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 supplements of vitamins D and B12, calcium with D, and folic acid in addition to your two multivitamins. They simply aren’t necessary. Too much of a good thing isn’t always better. When taken according to packaging instructions, a daily multivitamin should contain the recommended daily allowance of the D, B12 and folic acid as well as others. I recommend you stop the Centrum Silver, vitamin D, vitamin B12 (unless you have a deficiency) and folic acid. The calcium with D is important, especially if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Coenzyme Q10 is necessary for the basic functioning of cells. As an individual ages and for those with chronic cardiac conditions, levels can drop.

The addition of fish oil should help lower your triglyceride levels and slow the progression of atherosclerotic plaque.

Speak with your physician to determine if the 81 mg aspirin is appropriate. He or she may feel the Toprol and Plavix are sufficient.

If you choose, deplete your supply of the unnecessary supplements, rather than discarding them or giving them away. Then put your money into a good daily supplement that fills your requirements. Before making any selection, read the ingredient panel so you can be assured you are getting what you require. Continue the Co-Q10 and fish oil.

While you eat well, perhaps you simply need slight redirection. Caffeine can slow the progression of calorie burning. If you over-do on coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, or other caffeine-containing products, reduce your consumption. Foods made with flour and sugar can retard weight loss. If you have a tendency to eat foods made with flour or sugar, this could be your block. Canned vegetables and soups are often high in sodium. Sodium has a tendency to make an individual retain fluids (and weight). Therefore, modify your diet to include fresh or frozen steamed vegetables. Snack on raw vegetables and fruits such as carrots, broccoli, pepper slices, celery, apples, oranges and others. Keep a supply in your refrigerator so you aren’t tempted to reach for a sugary or fatty snack that isn’t as good for you. Broil rather than fry lean cuts of fish, chicken and meat. Remove the salt shaker from your table. Avoid fried foods. You might just find your cholesterol level drops with dietary modifications. Were this the case, perhaps the Crestor can be stopped as well.

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.

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. Fortunately, the vast majority of individuals that experience the sensation do not suffer from any cardiac disease or abnormal heart rhythms. If this is not the case and your physician has told you otherwise, you should request a referral to a cardiologist and have a complete workup done.

In many instances, palpitations can be relieved by reducing stress, caffeine, alcohol, and discontinuing smoking. With that in mind, I must admit your weight is of concern to me. While you are quite tall, I would feel better if you could incorporate exercise or a weight-reduction program into your schedule. Perhaps your place of employment has a gym, or you have a community center in your area that will allow you to stop by after work.

If diet modifications are appropriate, a referral to the dietician at your local hospital or health care center might be just the ticket.

While you don’t mention stress, a coordinated program of exercise should relieve that and might even bring the palpitations under control.

I feel confident that if you can bring your weight down, your blood pressure will drop accordingly and you might be able to discontinue some or all of the medication you are on. While this might sound like a monumental task, you are a young man with a lot of hopefully healthful years ahead. Simple steps taken now might certainly head off bigger problems down the road. I recommend you try my no flour, no sugar diet since it is easy and inexpensive.

I also urge you, if you have not done so already, to limit your salt and fat intake. You do not say if you have a high cholesterol level but you are on a lowering drug. This may simply be precautionary for your abnormal heart rhythm. If, on the other hand, your cholesterol is high, reducing your fat intake could lead to a reduce or even discontinuation of the statin drug.

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

DEAR DR GOTT: This is pertaining to one of your recent columns where a lady suffered from halitosis and could not discern the cause. She mentioned she was a gum chewer.

In an attempt to stop smoking, I chewed gum all day and had exactly the same experience some years ago. I went to dentists and doctors to no avail. My family and colleagues at work learned to keep their distance. It was very embarrassing!

Eventually I discovered it was the aspartame in the chewing gum and many cups of coffee I devoured each day. Once I switched to another sweetener, the halitosis disappeared and has never returned.

I hope this helps the lady and any others suffering from this very embarrassing situation.

DEAR READER:
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in diet soft drinks, coffee, gums, sugar-free candies, and a host of other purposes. Some individuals can apparently include it within their regular diets and never be affected. In your case, you developed a mild but unwanted side effect from it. More severe cases, such as allergic reactions or perhaps from excessive use, are well documented. In any event, you were lucky to have found the source of your halitosis and took steps to correct the situation.

I am passing the information along through my column so others with a similar problem might be helped. Anyone who has suffered with halitosis and successfully treated it, please let me know what you have done. I will print a follow-up article with reader suggestions to pass on to others who suffer from this harmless but embarrassing problem. Thank you for sharing your experience.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.