[Self-medication and safety]. / Automédication et sécurité.

Most drugs used for self-medication act on pain, diarrhea, constipation, gastric acid hypersecretion, or allergic diseases. They are generally well-tolerated, provided the recommended dose regimen is respected. Most adverse effects result from misuse (wrong indication, overdose, interactions, etc.). Self-medication can also be harmful by masking an underlying disease. Most of these untoward effects are avoidable. Severe adverse effects requiring hospital admission are easy to identify, but some milder reactions may only be discovered by chance. We discuss how to improve the safety of self-medication, particularly by involving public health stakeholders such as general practitioners, pharmacists and pharmaceutical firms, both through personal contact with self-medication users and through the mass media.

[Observations on eating]. / Remarques sur l'alimentation.

How the epidemic obesity appeared in the United States during the eighties. Respective intake of fats, proteins and saccharides in the diet is notified. Sugars such as sucrose provide pleasure and reward specially by infants and children. Lactose occurs in the life of the newborn with a peculiar situation; its sweetening effect is weak and devoid of any neurochemical stimulation. The amounts of lipids and sugars in the daily diet are frequently excessive if physical activity is inappropriate. TV dinners are specially endangered. Eating too much snacks disrupts the physiological rhythm of the digestive economy. The carbonated soft beverages' are used instead of water, affording large amounts of inapparent sugars. Ice creams are often too rich in sugars and lipids. Fruits and vegetable fibers fail in the diet.