Dear Pharmacist,

I want to be ready, so what are the best cold and flu medicines to keep in my house in case one of us catches the flu? 

--A.B. Austin, Texas

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

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

Q: For about three weeks I've been following a high-protein, low-carb diet. The good news: I've lost 10 pounds! The bad news: My breath is atrocious! What's going on, and how can I freshen up?

Dear Pharmacist,

In a recent column, you stated that fennel tea is good for gas and bloating. I’ve seen it as a vegetable in my grocery store, but how do I make it into a tea, and what else is it good for? 

--H.S., Crystal River, Florida

Q: Recently, I saw something called "red tea" in the stores and the label said it was caffeine-free. Could this version give me the same health benefits of tea without the caffeine?

Dear Dr. Mirkin,

Which blood test is a better predictor of heart attacks: CRP or cholesterol?

Q: I’m in my 60s and was diagnosed with asthma a couple of years ago. I was put on an albuterol inhaler, but my insurance made me switch doctors—and my new doctor prescribed Advair and Singulair. I don’t know much about them, but I’ve heard about some scary side effects. I’m not sure whether I should take them.

––Ann B., St. Paul, MN

Q: I've been bringing frozen “diet” lunches to work for weeks, but an hour after eating, I'm starving. I've even started stealing coworkers' snacks from the refrigerator! The other day I heard somebody mention the “kitchen thief,” and I wanted to crawl under my desk. I'm afraid I'm just too lazy to lose! What can I do?

Dear Pharmacist,

Two people in my neighborhood have pancreatic cancer, and my favorite actor Patrick Swayze died of it.  What is going on?  What do you know about this and how can we protect ourself? 

--E.D. New York City