People's Pharmacy

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Can Toilet Seat Transmit Herpes?

Posting Date: 08/09/2004

Q. I took your advice and massaged Listerine into my scalp. Within two weeks my dandruff and itching disappeared. Thanks!

A. While the FDA has not approved Listerine for dandruff, the company used to advertise it for this purpose. The herbal essences in Listerine, including thymol and eucalyptol, may fight the fungus believed responsible for dandruff.

Q. At my last checkup, my TSH was very high (21). My memory isn?t as good as it used to be, my eyebrows are disappearing on the outer edge, my cholesterol is up and I don?t feel very energetic.

My main concern is that I eat a lot of foods like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radishes, mustard greens and soy-containing cereals. I find them tasty and I am consciously trying to lose weight with diet and exercise. I am interested in any information you can give me about this. Could my diet throw the TSH reading off?

A. The soy and cabbage-family foods you love could be interfering with your thyroid gland. Your high TSH level and your symptoms (including the high cholesterol and vanishing eyebrows) may indicate inadequate thyroid hormone.

For more information on thyroid diagnosis, treatment and diet concerns, we are sending you our Guide to Thyroid Hormones. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. T-4, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org. Their newest book is The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (St. Martin's Press).