Q.
I have a skin condition I can't
seem to find any answer to in my
books. The pores in my nose and
cheeks are slightly enlarged. I have
rather oily skin and these pores are
always clogged with oil. I have
started eating a better diet. What I
am wondering is: have my past eating
and skin care habits taken their toll,
and have I cast the die for my outward appearance for life? I am very
self-conscious because it does not
give me a healthy look. What can you
suggest nutritionally or otherwise?
G. G. , Davis, CA.
A.
I don't think you have irreparably
damaged your skin for life by past unhealthy eating habits. Our bodies
have a remarkable ability to recuperate and repair damage.
Here are a few specific things I
would suggest for you:
Of course, if I knew your age, I
would be in a better position to give
you a prognosis of the possible degree
of success of the suggested treatment, since the skin of an 18-year-old
responds differently than that of an
80-year-old to any given treatment.
Q.
I would like to have some information on taking lithane or lithium carbonate, as it is known. I had some
depression last year and nothing
seemed to help - not B12 shots, nor
tranquilizers. Finally, I tried iron
pills and they snapped me out of the
depression. But the doctor and my
husband feel that taking lithium
every day is the answer for the prevention of depression. Am looking
forward to your comments on this
subject. Mrs. H.H.M., address
unknown
A.
Lithium is one of the lesser-known
minerals, which is now being recognized for its therapeutic potential in
some mental and nervous disorders,
particularly paranoid schizophrenia.
Lithium is involved in sodium metabolism and its transportation in
nerves and muscles in the body.
Lithium is also closely associated
with the function of the autonomic or
involuntary nervous system. A deficiency of lithium in the body may
lead to nervous and mental disorders, including severe depression,
as in your case.
At present, lithium carbonate is
available only by doctor's prescription.
Although I recognize that lithium can be used effectively
in treatment of certain nervous and mental
disorders on a short-term basis, I
definitely do not encourage taking it
in tablet form for prevention of these
same disorders. The reason: lithium
can be highly toxic in overdoses;
also, no one knows, as yet, the
body's actual requirements of this
trace mineral. Therefore, it is safer
to rely on natural dietary sources of
lithium. It is present in kelp, sea
water, and natural lithium-rich mineral springs. Take 10-15 tablets of
kelp a day, and use whole sea salt or
sea-water supplement - all available in your health food store.
Frequent ocean swimming will also be
beneficial, as trace minerals of the
sea water are absorbed into the
system through the skin.
Q.
What is your personal opinion of
the swine flu vaccination? D.R.,
Sacramento, CA.
A.
Here are some of my thoughts:
Q.
I've had severe itching on many
parts of my body, including on and
around private parts. Some of my
friends think it may be scabies. If it is scabies, what exactly is it, and
how can I get rid of it? P.F., L.A., CA.
A.
Scabies, also called the "seven year itch", is caused by a mite
called Sarcoptes Scabiei. It burrows
under the superficial layers of the
skin and causes intense itching. The
disease is contagious and can be
transmitted via physical contact between people.
At a recent international conference at the University of Minnesota,
doctors voiced alarm over the worldwide increase of scabies and
infestations of body and head lice, calling it a
"substantial public health problem". The conditions, it was reported,
are prevalent in hippie communes, among campers, and in many
poverty-stricken areas. The main
cause is the lack of personal cleanliness, and unsanitary conditions.
But, while scabies may begin in unsanitary environments, it quickly
spreads to clean areas and people
via physical contact.
Once you are infected with scabies, it is difficult to cure just by
hygienic measures. There is, however, a very effective prescription
drug, Kwell, which is available in
lotion, spray, or shampoo form.
Kwell, in combination with personal
cleanliness and frequent change of
bedding and clothing, would solve
your problem.
If any readers are familiar with
proven effective herbal or other
natural means of combatting scabies, please let me know so I can pass
the information along to the readers
of this Forum.
Q.
I am in the process of buying
cookware, and I need your advice
concerning which type to buy in
regard to health and durability. I
want to be able to cook nutritious
foods using a minimum of energy.
Dr. J.A.F., Kitchener, Ont.
