Natural remedy damages muscles

Q. At the recommendation of my doctor, I began taking red yeast rice (RYR) to lower my cholesterol. Within a month, my arms started to hurt. Soon the pain was so bad that I stopped taking RYR. Ten weeks later, my upper-arm muscles are still excruciatingly painful. Is there any way to undo this muscle damage?

A. Red yeast rice is a natural product that contains compounds similar to prescription statins. Many people assume that it is harmless because it is natural and available over the counter. There is limited Food and Drug Administration supervision of such dietary supplements, and therefore purity and dose can’t be guaranteed. Some people seem especially susceptible to muscle damage from statin-type medications to lower cholesterol. Drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor) all can cause muscle pain or even a rare condition called rhabdomyolysis. Red yeast rice also can cause muscle problems. It is hard to say how long it may take for your muscles to recover. Adding Coenzyme Q10 to your regimen might help.

Q. My husband and I have begun using pectin in grape juice and find it really helps ease our aches and pains. We started with liquid Certo, one packet to a half-gallon of purple grape juice. We drank a cup a day. I now use pure pectin powder (Pomona’s Universal Pectin). I sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon gently on a cup of juice and then run the mixture in the blender for a minute or two. This gets frothy, but pectin clumps if you just drop it in the juice. Do not use juice that has been fortified with calcium. The pectin won’t dissolve. Certo costs about $3 for a jug of juice. Pure pectin powder works out to about 50 cents a jug.

A. Thanks for the detailed information on using pectin in purple grape juice. Other readers have found pomegranate or cherry juice also works. Anyone who would like more details on such natural approaches for easing pain and inflammation may be interested in our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis. Please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (64 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. AA-2, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. During my military career, I discovered a way to avoid getting athlete’s foot. I tried most of the products on the market, but it always came back. I thought about how to get my feet very dry after showering and started using a hair dryer. I’ve been doing this for about 40 years and have not had a problem with athlete’s foot since.

A. Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungal infection. These organisms love moist, warm skin, so using the hair dryer to remove moisture between the toes makes sense. Readers tell us that soaking feet in a solution of white vinegar (one part vinegar to two parts of water) can be helpful because it makes the skin inhospitable to fungus. Adding some old-fashioned amber Listerine to the mixture also may assist in clearing up an infection.

2011 King Features Syndicate, Inc.