Mental Health Notes Etcetera
Pharmacists’ top over-the-counter-meds
Many people use over-the -counter [OTC] medications to treat their every day health problems, But among the many choices, are any brands better than others? In this article, a reporter gives the results of a survey of 5000 pharmacists who were asked to pick their
favorite OTC remedies. The list includes the pharmacists’ brand name picks for treating such conditions as headaches, heartburn, itchy eyes, colds, allergies, and motion sickness.
Orange, apple juices may also interfere with the proper absorption of medications.
Grapefruit juice isn’t the only fruit juice that interferes with the proper absorption of medications. A new study has found that orange and apple juice may also not mix well with meds. Researchers say grapefruit juice has been known to dangerously increase the amount of medication absorbed into the body--particularly drugs for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. But a new study by the same researchers has found that apple, orange, and grapefruit juice may also decrease the absorption of some meds, including drugs commonly used to treat diabetes, cancer, allergies, and some antibiotics.
“Hope therapy” may fight depression
Researchers say there is a growing body of evidence that hope therapy may be a powerful way to fight depression. For example, in one study researchers looked at 97 adults who were losing their sight as well their caregivers. As expected, investigators found that caregivers were more likely to have significant depressive symptoms if the patients were depressed. But caregivers who scored higher on measures of hope showed fewer depressive symptoms, even if the people they care for were depressed. And researchers say the good news about hope is that it’s something that can be taught and developed.
Source URL:http://www\. medtractalert.com/content/….