Sickly son worries mother

March 12, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My son is 60-plus years old and has been reasonably healthy. He has been hospitalized a couple of times for pneumonia. Unfortunately, he still smokes.

Over the past few years, he has developed a visible constant shaking of his body, particularly noticeable in his arms and hands, even when he is eating. He is married and has no children. Seeing him during the holidays, my husband (his stepdad) and I were shocked at his appearance. He has always been a handsome man. Now, apart from the frightening, continuous shaking, he has a sick, unhealthy color, with his face blotchy and gray. His eyes are rather sullen and baglike. He coughs occasionally, sometimes almost choking.
When asked, his wife said he has been to the doctor, had a few preliminary tests and is fine. “They could find nothing wrong with him.”
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Petroleum based products unsafe for some uses

December 2, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m confused as to why some consumers should no longer use products that are petroleum based or contain parabens. Is it unsafe to use Vaseline, petroleum jelly or Bag Balm on dry, cracked feet?

DEAR READER: Because petroleum jelly is derived from oil, it must be refined. Some refining and production methods are said to have been shown to contain toxic, hazardous or carcinogenic components. Perhaps what you are referring to is the people that use Vaseline for different reasons, such as putting it inside the nose to keep the nostrils moistened. The product can run down the back of the nose and be swallowed, leading to lipoid pneumonia, especially if used over an extended period of time.
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Daily Column

April 6, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am an 81-year-old male in fairly good physical condition. I have had some serious bouts with asthma and pneumonia and now take several nebulizer treatments a day as well as an inhaler. I get along pretty well with my breathing though.

Now to my question. I have type 2 diabetes. A few months ago I read that cinnamon was good for lowering sugar levels. I decided to try it mixed with Splenda on toast several times a day and it seemed to work. I then purchased 500 mg cinnamon capsules and started taking them twice a day, after breakfast and dinner.

Before the cinnamon, I was trying to control my diabetes with diet and exercise but it wasn’t really working. I would often have spikes of 250 or higher (before a meal) for no apparent reason. After the cinnamon, I have not had a reading over 130 before a meal.

Is there anything wrong with this treatment? Are there any side effects? I have also told a friend with severe diabetes about this. It seems to work for him as well.

DEAR READER:
I have received several letters from readers, such as you, who have had a favorable response to cinnamon therapy for diabetes. At the time cinnamon was first mentioned in my column by a reader who was using it for diabetes, he also claimed it lowered his cholesterol levels as well. Cinnamon for cholesterol does not appear to work for the number of readers who wrote to me with their results.

The one side effect I have heard about from my readers is diarrhea. It appears to be dose related. I do not know if this is common in the general public, however. Therefore, I see no reason why you shouldn’t try it (with doctor’s permission, of course).

That being said, there have been a couple of studies on the subject. One of note is found on www.WebMD.com. A researcher with the NWFP Agriculture University in Peshawar, Pakistan says that cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and turmeric have shown promise in improving insulin’s action in lab studies. He also says that cinnamon can improve glucose and cholesterol metabolism, improve function of small blood vessels and remove artery-damaging free radicals from the blood. Korean ginseng, flaxseed, garlic, and onions have similar effects.

The best results were achieved in individuals who took three to six grams (6-12-500 mg capsules or 1-1 ¾ teaspoons) each day. This is by no means a small amount and favorable results diminish soon after the cinnamon is stopped. For those people who participated, insulin sensitivity improved, triglyceride and LDL “bad” cholesterol levels were reduced and changes to the HDL “good” cholesterol levels were minor.

If you would like to read the WebMD article it can be found at http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20031205/cinnamon-helps-type-2-diabetes.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Living with Diabetes Mellitus” and “Understanding Cholesterol”. Other readers who would like copies should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 (per report) to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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