The editor in chief of the Harvard Health Letter introduces a special section in this month's issue focusing on feet.

As fish stocks dwindle, we may find ourselves eating other sorts of seafood. Is shellfish a good alternative?

If it's just your own health you're worried about, eating lots of fish is a good idea. All that protein. Those omega-3 fats. Sure, you don't want to go overboard with the swordfish and other species known to contain mercury, but otherwise, eat up — it's good for your heart, and maybe your brain.

But if you're worried about the environment, and ocean ecosystems in particular, those fish dinners may come with some serious misgivings. Fish stocks in many of the ...

Many overdoses are accidental, so the FDA may require new warnings on the popular pain reliever and lower the daily limit.

For a long time, acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, has seemed to be the safe bet among the commonly available pain relievers.

Aspirin can be hard on the stomach and is out of the question for young children because of its link to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition that affects the brain and liver. Ibuprofen, naproxen, the other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — they're also hard on the gut. And if you take them ...

Special section: Feet How your feet work — and three steps for keeping them healthy Standing and walking on two legs has many advantages over depending on four, six, or even eight, but it does mean we ask a lot of our poor two feet. They need to provide a steady base for the rest of the body to perch upon. They serve as shock absorbers as we walk, smoothing out the impact of landing with a force that exceeds our body weight. Run, and there’s even more force and a need for cushioning. They act as levers that propel ...

Special section: Feet Agonies of the feet: Four common foot problems Bunions

They develop when the joint formed by the metatarsal and proximal phalanx bones of the big toe fall out of their normal, relatively straight alignment and angle out, creating an outward bulge at the base of the big toe. The bursa that cushions the joint may also get inflamed and enlarge. Often the end of the metatarsal bone becomes larger and misshapen.

Causes. Some people have a natural tendency to develop bunions because the big toe’s metatarsal bone is splayed out to begin with. Wear-and-tear and being ...

Special section: Feet A guided tour down the foot aisle For some conditions and body parts, the drugstore has little to offer. Not so for the feet. You'll almost always find several shelves of products for the pedal extremities. We asked Dr. James P. Ioli, the guest editor of this special section, to accompany us on a trip to a drugstore near our offices. Here is a list of some of the foot products we saw there, along with Dr. Ioli's comments.

Arch bandage Might make the arch feel better and more supported, but it isn't going to change the ...

I read your article about hammertoes. Are flip-flops really that bad for your feet?

I had bunion surgery five years ago. I thought it would fix the problem. Now the bunion has come back. Should I get bunion surgery again?

I know high heels are bad for the feet, but when I switched to flats, my feet started to hurt. Why?