Q: I really enjoyed your radio show about home remedies. I’d like to add my voice to those who enjoy and tout the benefits of chicken soup. But I want to mention a very special kind — the chicken noodle soup that you can get in Chinese restaurants and carry-outs. The broth is excellent, and the chicken bits and long noodles are a delight. A bowl or two of this soup seems to mellow the symptoms of colds and flu and produce a sense of well-being.

I really came to appreciate the soup when I caught COVID-19 in September. It was one of the few things that I could taste. Adding a snipped-up green onion to my chicken noodle soup seems to boost the soup’s benefit. And it really adds to the flavor. Chicken soup is a wonderful healing food.

A: We certainly agree with you on the benefits of chicken soup to help people feel better as they recover from an upper respiratory tract infection. Scientists have not studied this venerable home remedy in depth. However, a quarter of a century ago, researchers published a study demonstrating some anti-inflammatory properties of chicken soup (Chest, October 2000).

A few years later, an expert in evidence-based medicine for influenza urged people to use safe treatments for symptom relief (Current Infectious Disease Reports, May 2002). As he pointed out, few things are safer than chicken soup.

We can’t speak to the medicinal power of slices of scallion, but we agree that they taste good. Scientists in China take the flavor of chicken soup seriously and have developed an ultrasonic- assisted stewing technique to maximize the taste (Food Chemistry X, Jan. 15, 2025).

Q: I was taking esomeprazole for heartburn. The instructions said to use it for two weeks, but the doctor said I could continue to take it as long as I needed it. I took it for five years!

During that time, I developed brain fog so bad that I could not figure out how to cook simple recipes — even with the instructions in front of me. To wean myself off the esomeprazole, I relied on Carafate (sucralfate) to combat the heartburn. Has anyone else reported confusion or forgetfulness while taking such a drug?

A: Only a few other readers have connected the use of a proton pump inhibitor, or PPI, such as omeprazole with cognitive difficulties. However, an international team of scientists has reported that PPIs can interfere with the body’s ability to make acetylcholine (Alzheimer’s & Dementia, July 2020). This neurotransmitter is critical for proper brain function. Consequently, they suggest that older people and those who might be more susceptible to dementia should limit their use of PPIs (ACS Chemical Neuroscience, Feb. 15, 2023).

Q: I read about putting Liquid Bandage on skin tags to get rid of them. When I tried this method, the smell of the Liquid Bandage was so awful, I couldn’t keep up the treatments. I could smell it all day long, and I know others around me could, too. What other suggestions do you have?

A: One option you might want to consider is an over-the-counter option such as Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away Skin Tag Remover or a similar product. Dr. Scholl’s contains dimethyl ether, propane and isobutane. When applied to the skin, this mixture is considered cryotherapy and freezes the skin tag tissue. It should fall off within a week or so. When in doubt, check with a dermatologist.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Send questions to them via www.peoplespharmacy.com.