The People's Pharmacy: Soap again saves the day - or rather, the night

When I read about putting soap under the sheet to stop nighttime leg cramps, I thought it could not possibly work. How could it make any difference at all?

Several family members convinced me to try it. For weeks, I had no leg cramps at all. Then suddenly they were back with a vengeance.

I wondered why this odd remedy had quit working and realized that my husband had changed the sheets. I didn't know if he had put my soap back, and when I checked, I found he had not. Anyone who thinks this is all in someone's head is just plain wrong! I had no idea the soap was no longer in place, yet I suddenly started having leg cramps again. When I replaced the bar, they disappeared. If you are a skeptic, just give it a try.

What a great testimonial! We offer the details on this and many other remedies for leg cramps and restless legs in our Guide to Leg Pain.

Anyone who would like a copy, 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. RLS-5, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website, www.peoplespharmacy.com. Perhaps someday there will be a scientific explanation for why putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet near the legs can keep the muscles from cramping.

I am a 56-year-old man dealing with a recurring yeast infection in my groin. I am probably 10 pounds overweight, and blood tests show no signs of diabetes.

My dermatologist has prescribed econazole cream, which seems to control but not cure it. I try not to use cortisone creams.

What can I do to prevent this? Shower twice a day? Move to Tucson, Ariz.?

You might be surprised by our recommendation. Several readers suggest that applying Listerine to the affected area once or twice a day can make a difference for a yeast infection like this.

Here is one other thing you might try along with the original-formula Listerine. Some people without diabetes nonetheless find it much easier to control common skin yeast such as seborrheic dermatitis by avoiding foods that make blood sugar (and insulin) rise rapidly. A low-glycemic diet that features lots of vegetables and whole grains instead of processed food made with flour and sugar also is good for general health.

When my mother w

Comment on "The People's Pharmacy: Soap again saves the day - or rather, the night"