Harvard Health Letter articles from October 2007

Harvard Health Letter archives from October 2007

Prescriptions for confusion.(improving prescription bottles)
October 1, 2007... Some retailers have improved the pill bottle, but the written information that comes with medications is confusing. Ideally, people would leave the doctor's office or the pharmacy with a clear understanding of their prescription medication...

How you can limit your gas production.
October 1, 2007... 12 tips for dealing with flatulence. Chaucer, Mel Brooks (of course!), even Ingmar Bergman (in the opening scene of Fanny and Alexander) have all used flatulence to get some laughs. But in excess, which often involves a painful bloated...

Radon revisited.(radon and lung cancer)
October 1, 2007... The early warnings may have been overblown, but research since has shown that lung cancer risk from the gas is real. Americans held their collective breath when news of radon, a radioactive gas, seeped into the headlines during the 1980s....

In Brief; Cranberry juice and warfarin: Okay together?
October 1, 2007... Of all the juices on the grocery shelves, cranberry juice seems the most medicinal. It's partly that bright-red color and tart taste. But evidence that drinking cranberry juice lives up to its reputation as a way to fend off urinary tract...

In Brief; Selenium: Maybe this mineral isn't such a gem after all.
October 1, 2007... The purpose of the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer trial was to test whether taking the mineral selenium might protect people against the two most common types of skin cancer. Taking the 200-microgram (mcg) pills daily flopped for skin cancer...

In Brief; Something to sink your teeth into: Sugarless gum.
October 1, 2007... Many of the bacteria that reside on our teeth in dental plaque have quite the sweet tooth. And to our great dental misfortune, when they satisfy their appetites for sugar (and other carbohydrates), they produce acids that eat away at the enamel...

In Brief; Seat belts: A crash course in staying healthy.
October 1, 2007... During a visit with a doctor, a Health Letter editor was caught off guard by this question: Do you always wear a seat belt? "Well, not always" was the honest and self-incriminating response. Wearing a seat belt isn't usually considered a...

By the way, doctor; What can I do about my snoring?(treatment for snoring)
October 1, 2007... Q. My wife says I snore a lot. I don't think I have sleep apnea, but I'm not sure. Is there anything I can do for a serious snoring problem? A. People snore when the airways in the nose and throat get too small, so the air rushing in and...