Too Many Supplements Unnecessary

January 2, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have a question I’m sure has never been addressed in your column. I cannot seem to lose weight. I’m 82 years old, 5 feet tall, and weigh 159 pounds. My doctor doesn’t give me any answers.

I’m on Metoprolol Succinate, Plavix, Crestor, a multi-vitamin for women and Centrum Silver, Vitamin D, vitamin B12, a low-dose aspirin, calcium with vitamin D, COQ10, folic acid and fish oil.

I had a stent put in 1 ½ years ago and try to follow a healthy diet. I go to Curves 4 or 5 times a week.

DEAR READER:
Before I address your weight, I would like to review your daily medication schedule.

I agree with the metoprolol succinate (Toprol), Plavix and Crestor prescribed by your primary physician or cardiologist. What I question is the bevy of over-the-counter [Read more...]

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Sunday Column

November 30, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
For the past two years I have experience a skipped heart beat. Sometimes it gets so bad that I will get a headache. I underwent an ultrasound after an EKG showed the defect, but the results were negative for any substantial blockage of arteries and valves.

The doctor said it could be some damaged tissue. A nurse told me it could be stress.

Right now I am 6’5” tall, weigh 400 pounds, 40 years old and haven‘t had a cigarette in three years. My vision is blurred during the time my heart skips. I’m on Clonidine, Verapamil and Simvastatin to control my blood pressure and my (sometimes) escalated heart rate.

DEAR READER:
I can only interpret you are referring to palpitations, irregular beats of the heart. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 17, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have been looking for your books “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cook Book”. I have not had any success in locating either. Where can I purchase copies? Is it available in a pocketbook size?

DEAR READER:
Both books are available at most bookstores and online at www.Amazon.com. If your local bookstore does not carry them, ask them to order them for you.

To get you started, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Sunday Column

May 11, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a former professor of analytic chemistry who taught at a major university in Florida.

I am writing regarding a column you wrote about human sensitivity to sugar substitutes. I totally agree with you. The recent explosion of obesity in our society is staggering. I would like to say that there IS hope.

A few years ago, I discovered that natural, pure fructose (fruit sugar) was available. It can be made easily by adding an enzyme to high fructose corn syrup. This enzyme consumes the glucose, leaving only the fructose.

I use fructose in my iced teas, cookies, and more. I purchase pure fructose from Bob’s Red Mill in Milwaukee, OR but am sure there are other sources around the country as well.

Before using pure fructose, I weighed 163 pounds. I now weight 149 pounds. I recommend trying this type of sweetener for those who want to “kick” the processed sugar or sugar substitute habit,

DEAR DOCTOR: Fructose is a great sweetener. I was not aware that it could be purchased as a sugar substitute. I often urge people who want to lose weight to consume fresh or dried fruit rather than sugary, fatty snacks. It is a beneficial way to please the sweet tooth without the unnecessary carbs and empty calories.

In my books, “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cook Book”, I have recipes for naturally sweetened deserts and a “syrup” made with dried fruit. Fructose, potassium and vitamins are abundant in over-ripe and dried fruits

I encourage my readers to try fructose in place of sugar and sugar substitutes and then report back to me. Is it easily used in baking? Drinks? What about ease of purchase? I will print a follow-up column once I have several responses back.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Sunday Column

April 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have had toenail fungus for 15 or 20 years. It has spread to all my toes despite my attempts to cure it. I used tea tree oil for about six months with no change, iodine for about four weeks with little change and soaking my nails in Listerine nightly for six or eight weeks with no change. I have used Vicks VapoRub twice now, the first time for six months with change only in one toe but it didn’t last. My most recent experience with it has not shown any results, despite using it twice a day for one year. I put it on liberally and then put on socks.

Can you please advise me about what else I can do? Do I still have non-medication options? Should I now consider using those expensive anti-fungal pills?

I am a 60-year-old female, 50 pounds overweight and take metoprolol, simvastatin, Wellbutrin, L-tryptophan (for my depression, it works great), and several vitamin supplements. I try to eat healthfully and exercise by walking, meditating and doing Tai Chi. I have a stent but a recent stress test and echocardiogram show no blockages. I used to smoke a pack a day for 25 years but quit (which is when the extra weight came on).

I would appreciate any suggestions you can give me.

DEAR READER:
Toenail fungus can be especially difficult to treat. You appear to have unsuccessfully tried several home remedies.

Only one of your medications, simvastatin, lists changes to hair or nails as a side effect but I doubt that this is the cause of your nail problems. Interestingly, both simvastatin and metoprolol list depression as a side effect. With your history, I wonder if these medications are appropriate choices for you. Another fact to consider is that Wellbutrin can cause cardiac problems. Because you have a stent, perhaps this is also not the best choice. L-typtophan is an amino acid that naturally occurs in the body. It is a precursor to serotonin, which may be why you have had success using it for treatment of your depression.

Now to your nail fungus, there is a new over-the-counter ointment that you may wish to try called Miranel. It works similarly to Vicks but has the added benefit of being able to penetrate the skin and nails more easily, allowing it to work more effectively. Remember to keep your nails trimmed short for faster results. The kit which contains a nail file for easy nail trimming, a brush for a less messy application and the ointment is available at Wal-Mart and most pharmacies. You can also purchase it online at www.MiranelBrands.com.

