Interesting Health Facts

April 20, 2009
Interview with Joe Graedon, author of The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies 

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Mike Carruthers:
So, here's the dilemma - we're told to stay out of the sun because of the risk of skin cancer, but the sun is where we get a lot of vitamin D.

Joe Graedon:
Vitamin D can reduce the risk of many cancers - it may be valuable in reducing the risk of osteoarthritis. There are many other conditions where vitamin D is absolutely crucial.

Pharmacologist Joe Graedon author of the book, The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies , says many of us don't get enough sunshine every day and sunscreen actually blocks the absorption of vitamin D.

Well, our recommendation is 10-15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure 3 or 4 times a week. That's not enough to do any damage, but it is enough to get adequate vitamin D levels in your body.

Have you noticed that people don't take aspirin for pain like they used to, now it's Tylenol, Advil or Motrin.

Aspirin is over 100 years old and it has been the gold standard for pain relief. Tylenol is no more effective. Ibuprofen, sold as Advil and Motrin, is no more effective.

People avoid aspirin because they hear it can upset your stomach…

but so can other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - drugs like Ibuprofen and Naproxen. The one drug that doesn't irritate the stomach, Tylenol. Of course the problem with Tylenol is that it can be a little hard on the liver or perhaps even the kidneys. So, we think doctors should recommend aspirin more often.

To hear the complete unedited interview, click here.