In last week’s post, I covered the first five steps you should take to avoid constipation without resorting to laxatives.

This week, we’ll dig a little deeper into the problem. Because sometimes, adding more fiber or drinking plenty of water just isn’t enough.

Watch an 8-year-old hit the playground and you might think he’s an entirely different species from you and me. Shouting and laughing with friends – up and down, over and all around the play sets – his energy seems boundless.

Then the bell rings and he returns to class, expected to sit still in a hard chair and give his undivided attention to multiplication tables.

When these worlds collide, you can guess what happens.

Q: On a message board that I often visit to swap diet stories, a woman was raving about how resveratrol helped her get rid of her last 20 pounds and made her skin look so much younger. Is that really possible?

Dear Pharmacist,

I have painful arthritis (psoriatic) and I heard that my medicine can cause cancer on the news.  I am afraid of it being recalled because I need my Enbrel.

--D.T. Seattle, Washington

Life is peaceful, you’re having a good day then suddenly you feel a migraine coming on. Pain, pain and more pain! If you’ve ever had them before, you can empathize as to how unpleasant they can truly be.

Have you ever made the mistake of wandering outside on a sunny day without your protective clothing or sunscreen? Next thing you know, hours later, your skin is bright red and the next few days are spent in equal parts of pain and peeling. Sun means fun, but it also means sunburn.

Almost five years ago, Edgar R. Miller III PhD, an associate professor from Johns Hopkins University, dropped a bombshell on the nutritional world. He published an article warning us not to take large doses of vitamin E because it could increase our risk of dying.

Miller's conclusions made a big splash in the mainstream news media. Everywhere you turned, you heard about the so-called dangers of vitamin E...

Dear Pharmacist,

I attended an American Idol concert and I got so excited to see my favorite, Adam Lambert, that I developed cardiac arrhythmias.  I went to the ER, the doctor called it “A-fib” and I was sent home with medications.  What do you suggest so that this scary thing doesn’t happen again?

--J.S. Ocala, Florida

Q: You've convinced me I need more vitamin D, so I told my doctor that I want to increase my daily dosage. He mentioned that he would consider putting me on something called a vitamin D analogue when there is more research available on them. What exactly is a vitamin D analogue, and should I wait to take one instead of just increasing my dose of the vitamin D supplement I'm already taking?

What if you were handed a check and told to spend it all on vitamins—a supplement shopping spree of sorts? What should you buy? Read on for my picks for best vitamins.