In my opinion, however, now is the time to consult a podiatrist. This specialist will be able to take samples of your nail fungus and determine what type it is. This will also then allow him or her to give you treatment options. Not all nail fungus is the same. You may have a particularly resistant or uncommon type. That being said, a pharmacist recently wrote to me saying that those “expensive anti-fungal pills” were available as a generic at Wal-Mart for $4. So while the medication may not be as expensive as it once was (if you live near a Wal-Mart, at least), it still is not my top choice. You must have blood work before starting the treatment to ensure there are no problems with your liver, and both during and after treatment to ensure that your liver was not adversely affected by the pills. Nail fungus is not harmful, it is simply ugly. I recommend you avoid medication until you have exhausted every other option.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Dr. Gott’s Compelling Home Remedies”, “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Consumer Tips on Medicine”. Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 (per report) to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

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Daily Column

March 25, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have been reading your column for many years and have a great deal of respect for your advice. I think your diet of no sugar and no flour is perhaps the best way to lose weight, but my problem is to lose weight in the right places. Does it matter where the calories come from where the weight goes? I am 81 years old, 5’3” tall, and weigh 125-130 pounds. I don’t feel that I need to lose much, but every ounce I eat seems to settle on my belly and hips.

My size 8-10 clothes still fit but they look so different with my belly. I read constantly about losing belly fat in three to five weeks. Can I lose weight in a particular area of my body by eating a different diet? I love carbohydrates, always have, and find it difficult to give them up. I would, however, if I thought it would help. While I do overindulge at times, I most often keep that habit to a minimum.

Please help me with this troubling situation. I will thank you forever if you can give me some sane advice.

DEAR READER:
First, I must commend you on being 81 years old and weighing what you do. Many individuals your age — men and women — lose interest in their looks and how they present to the public.

In all likelihood, your prominent abdomen is not caused by the type of food you eat. Your intake of calories from specific foods will not result in weight distribution to an area of your body of which you approve or disapprove. Consider your whole body; it’s unlikely you can gain weight in your arms or legs, shoulders or ankles. By the process of elimination, an abdomen is a natural location for weight to accumulate. I surmise you probably do not exercise as much and are not as active as you once were. This alone can lead to weight in areas where you don’t want it to be.

You don’t mention any medical conditions that would lead to the change in your stature. A heart condition, arthritis, or hypertension might restrict you somewhat, but mild exercise might help all of the diagnoses I’ve mentioned. If you have a diagnosis of concern, I would suggest you speak with your primary care physician for his or her direction on appropriate options.

Then, if your doctor is in agreement, you might consider a walk around the block each day, modified sit-ups, or yoga. In fact, if you have a health club or nursing association in your neighborhood, the personnel there can direct you as to appropriate exercise. Remember to begin slowly and work up to a comfortable program.
When all is said and done, you just might feel better and will find those size 8-10 dresses fit better in the long run. Good luck.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Sunday Column

March 16, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I hope you can give me an answer to my problem which is about to drive me nuts!

I am a 50-year-old male, 5’9” tall, somewhat well muscled yet, have a 36” waist, and weigh 190 pounds. I drink alcohol on occasion, never smoked, have no health problems and take no medication. My daily diet consists of coffee and one cookie in the morning, water and a sandwich with mustard for lunch, and a well-balanced supper.

I don’t use sugar in my coffee or tea. I don’t drink soda or sugary juices and don’t eat iced cream, baked goods, chips, junk or fast food.

I work at a seasonal job doing turf maintenance from April until the end of October. In that time, I will lose ½ to ¾ pound each week until I get laid off in October. During November my weight loss levels off and is maintained easily because I am quite active outdoors hunting and the like. Sometimes I’ll lose a pound or two during that time. Then comes December! I’ll gain a pound per day (almost all belly fat) for the first two weeks and then will gain between two and five pounds more the last two weeks. The weight gain then stops and I have to work like heck to get it off. This has been going on for almost ten years and only happens in December. Nothing in my diet changes. In fact, the only change in my lifestyle is that I do not get up every day at 4:30 AM. Otherwise, I’m just as active as when I’m working.

Is it possible that a genetic or chemical trigger is set off in me because of the shortness of daylight or could it be something else? I’m ready to explode because I’m so frustrated. I wish I could skip December altogether or go into hibernation.

DEAR READER:
A person will ordinarily gain weight when the caloric input exceeds the caloric needs. Your conscientious approach to a healthful lifestyle is remarkable; in fact, your caloric intake is far from being extreme. I’m tempted to blame your “belly fat” on stress, a condition that causes increased waistlines for most of us. With your obvious concern about your end-of-year annual weight gain, you may enter December with trepidation and your system may adversely react and cause you to store excess fat despite your diet and activity level.

Do you attend many family or community parties during the holidays that might provide empty calories? If not, perhaps something as simple as additional coffee ingested daily during the winter months might slow your calorie consumption. To explore this possibility you may want to write down everything you eat and drink in December, as well as your exercise habits, to determine if there is an alteration in your daily routine. Perhaps you are consuming more or are less active than you think. By keeping a journal you can go back and review it. You may even find a pattern of which you were completely unaware.

I recommend that you address your concerns with your family physician. For instance, you may want to have your metabolism checked with a thyroid blood test. In fact, after taking your history, your physician might consider other blood tests that may provide the missing pieces to your puzzling weight gain. At the very least, your doctor can follow your weight loss/gain to identify any reasonable cause for it.

It appears that you are healthy. Your weight depends on calories. This relation can have a genetic basis. Were either of your parents or your siblings troubled by inexplicable weight alterations? If so, treatment for your pattern would be different. Maybe it’s time to relax and not be perturbed by your modest winter alterations. What you gain in December is basically what you are losing in the summer. I don’t believe you need to worry about your loss/gain pattern. However, your family physician can help you.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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