I was actually a little surprised that we hadn’t already done a Definitive Guide to fish oil when it was suggested it to me. We’ve mentioned it enough, and it’s a hot enough topic that I just assumed we’d done a big comprehensive guide to the stuff. But, as my staff so eagerly likes to inform me, I was completely, utterly wrong (enjoy it now, cause it won’t happen again anytime soon!).

Q: I thought my days of dealing with acne were long behind me, but it seems I'm not so lucky. I've spent an arm and a leg on expensive products promising to clear it up, but nothing works. Please help!

Here's one to add to the growing list of benefits conferred by increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids as epitomized by the Mediterranean diet -- a dramatically lowered risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to the first of several recently published studies, having just one serving of fish per week lowers your risk of macular degeneration by 31 percent while a serving or two of nuts reduces risk by 35 percent.

This French word fills every woman's heart with great dread.  It describes a distressing cosmetic defect.  The principal areas of involvement are the thighs and buttocks, but also, to a lesser extent, on the lower part of the abdomen, the nape of the neck, and the upper parts of the arms, of women.

Q: Help! I have ugly toenail fungus. I don't want to take an antifungal pill as I'm afraid of toxic side effects. Is there a natural alternative?

Dear Pharmacist,

I’ve had diabetes for 12 years and now I have kidney disease.  My doctor just prescribed lisinopril. I’m concerned that there is more I should be doing. What else should I consider? 

--L.V. Los Angeles

Months ago, we discussed natural alternatives to OTC pain relievers. Now, before you assume I’m some hippie snake oil peddler, mine is not a blanket, ideological opposition to pharmaceuticals; rather, it’s just that if there are more natural, cheaper, less intrusive ways to relieve pain, why not try them first?

If you're concerned about your blood sugar, here's something you need to think about...

The berries of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) have a long history of use in the Americas, dating back to the Mayans who used these berries as a general tonic. In more recent times, saw palmetto is often used in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), which frequently affects a large number of males in their later years. Saw palmetto is also a very popular herb used to treat symptoms in the male genital and urinary system, ranging from erectile dysfunction to low sperm motility.

I've written about diabetes plenty of times, and how it's joined at the hip with sugar, starch, and carbohydrates in general. It's easy enough to avoid diabetes just by avoiding those sweet-tasting pitfalls. But easy or not, the epidemic keeps on growing. And that means various complications from diabetes keep on growing too. Diabetes is associated with nerve damage, eye problems, and kidney damage.

You would think that getting your blood sugar under control with insulin would protect you from those illnesses, but Dr. Paul J. Thornalley from England's University of Essex explained recently that "a significant proportion of patients with tight blood glucose control still develop [kidney damage] and other complications."