What does this query do? Can it be removed or optimized?

[rs2k]

select count(p.products_id) as total from products_description pd, products p left join manufacturers m on p.manufacturers_id = m.manufacturers_id left join specials s on p.products_id = s.products_id, products_to_categories p2c where p.products_status = '1' and p.products_id = p2c.products_id and pd.products_id = p2c.products_id and pd.language_id = '1' and p2c.categories_id = '1023'

 

 

 

This query is one of the few left that really need to be optimize in out largest store.

 

It seems any query with a join slows down the site.

[sLaV-]

This query is just counting how many products are in category with ID 1023