Q: My doctor put me on a prescription for Graves' disease, but I'm wondering if there are any natural treatments for this condition.

Where to start?  We’ve all heard that soy is a health food – a great source of protein, a substitute for meat and milk.  It is the backbone of a vegetarian diet and has launched a whole new wave of “health foods”. 

Unfortunately most of these new creations are not healthy and in many cases one could argue if they are even food!  The truth is that soy consumption is hazardous to your health. 

The Connecticut Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, announced yesterday that all eight food companies involved in the Smart Choices program have agreed to drop out pending his investigation and the FDA’s decision about front-of-package labeling.  

Says Blumenthal:

• Food manufacturers now realize that continued use of the logo would only mislead and compound consumer confusion. Other food labels richly deserve the same scrutiny — which we will give them with relish.

Your digestive system may be making you fat. It’s hard to believe – but very true!

Today, I’m going to explain how the bugs in your digestive tract and the way they upset your gut’s immune system just might be behind those extra pounds.

To stay on top of all the latest nutrition news requires lots of reading, but also lots of sorting through the marketing hype of the latest super food or breakthrough study. 

I subscribe to many magazines, newsletters, web sites, and blogs to keep up with the latest and greatest so I can pass that information on to my clients.  I read what the people I agree with say and I read what the people I don’t agree with say – my form of spying! 

Dear Pharmacist,

My neighbor swears by apple cider vinegar and every time I complain about my health, she rants about the vinegar.  I haven’t tried it, but I have to say she looks fairly healthy and never gets sick.  Do you think there’s something to it? 

--P.B.,  Lodi, California

We’ve all heard of products being labeled “artificially flavored” or “naturally flavored,” but ever wonder what exactly “natural flavor” means? Is it really natural? What is the difference?

You know fiber‘s good for you. It keeps the pipes running smoothly and keeps the laxatives on the shelf. Plus, according to many well-known studies, fiber helps protect you against colon cancer.

But what about breast cancer? Does eating plenty of fiber play a role in preventing breast cancer as well?