Toothpaste lets her cuddle kitty

Q. I have had a significant cat allergy for more than 25 years, but I recently got a cat on a trial basis after my dog died. I’ve been treating symptoms such as wheezing and itchy eyes with prescription medicines. I started brushing my teeth with Crest toothpaste for sensitive teeth after hearing a caller on your radio show say it helped his asthma. Now my allergy symptoms have almost completely disappeared. I’m only using Flonase because I KNOW I have a cat allergy! Why is this working?

A. We were surprised when a caller told us that Crest Sensitivity Toothpaste had helped his asthma. The active ingredient is potassium nitrate (saltpeter). This compound was used long ago as a treatment for asthma and arthritis.

We doubt that there could be enough potassium nitrate in toothpaste to have much pharmacological activity, but we find your story fascinating..

Q. Much to my surprise, I was diagnosed several months ago with depression and anxiety. I have had a number of life adventures the past few years, and I guess they have caught up with me. The doctor gave me a prescription for Celexa, but I have not tried it yet. I am very hesitant to start an SSRI, as I have read about side effects and difficulties getting off it. Are there any more benign remedies I could try? I bike daily, try to eat right and continue to fight through day to day, but the battle is wearing me down. Am I being overly concerned about Celexa?

A. SSRI-type antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) can help ease symptoms for some. They don’t work for everyone, and there are numerous potential side effects. In addition, it can sometimes be hard to discontinue such drugs.

Even more vigorous exercise might be helpful (Psychosomatic Medicine, September-October 2007), as may supplements such as fish oil or the herb St. John’s wort. We are sending you our Guide to Dealing With Depression so that you and your doctor can discuss these concerns and evaluate whether nondrug approaches such as light therapy, talk therapy or high-dose fish oil might be appropriate. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. E-7, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. My husband has complained about my noisy breathing during the night because it sometimes kept him up. On your website there is a tip from a man who used the wristbands for seasickness to help with his snoring instead. That has really worked for me.

A. Thanks for the testimonial. These elastic wristbands have a plastic button designed to press on an acupressure point. A few studies on acupressure for insomnia have been done in Taiwan and Korea (International Journal of Nursing Studies, July 2010) and show that acupressure helps.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Favorite Foods From The People’s Pharmacy: Mother Nature’s Medicine.”

2010 King Features Syndicate Inc.