'health' posts

An estimated 1.6 million Americans are currently following a gluten free diet, though many have never been diagnosed with celiac sprue (also known as celiac disease).  Patients commonly ask me about celiac sprue and gluten free diets, so I will try to answer some of these questions. The first question I get is what is celiac sprue or celiac disease.

What is celiac sprue?

In celiac sprue, the ingestion of gluten causes inflammatory damage to the lining of the small intestine.   Gluten is a protein, very common in our diet, found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. (Ed. note - see this chart from the NIDDK that shows other ingredients and items that may contain gluten.)  In people with celiac sprue, the usually large absorptive surface of the small intestine is flattened from damage, significantly limiting its ability to absorb nutrients. 

Though celiac sprue is estimated to affect approximately 1.8 million Americans, many are unaware they have the disease. 

What are the symptoms of celiac sprue?

Celiac sprue causes a variety of symptoms.  They can range in intensity from very mild to debilitating.  Some of the most common signs and symptoms are:.

As the summer months creep up on us, the weather is getting warmer and shorts and swimsuits are beckoning us from the closet. For many people, this brings excitement (vacations! outdoor activities!) but for others, the thought of showing off varicose and spider veins means avoiding those summer clothes.

Though they may be painful or embarrassing, varicose and spider veins are common and can be treated. Don’t let them get in the way of your summer plans and comfort!

Varicose veins are large, raised blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. They may look bumpy or twisted. Along with their “little brothers,” spider veins, varicose veins are most often found in the legs and are caused by weak or damaged vein valves. This causes blood to pool instead of being pumped back to the heart. Women are more likely to have varicose and spider veins and this risk increases with age and hormone changes (like pregnancy and menopause).

What you can do:

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has proven to be effective in the treatment of seizures. In fact, the ketogenic diet is one of the oldest and most effective treatments available for patients with seizures regardless of age, from infancy through adulthood. The ketogenic diet must only be started under direct medical supervision.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the ketogenic diet:

What is the ketogenic diet?
The ketogenic diet is a special high-fat diet that often includes heavy cream, butter and vegetable oils to provide the necessary fat. The diet eliminates carbohydrate rich foods such as bread, rice, cereals, pasta, cookies, and cakes.

How effective is the diet at controlling or eliminating seizures?
Studies that have followed children on the diet for long periods reveal that at least 2/3 of all children on the diet have a significant reduction in seizures by over half. 1/3 of children on the diet will have a greater than 90% reduction in seizures, with half of these children ....

I have been asked many times “Why do you run so much?” And my typical answer is “Why do you not run?”

I run a couple full marathons and several half marathons a year. I train seriously for them and am competitive. And I love it! There is no better connection to your body than when you are working out hard. But I have also noticed that it does something else for me: it has improved my health and my skin.

Regular exercise is one of the keys to healthy skin, in addition to improving your heart, lungs and muscles.

Exercising promotes increase blood flow to your organs and your skin is the largest organ in your body. Increased blood flow to the skin means increase in nutrients provided to your skin. The blood will carry away the waste products, toxins and free radicals that are produced by our hard working skin cells.

In addition, exercising lowers stress and that can reduce the aging process of our skin. There are various skin conditions that improve when one exercises such as eczema and acne. Muscle tones are also improved. There has been no clinical studies analyzing collagen production and stress, but I would gather collagen production decreases with increase in our stress level.

Of course, you should take precautions when exercising in severe weather such as extreme cold, wind or heat. Protect yourself from these elements before heading out. With our wonderful sun out these days, follows these simple tips:

Summertime means that we residents of the beautiful Northwest will be outside as much as we possibly can.  There are two potential sources of damage to our ears which are of greater concern during the summer.

First, our ears are subject to sunburn.  Many of the hats we wear do not protect the ears from damaging exposure to sunlight.  Consider wearing a hat with a brim that extends completely around the head, rather than the baseball type hat which many of us wear.  Also, remember to apply sunscreen to the ears.  It is easy to forget them. 

Secondly, summertime means increased exposure to noise from yard maintenance tools or other power tools.  Injurious levels of noise are produced by almost every power saw, power sander, nail gun, weed eater, leaf blower, roto-tiller, power washer, and shop vac.  Ear plugs....

Summer is a wonderful time of year to be active outdoors. Sunny days provide so many fun activities for children to get exercise and stay healthy. While enjoying the warm weather, it’s important to be aware of potential injuries and take the necessary precautions to keep kids safe. Here are three summer safety tips to keep in mind:

Helmets

Kids should always wear a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard, scooter or in-line skates. Helmets can prevent traumatic brain injury and save lives!  A child should wear a helmet on short or long rides (no one can ever predict when an injury may occur).

Make sure the helmet meets safety standards and fits appropriately.  The helmet should be worn level on the head, covering the forehead.  The strap should be tightened enough to allow only two fingers between the chin and strap.  As a parent, make sure to be a good role model for your child and wear a helmet.

Open Windows

It is common to open windows during hot days to allow for cool fresh air.  For kids, the screen is a misleading barrier between the indoors and outdoors.  Screens are meant to pop off easily in the case of an emergency.  A child leaning against a screen ...

How do you prevent sports related injuries? Here are four tips: