Essential oils were used in ancient Egypt, Sumeria and in earlier times. In this truly holistic therapy the mind and body are inseparable. Plato is to have said that the source of most illness has its roots in the soul. There may be no better way to influence the mind and spirit, than through a physical medium that includes nature's essences; essential oils provide this.

As I’ve stated before, I’m not anti-vaccine, but rather pro-vaccine safety and choice. Both of the issues – vaccine makers being inoculated against lawsuits, and the fast-tracking of vaccines that contain documented dangerous ingredients – are surefire ways to ensure that vaccine safety is largely ignored.

Add to that the potential for mandatory swine flu vaccinations and the probability for disaster skyrockets.

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.

Your morning cup o’ joe may protect you from one of the most dreaded diseases of our time.

A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease says that drinking five medium-sized cups of coffee a day could lower your chances of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s [1].

Medications are big money makers for drug companies, so it's not surprising that they tend to ignore natural, already existing treatments – unless they can be monetized. The pills we take commonly have the backing of the scientific establishment, so we trust in them.

Should we?

Antidepressants can cause a whole range of side effects from impotence to serotonin toxicity, a condition marked by extreme agitation and a feeling of being terribly unsettled. They also can highly increase suicidal ideation in children and possibly adults.

I've told you before the many reasons I don't like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder drugs for kids.

It's not just the side effects, which can be nasty, but the fact that they don't really do anything to solve the underlying issue, often a nutritional problem impacting the healthy development of the child's brain.

And now, there's another reason to give these drugs a pass: A new study has linked them to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in children.

Dear Pharmacist,

My grandfather moved in with us last year.  He is 86 years old and relatively healthy.  He does not take any medication but says that eating asparagus is his “medicine.”  He asks my wife to cook some every day but this is rather annoying.  I know some foods have health benefits, does asparagus? 

--C.Y. Nashville, Tennessee

I know many of you reading this may suffer from depression. And you may take an antidepressant to help control your symptoms.

But antidepressants aren‘t without their own pitfalls. A common side effect is weight gain. Some would say it‘s a small price to pay for regaining your mental stability. But gaining weight can also put you at risk for developing a whole host of other health problems.

Q: My daughter was recently diagnosed with depression. I hate to see her suffer, but am concerned about the serious side effects of prescription drugs. Is there anything else we can try?

Two studies in the July 2009 issue of Journal of Alzheimer's Disease show that five cups of coffee a day reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's disease.  The coffee also reduced blood and brain levels of beta-amyloid,the abnormal protein that may cause Alzheimer's disease in mice and people.