A.
I am not sure that "health and
durability" go hand in hand, but
from a purely health standpoint, all
aluminum cooking utensils are a
strict no-no. The best cookware
would be: glass (like Pyrex), earthenware,
and stainless steel. Stainless steel with a copper bottom will
use less energy. Also, stainless steel
pots with a special center core to
distribute heat evenly would be advisable for saving energy. I am not
sure about the pros and cons of
enameled cookware, but since some
colored enamels may release cadmium,
lead, and possibly other deadly metals, I am not inclined to regard
them favorably.
Q.
For the past year I have had a
sore mouth. I have been to various
types of dentists and physicians and
nothing seems to help. The biopsies
have been negative. I try to follow a
no-sugar, no-white flour diet and use
vitamin supplements. Do you have
any suggestions for me? I feel sure it
is a nutritional problem, though none
of the doctors have mentioned diet.
T.B.N., Miami Beach, FL.
A.
A sore or burning mouth or
tongue may be related to digestive
disorders, but more often than not it
is caused by B vitamin deficiencies.
Specific B vitamins involved are:
B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic
acid, B6, and B2. For two months,
try taking a high-potency B-complex
formula with extra amounts of these
specific B vitamins:
Q.
I would like to hear your thoughts
on saccharin - is it harmful? I use
about 15 quarter-grain (15 mg.)
tablets a day. A.B., Blythe, CA.
A.
Yes, reported studies have linked
saccharin to increased risk of developing cancer of the bladder.
(George T. Brian, Science, June 5, 1970).
Q.
For the birth of my last baby,
they gave me what they called a
saddle, at delivery. It numbed my
bottom and legs. Since then, I cannot
conceive, and have a sciatic nerve
trouble in one leg. Do you suppose
the saddle could have been the
cause, and is there a supplement or
anything that could help me? Mrs.
N.H. Hazleton, Iowa
A.
Spinal anesthesia, also called
"saddle block," is often administered at delivery. I consider it to be
dangerous - any tampering with the
spinal canal, where the spinal cord
and its multitude of vital nerve lines
is located, is bound to be associated
with risks of inflicting damage upon
the nervous system. Whether your
inability to conceive is related to the saddle block
at your previous delivery, would be impossible to determine, but sciatic nerve trouble may
conceivably be causatively connected. Nutritionally, B vitamins, with
extra B1, are very important for the
health of the nervous system, and
should be used when trying to undo
damage to the nerve cells. Sciatica is
a condition in which there is severe
pain in the lower back, and down
one or both legs. The pain is caused
either by damage, inflammation, or
circulation interference of the sciatic nerve which originates in the spinal
nerve which originates in the spinal
cord, near the base of the spine. In
addition to optimum nutrition, take
special supplements, such as vitamins C, E, A, and especially B
complex in large potencies, and
plenty of B-vitamin-rich brewer's
yeast. Your chiropractor or biologically oriented doctor may use heat
treatments and special therapeutic
baths and exercises to deal with a
sciatic problem.
Q.
We thoroughly enjoy and appreciate reading your monthly column in
Let's LIVE. My question is: what is
vitamin B5? I am reading a copy of a
trade publication that talks about
pro-vitamin B5. This is a new one to
me. What is B5 all about? Mrs.
C.B. McM., Ashtabula, Ohio
A.
Vitamin B5 is the original, but
now only seldom used, term for pantothenic acid, one of the vitamins of
the B-complex family.
Oily Skin
Lithium
Swine Flu Vaccination
You asked for my personal opinion, and that's what you got.
Naturally, everyone must take the responsibility for their own decision as
to whether or not to be vaccinated.
As for me and my family, I choose
not to be intimidated by mass hysteria and the government's attempt to
medicate the entire nation.
Seven-Year Itch
Cookware
Sore Mouth
Also, take three to four tablespoonsful of brewer's yeast powder
every day. Mix one tablespoonful in
a half glass of fresh grapefruit or
pineapple juice and take it three to
four times a day, on an empty
stomach. One hour before meals is
the best time.
Saccharin-Cancer Link
Saddle-Block
What is B5?