by Dr. Peter Gott, M.D. and staff.
Reviewed by Board Certified physician.

Articles from the ‘Daily Column’

Does hepatitis patient belong in restaurant?

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: Should a person with hepatitis be a restaurant cook? Is there any danger to the customers?

DEAR READER: Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver and to a group of viral infections that affect the liver. There are actually five types: A, B, C, D and E.

A is contracted from the hepatitis A virus. It is spread through the ingestion of food or drink contaminated by infected feces. This is one reason why it is mandated that employees in the food industry wash their hands following a visit to the lavatory during their work shift.
(more…)

Tags: hepatitis, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hepatitis d, hepatitis e, liver disease
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

Newest diet fad should be avoided

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been reading about a diet using hCG drops on Facebook. Apparently, three drops under the tongue three times a day rids you of hunger pain, and then you only eat 500 calories a day for a month with a loss of 30 pounds a month. What do you know about this drug?
DEAR READER: This diet fad frightens me.

First, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is an FDA-approved prescription-only drug for fertility. HCG is a hormone present in pregnant women’s urine and was first discovered in 1927. To this day, physicians look for this hormone to determine pregnancy. Levels peak at around 14 weeks’ gestation and then drop off for the remainder of the pregnancy.
(more…)

Tags: diet fad, hCG diet, human chorionic gonadotropin
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

Flu shot recommendations

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: With flu season just around the corner, I wonder what the recommendation is this year for getting a shot. With three young children to care for, I cannot afford to be sick, but I really hate to subject my body to unnecessary shots if I don’t need them.

DEAR READER: It’s rather fortuitous that your inquiry reached me today — the same time I received a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services on this very subject.
(more…)

Tags: flu, flu season, flu shot, flu vaccine, influenza
Posted in Daily Column | No Comments »

Kidney-failure diagnosis can be tricky

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am an 86-year-old doctor’s daughter concerned that both my parents died of kidney failure, although I never knew how it happened.

Perhaps you could tell me what steps I should take first to deal with it, as I just got a report from my doctor indicating that I have chronic kidney disease that has stabilized. What does that mean?

DEAR READER: The kidneys are fist-sized, bean-shaped organs located at the back of the upper abdomen. Their purpose is to filter and clean blood. When the kidneys lose their ability to perform as intended, the condition is known as kidney failure. Stabilized failure simply means that your kidneys have lost some function but are no longer deteriorating.
(more…)

Tags: kidney disease, kidney failure, poor kidney function
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

How to get a NFNS diet book

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like to receive a copy of your “No Flour, No Sugar Diet.” How may I order it?

DEAR READER: Oddly enough, your request is not unique. I receive inquiries every day, and my website has specific instructions for ordering. Most of my books are offered on the bottom of the “About” page, but if a reader doesn’t scroll to the bottom of the page, the section is likely missed. We are presently working on a more user-friendly site with better links that will assist readers. In any event, follow the links that will take you directly to Amazon.com. Thank you for your inquiry.

Tags: diet book, NFNS diet, No Flour No Sugar diet
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

Kyphosis will ease as teen stops growing

Friday, September 17th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: My grandson, who is 15, was just diagnosed with type II Scheuermann disease of the spine. This was discovered when he had X-rays following a minor moped accident. His doctor has prescribed a muscle relaxant and an anti-inflammatory, along with having him go to physical therapy. What can you tell me about this disease? Will he need to be on medication the rest of his life? Is there a cure for it? What is the cause, and is it hereditary?

His mother has a Harrington’s rod on her spine for scoliosis. Thank you for any information you can provide.
(more…)

Tags: adolescent kyphosis, curvature of the spine, kyphosis, Scheuermann disease, Scheuermann disease of the spine
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

SLS-free toothpaste relieves dry lips

Friday, September 17th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: Regarding SLS-free toothpaste, the Tom’s of Maine I recently bought does contain this substance. My chief complaint is dry lips. This means I’m constantly using lip gloss. Biotene toothpaste is the only one I have found to be SLS free that solves my dry lip problem.

DEAR READER: SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is a highly effective chemical found in industrial products used to remove oil stains and residue. In lower degrees of intensity, it is found in toothpaste, shampoos, conditioners and other products. The Biotene to which you refer, and Tom’s Spearmint Paste, are SLS free. Biotene contains aloe leaf juice, which might help your dry lips, but Tom’s contains glycerin as a moistener.

Because SLS can cause mouth irritation, some manufacturers offer alternatives, but it isn’t a necessary component.

Tags: dry lips, SLS-free toothpaste
Posted in Daily Column | No Comments »

Fighting oral cancer

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: I follow your column in our local paper religiously, and your “No Flour-No Sugar” plan has made a big difference in the hypoglycemia condition that I seem to be prone to. Sadly, I don’t stick to it nearly often enough.

More specifically, I am 65 and probably an alcoholic — the result of a lifetime of bad choices and a couple of bad marriages. I live (by choice) in a fairly remote part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where medical advice is hard to come by. I also have a history of oral cancer, despite not having smoked for more than 20 years. The only ENT doc available to me has decided that the “cut it out and biopsy it” approach every three months or so is the proper one.
(more…)

Tags: alcoholism, hypoglycemia, no flour, no sugar diet, oral cancer, overweight
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

Developer of ‘gallbladder cleanse’ lied

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have a family history of gallbladder trouble, and I react badly to fatty foods. Have you heard of Dr. Hulda Clark’s recipe for a gall bladder cleanse? It is very popular, but is it safe? Sign me cautious.

DEAR CAUTIOUS READER: During Dr. Hulda Clark’s lifetime, she claimed to cure cancer, AIDS and a number of other diseases. She claimed to have held a bachelor and master’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Minnesota. The Register of Ph.D. degrees from U of M, however, indicates that Dr. Clark actually held a doctorate in zoology and minored in botany. (more…)

Tags: gall bladder cleanse, gall stones, gallbladder cleanse, gallbladder disease, gallbladder trouble, gallstones
Posted in Daily Column, Leading Letter | No Comments »

Soap under the sheets for cramps

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife follows your column in our local newspaper. She read about placing a bar of soap under the bedsheets, but needs more explanation. She suffers a lot of pains and seeks whatever help is available.

DEAR READER: The soap-under-the-sheets remedy is very simple. Place an unwrapped bar of soap under the bottom bedsheet nearest to the affected area. Some readers have had success using wrapped soap, as well. It was originally recommended for nighttime leg cramps but has also been found to be beneficial for other nighttime aches and pains in other areas, such as the shoulders, feet, back and neck. The soap may need to be replaced once in a while, say every three to six months, but it still retains its cleaning ability so it does not need to be thrown away. I suggest your wife try it since she has nothing to lose other than her pain.

Tags: cramping, leg cramps, pain, soap under the sheets
Posted in Daily Column | No Comments »

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