The People's Pharmacy

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 the runway. All three medications are very good at removing amyloid plaque from the brain, […]

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 than 130 million people. What counts as a long illness? Now, as experts declare that […]

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. What are they doing on us? The Fascinating World of the Tiny Animals Living on […]

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 evaluate remedies without randomized controlled trials. Natural products may offer leads for new drug development. […]

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. The oddly named sympathetic nervous system is in charge of that. Many of us don’t […]

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 research on the factors that lead to happiness and a meaningful life. 80+ Years of […]

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 perform about 700,000 of these in the US each year. We are told that most […]

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 Outcomes Study. This very large, randomized placebo-controlled study looked at the effects of a multivitamin […]

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 of Visual Thinking: Most of us are not aware of how our brains work. Often, […]

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 around meals can both have health benefits during pregnancy. Mediterranean Diet for Those Eating for […]