Probiotics are among the most commonly used dietary supplements. They’re typically marketed to improve “digestive health”. But what are they? How do probiotics compare to prebiotics? And what are their health benefits? Let’s talk about “digestive health”, and how pro- and prebiotics fit into the picture. Digestion Digestion starts as soon as we put food in our mouth. From chewing and saliva production all the way into the stomach and
Ever since Medicare Part D began covering prescription drugs in 2006, beneficiaries have been frustrated by surprise costs. Well, to be fair, folks were SO glad to finally have prescription drug coverage at first that there was more happiness than frustration. Up until that point, most Medicare beneficiaries had to pay out of pocket for all their medications. So Part D coverage was a huge step forward. But over the
Maintaining good health takes a fair amount of effort. We depend on information we learn about diet, physical activity, air quality, infectious diseases, and more. For those of us who take prescription medications, our health also depends on knowledge about those meds. Pharmacist-Provided Counseling Many of you have heard me speak publicly (or privately) about the importance of pharmacist-provided education and counseling. Research has shown that meeting regularly with your
In our fall post about the 24-25 flu and Covid-19 vaccines, I pointed out that guidelines change, and to stay tuned for updated information. Well, here it is! The CDC published new guidelines for both pneumococcal and Covid-19 vaccines a couple of months ago. (No changes to guidelines for the current influenza season, at least so far.) Pneumococcal vaccine We call it the pneumonia vaccine because it protects us from