its effectiveness? A: A comprehensive review of diet and headache in the journal Headache (October 2016) notes that this is a controversial topic. This research is not as rigorous as one […]
Q: I’ve found that a couple of slices of ripe papaya calms heartburn. It also provides a little fresh fruit to the diet. Papaya-enzyme tablets work, but the fresh papaya is a better choice for me. A: A doctor first reported the benefits of papain, an enzyme from papaya fruit, […]
Q: I’ve suffered with hiccups all my life (I’m only in my late 50’s). The only remedy that works is one I learned from a friend about six years ago: Raise your left arm straight over your head while drinking a glass of water. Can you tell me why this […]
Q: I love grapefruit, the whole fruit. I used to eat it often, but I have gone without for several years now. That is because I take simvastatin to lower my cholesterol. I discussed my cravings with my heart doctor, and we reached a happy medium. I can have half […]
Q: I started using curcumin (as Curamed) in January 2017. I had severe knee pain and swelling from arthritis. My knee popped and cracked, and I limped. I had read on the Arthritis Foundation website that this product works better than prescription drugs. The swelling went down the very first […]
Q: I am unable to take any of the NSAIDs for severe arthritis. I wanted to try the Certo-and-grape-juice remedy to see if it would help. Unfortunately, Certo has dextrose (corn) as the first ingredient. I’m allergic to corn in any form. Is it the dextrose, the fruit pectin or […]
Q: I have been taking amitriptyline before bed for at least 20 years. I have fibromyalgia, and it helps me sleep. I’ve tried to get off it twice, but the insomnia was unbearable. Most doctors don’t seem to know how to help lessen the symptoms resulting from discontinuing this drug. […]
Q: I read about low-dose lithium a few months ago. The article said that it might help prevent dementia and improve memory. So, being old, with the usual forgetting where I put things and all that, I started taking 5 mg a day, a very low dose. To my amazement, […]
Q: Even the smallest amount of calcium supplement causes me severe constipation. Recently my doctor told me that I should take calcium for osteoporosis prevention. Although I explained that it causes constipation, she insisted. So I tried again. I thought I would have to go to the emergency room. I […]